International Compost Awareness Week which runs from Monday 5th to Sunday 11th May aims to show people how simple home composting is and demonstrate the great results that can be achieved by turning your organic waste into nutrient-rich homemade compost.
Recycle for Wales is encouraging households in Wales to get involved by taking the opportunity to try composting for themselves. About a third of your waste can be composted at home, saving energy and resources and benefiting your garden and your pocket.
Vegetable peelings, prunings, paper and a list of other things from your kitchen and garden will decompose easily and naturally in a compost bin, leaving you less waste to bag up and put out for collection and further processing.
The free compost will enrich borders and vegetable patches, plant up patio containers and act as a soil conditioner to improve your lawn.
Dan Finch National Communications Officer for Recycle for Wales said: “Many people don’t realize how simple it is to home compost or just how much of their household waste can actually be composted. You can start today by picking up a discounted compost bin, available from your local council.”
Cameron Stewart from Blackwood has been an avid composter for years.
He said: “It’s really easy to start composting. All you need is a compost bin, which isn’t very expensive or some screwed together pallets like I’m using. Then all you need is a mixture of rotting components such as weeds, flowers, grass clippings known as fast rotters, and some slow rotters such as egg shells and wood prunings to create a good compost. The most effort required in making compost is turning the compost mixture over with a fork from time to time to let some air get in, to help everything break down”
“Once you start making your own compost you will never go back to buying it from a DIY store. It’s convenient to get to, saves you money, and you will have the added satisfaction of knowing you helped create it while reducing waste at the same time.”
“We hardly use our food waste bins because most of what would go in there is composted or goes in my newly formed wormery”
Home composting helps ensure that organic household waste doesn’t end up in landfill. Not only is this a waste of natural resources but it also takes up increasingly limited landfill space. What’s more, you’ll be left with a product that has everything your plants need to flourish and stay looking beautiful and healthy.
If you don’t have a garden, remember that you can still recycle all food waste, such as vegetable peelings, fruit cores, teabags and egg shells by using your council weekly food waste recycling collection service. Or if you fancy being creative with your leftovers visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for recipe ideas or download the mobile app.
Activities taking place during International Compost Week
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Free compost bin giveaways at:
-
Llangefni market - Thursday 1st May between 9.30am and 2pm
-
Holyhead market – Monday 12th May between 9.30am - 2pm.
Carmarthenshire County Council
· £5 compost bin public sale at Co-op Crosshands – Wednesday 7th May, 9am-2pm
· Composting sessions for teachers in National Botanic Garden – Thursday 8th May
· Promotional stand at Carmarthen Growers Association event at Carmarthen Park – Saturday 10 May
For information about times please contact Carmarthenshire County Council on 01267 234567
For further information about composting and to read about how Cameron composts at home visit www.recycleforwales.org.uk
Source: Waste Awareness Wales
Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.
This article is for your information only and the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW does not (necessarily) approve, endorse or recommend the product, service, company or organization mentioned.
