Composting

Reduce the amount of rubbish you throw away and make your garden beautiful too!

Nearly a third of what we throw away is organic and can easily be turned into compost.

Subsidised compost bins are available for purchase under a scheme to boost kitchen and garden waste composting. The Black Country councils have teamed up with WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), a government-funded organisation set up to boost recycling and to promote home composting. Prices start from just £17.00 for a 220 litre compost bin, which includes delivery.

To order a compost bin call 0845 077 0757 or log onto the Recycle Now website.

This offer is limit to two compost bins per household and runs until March 2009 (or until stocks run out).

You can compost vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea bags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. These materials are quick to rot .

Other things you can compost include cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves. These take a bit longer to rot. Crushed egg shells can also be added.

Certain things should never be placed in your compost bin. These include cooked vegetables, dairy products, diseased plants - and definitely no dog poo, cat litter, or baby’s nappies.

Putting these in your bin can encourage unwanted pests and will also create odour. Also avoid composting perennial weeds (such as dandelions or thistles)

A range of food waste digesters and the ‘Can O Worms’ wormery are also available through the Recycle Now website at discounted prices.

The Green Cone is an example of a food waste digester. It can dispose of all kitchen food waste including cooked and uncooked food, meat, fish, bones, dairy products, bread, pasta, fruit scraps and vegetable peelings. The green cone is designed to be more resistant to pests than a standard compost bin, allowing the inclusion of items that aren’t suitable for home composting. There is no usable product that results from this process, the nutrients simply leach into the ground surrounding the Green Cone.

Wormeries provide an environmentally friendly way of disposing of uncooked fruit and vegetable waste, but not garden waste. They are ideal if you have limited space and can’t accommodate a compost bin. You will end up with a small amount of nutrient-rich vermiculture and a liquid run-off, both of which can be used on house plants.

Water butts are not available through Dudley Council. Seven Trent customers can order subsidised water butts by telephoning 08708 494851 or visiting the Seven Trent water butts offer website. Most garden centres will also stock a range of water butts.

Contact Details

Name:	Directorate of the Urban Environment
Address:	Waste Care
	Lister Road Depot
	Lister Road
	Dudley
	DY2 8JW
Tel:	01384 812345
Contact:	General Contact Form