Compost Awareness Week 2009

The Highland Council is urging householders across Highland to help reduce waste during Compost Awareness Week by taking up composting as a greener way of disposing of garden and kitchen waste.

The call has come as Environmental Minister Roseanna Cunningham helped Waste Aware Scotland launch the ninth annual Compost Awareness Week, marking the occasion by installing a new compost bin in her own garden.

The week, which runs from May 3 – 9th  aims to encourage more people to take up home composting by purchasing discounted compost bins via the Waste Aware Scotland Compost at Home campaign.

Backed by Highland Council, the campaign, which runs across the UK in conjunction with the national Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP),  offers bins from as little as £8, with different sizes available to suit all households.

Chairman of The Highland Council's TEC Services Committee, Councillor John Laing said:  "Composting is a great way of recycling waste and benefiting the soil in our gardens.  With sales of seed packets rising and more people looking at growing there own fruit and vegetables, there has never been a better time to get a compost bin.  Not only will people be able to reap the benefits in their own gardens but it means less waste ending up in our landfill sites, so it is really a win, win situation."

Compost bins can be ordered at www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk
or by calling 0845 076 0223. 

Once purchased, Waste Aware Scotland offers the following tips to ensure householders get the most from their composting:

1. Positioning the compost bin. Ideally place the bin on soil or grass in a partially shaded area of the garden that can be accessed easily all year round.
2. Getting the right mix. Aim to get a 50/50 mix of Green materials such as fruit and veg peelings, cut flowers and grass cuttings and Brown materials such as paper, cardboard, egg shells and hedge trimmings.
3. Adding air. Air speeds up the composting process. This can be done by adding air pockets created by placing scrunched up paper and card in the bin or manually by turning the compost with a garden fork.

Waste Aware Scotland’s web site hosts a list of all composting related events being attended during the CAW by local Waste Reduction Advisors and volunteer experts from the national Master Composter Programme. This programme runs in conjunction with community groups across Scotland to provide support to those just starting and already composting. For more information on these events log on to: http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk/html/compostWeekEvents.asp

To mark the week, Waste Aware Scotland has also launched a new Compost at Home Video clips section on its website at: www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk/html/compost.asp