07 September 2008


Composting

Home composting is cheap and easy to do.  A third of what we bin could be turned into compost.  Turning kitchen and garden waste into compost is the only method of recycling you can do completely at home.  By making your own compost you are also helping to protect our peat bogs which are home to some of our rarest plants.

Compost bins
We have some great offers on compost bins to help get you started.

Description/Price Picture

Compost Converter 220

£8.00 (R.R.P. £39.95)

  • 220 litre capacity
  • 74cm diameter, 90cm height
  • Compost removal hatch for easy access
  • Made from 100% recycled material
  • No assembly required
 Compost converter 220

 

Description/Price Picture

Komp 250

£20.00 (R.R.P. £59.85)

  • 250 litre capacity
  • 54cm width, 54cm depth, 105cm height
  • Arrives flat packed 
  • East to assemble without tools
  • Made from 100% recycled material

 Komp 250

 

Description/Price Picture

Compost Converter 330

£10.00 (R.R.P. £49.95)

  • 330 litre capacity
  • 80 cm diameter, 100cm height
  • Compost removal hatch for easy access
  • Made from 100% recycled material
  • No assembly required
 Compost Converter 330

 

There are three different ways to order:

1.  Call 0845 077 0757.

2.  Order online at Recycle Now. (Opens New Window)

3.  Use the order form at the bottom of this page.

A free kitchen caddy is provided when you buy a bin.  Our offer is limited to two bins and one kitchen caddy per household and available to Buckinghamshire residents only.  Our offer is subject to availability and closes on 31st March 2009.  You should expect delivery within twenty-eight days.

Composting at a Household Waste and Recycling Centre
You can also take your 'green waste' to a Household Waste and Recycling Centre.  This is useful for bulky and woody plants that are too big to rot in your home compost bin. (Opens New Window)

Master Composter programme
Master Composters provide advice and assistance to people who want to start composting.  You will receive training in techniques for successful home composting and related environmental issues.  No previous experience of gardening or composting is required - just enthusiasm and an interest in the issue.  The Buckinghamshire's Master Composter programme is an initiative run by Buckinghamshire Local Authorities and Garden Organic, the national charity for organic gardening.  Contact us for more information.

For more information call 01296 387797 or email composting@buckscc.gov.uk

Composting - The Facts

  • Up to 30% of an average household's waste is organic and can be turned into compost.
  • Composting is the best way to treat organic waste as not only does it save valuable landfill space by reducing the amount we throw away, but it replaces commercially produced peat products which can damage important wildlife sites.
  • Adding compost to your soil will nourish the soil by adding nutrients.  It will also improve soil structure and attract earthworms which in turn improve the health of your soil further
  • Whilst compost does not completely replace fertilisers, its use is the key to an organic garden.
  • Compost can be placed on vegetable gardens and flower beds or around trees.  It makes excellent 'mulch' to discourage weeds and keep moisture in the soil.
    Sieved compost is ideal for potting, window boxes and hanging baskets.

What can I compost?

Yes No Maybe
Fruit and vegetable peelings and left overs
Tea leaves and coffee grounds
Crushed egg shells
Cotton wool
Hedge clippings
Grass cuttings
Leaves, flowers and non-woody prunings
Small animal droppings and litter
Wood ash and shavings,
Paper and soft cardboard (ideally shredded)
Contents of vacuum cleaner bags (woollen carpets only)		 Diseased plants or persistent weeds
Coal ash or soot
Dog or cat faeces and litter
Used nappies
Wall paper strippings
Clothes and textiles
Glossy paper
Wood
Glass or plastic
Cans, tins or aerosols, Lawn mowings that have been sprayed with weedkiller
Medical materials
Foil or food trays
Evergreen clippings

Potato/tomato remains
Sawdust
Woodchips
Shredded newspaper
Straw
Bracken
Nettles

(These materials will take longer to decompose. Add them only in small quantities for the best results.)

Getting Started

  • It is best to make your compost in an enclosure or container although a heap will work if kept covered.
  • Ready made compost bins are available from South Bucks District Council at a reduced rate. See contact details at the top of this page.
  • After sitting your composter you should fill it with alternate layers of wet (e.g. kitchen scraps) and dry (e.g. vacuum cleaner dust) waste. (See below)
  • If available add some finished compost, garden soil or a compost starter (available from most garden centres) to the pile. This will help to speed up the start of the composting process.
  • Adding a supply of brandling worms will also help. These are available from angling suppliers or can be collected from your garden.

Making good compost relies on a good balance of material being added to the compost bin.  There are two main types of waste  which you need to add:

  1. "Wet" waste (also known as "Greens") which is any compostable waste containing moisture (e.g. grass clippings, bedding plants, vegetable and fruit peels, etc).  This type of waste is high in nitrogen but low in carbon.
  2. "Dry" waste (also known as "Browns") which is any compostable waste lacking moisture (e.g. scrunched up cardboard, shredded paper leaves, chopped up twiggy material, etc.).  This type of waste is high in carbon but low in nitrogen.

One type of waste without the other may not work as well as it could.  Remember to add one layer of "wet" waste to prevent it from getting compacted, and potentially too soggy.  The "wet"waste will in turn soften the "dry" waste which would otherwise take a long time to decompose on its own.  Each type of compostable waste compliments the other, and leads to much better results.  Giving the mixture a stir every 2 weeks or so (if you can manage this) will also help loosen any material which might need more air.  You could also create a few aeration holes by pushing a broom handle through to the bottom of the material.

No. File name File
size		 Estimated download time File
type
1 Home Composting Information Leaflet and Order Form 2008 529k 2 min PDF Home Composting Information Leaflet and Order Form 2008

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To view the above Leaflet online, you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download Here!

For further information or for a leaflet or accessories for your compost bin, contact  Elizabeth Hird on 01895 837362.