Home composting - “give it a grow”
We are using Compost Awareness Week to encourage residents to compost more of their kitchen, household and garden waste.
“Give it a grow”, the theme of this year’s Compost Awareness Week (2-10 May 2010), aims to encourage us all to try something different, like having a go at home composting or extending the range of waste we compost to do our bit for the environment.
Compost more things, more often
Cllr Julian Ellacott, Executive Member for Environment, said: “Home composting is an easy and sensible way of keeping garden and household waste from going to landfill. One third of the contents of the average household rubbish bin can be composted, plus all your garden waste.
“Even if you are among the thirty per cent of people who already compost at home, you could probably compost more things, more often. For example, around 60 per cent of people say they have never tried composting general household waste, such as scrunched up paper or the contents from a vacuum cleaner.*
“Home composting produces a free supply of nutrient rich, soil conditioner that is ideal for using on vegetable patches, and flower beds, for patio planters, hanging baskets and even window boxes - a great way to be green and save money.
“From doing it myself I know that it doesn’t take much effort, and is suitable whether you are a seasoned gardener or a novice, have a large garden or a small urban space.”
Cut-price compost bins
To help you get started, Reigate & Banstead residents can purchase cut-price compost bins from as little as £14.00 including delivery through Surrey Waste Partnership, a joint initiative between Surrey County Council and the county’s 11 borough and district councils.
A 220 litre compost converter costs just £14.00, a 330 litre bin £17.00 and the 400 litre Thermo King £50.00 including free delivery. Larger capacities are also available, along with a range of wooden compost bins and food waste caddies.
To order your bin or find out more log on to www.surrey.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444.
Buy peat free
Cllr Ellacott added: “If you don’t compost at home you can still do your bit for the environment by buying peat free compost or by signing up to our Garden Waste Service, whereby the Council will collect your garden trimmings and recycle them into agricultural soil conditioner.”
For more information see the Garden Waste Service page or contact the Help Line on 01737 276000.
Recipe for good compost
Fruit and vegetable peelings, dead flowers, grass cuttings, egg shells, pet hair, coffee grounds, tea bags, toilet roll innards, the contents of your vacuum cleaner and even old shredded bank statements and bills can be added to your home compost bin.
The recipe for creating good compost is to get a good mix of nitrogen rich materials like grass and kitchen waste (known as ‘greens’) and carbon rich matter found in woody substances like straw, dead leaves and newspapers (known as ‘browns’). Around half of each is ideal.
Compost bins should be placed in a sunny spot on a wire mesh base (to prevent vermin) over bare soil. You should stick a garden fork in the compost now and then to aerate it and then simply wait a few months for a fantastic supply of compost to appear.
Households in England throw away around 4 million tonnes of waste every year that could have been composted.
It can take anywhere between 500 to 1,000 years to replace every one metre layer of peat extracted in the UK, putting at risk wildlife such as birds, dragonflies and butterflies that depend on its natural habitat for survival.
* ICM research conducted for WRAP in March 2009.
For more information about composting your waste at home see the home composting page.
Last updated : 13/05/2010
