Get composting at home

Rochdale Borough Council is encouraging residents to home compost some of their food and garden waste as part of International Compost Awareness Week (5-11 May).

In the UK around 15 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year. Almost half of this comes from our homes. On average more than 30 per cent of domestic waste is compostable so composting this can help to reduce your waste and in turn can be used for your garden.

Paul Whiting, Waste Minimisation Officer at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Composting some of your food waste along with your garden waste at home is simple and cost effective. The compost can be used on your garden as well as for your hanging baskets, window boxes and vegetable plots. 

“Items including; egg shells, vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, coffee grounds and teabags, as well as sawdust and wood shavings can all be composted at home. All you need is a compost bin and a small outside space to get started.”

For handy hints and tips visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/bins and click on Composting or www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/compost for a step-by-step guide on composting at home.

The food that can’t be put in home compost bin can go in the food and garden recycling bin for collection by Rochdale Borough Council, which takes both food and garden waste. It will then be taken to an In-Vessel Composting facility and will be turned into compost.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a garden or outside space to make your own compost, you can now buy Revive multi-purpose peat free compost which is made with Greater Manchester’s very own food and garden waste collected from households. Please see www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/revive for details.