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Be green and get composting

Home composting is an effortless, free activity that is great for the environment as it diverts waste from landfill sites and you don't have to be green-fingered to make your own. The Recycle Now Home Composting Campaign tells you how to get started

Why compost?

If you are worried about the environment and keen to recycle, home composting is rapidly becoming a key way that you can get involved on a daily basis. Home composting can be very beneficial for the environment.

When organic waste items such as fruit scraps and vegetable peelings, grass cuttings and even newspaper are sent to landfill, they are unable to decompose properly because they get squashed under everything else and have no access to air. Instead of breaking down into compost, they produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which contributes to global warming.

By composting at home, you can reduce the waste in your household bin by one third and put these nutrients back into your own garden.

How to get started

It is easy to start composting at home. You can buy compost bins from garden centres, and most local councils offer reduced-rate bins.

It is best to site your bin on a level, well-drained spot. This allows excess water to drain out and makes it easier for helpful creatures such as worms to get in and get working on breaking down the contents. Placing your bin in a partially sunny spot can help speed up the composting process.

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