How to Recycle Manure
Animal waste from livestock and pets.
Quick answer
Manure from herbivores like horses, cows, chickens, and rabbits is a strong compost and garden amendment, but aged isn't the same as pathogen-safe. Killing E. coli, Salmonella, and other pathogens takes a hot compost that holds 131-140°F for weeks, which many home piles never reach, so wait at least 90-120 days after applying raw or aged manure before harvesting food crops. Never use dog, cat, or pig manure, which can carry parasites that infect humans. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
How to Prepare
- 1Compost manure with carbon-rich bedding like straw before applying it to a garden
- 2Turn the pile regularly and aim for a sustained 131-140°F to kill pathogens; time alone isn't enough
- 3Wait at least 120 days after applying raw or aged (not hot-composted) manure before harvesting root crops, leafy greens, or strawberries, and at least 90 days for other crops, per UNH Extension
- 4Ask about the source animal's diet; manure from herbicide-treated hay or pasture can retain plant-damaging residue even after composting
- 5Never use dog, cat, or pig manure in compost or gardens
Where to Recycle
- Farms
- Gardens
- Composting facilities
Special Instructions
UNH Extension is direct about this: never use cat, dog, or pig manure in a compost pile or vegetable garden, since these manures are more likely to carry parasites that infect humans than other manures. Separately, don't assume manure that's just sat around for a while is safe; pathogens need sustained heat, not time alone, and aged manure that was never hot-composted can still carry E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. There's also a less obvious risk: manure from animals fed herbicide-treated hay or pasture can carry residue that survives digestion and composting and stunts sensitive crops like tomatoes and beans, sometimes for years.
Environmental Impact
Composted herbivore manure returns nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter to soil and cuts demand for synthetic fertilizer, though runoff from improperly stored manure is a real water-pollution risk on farms.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Not Accepted
- Dog, cat, and pig manure
- Raw or aged manure applied directly to food crops without a waiting period
- Manure from animals fed herbicide-treated hay or pasture, without checking the source first
Recycle manure
Search recycling centers by city or ZIP, or explore more organic waste materials.