Need to Know:
● Up to 40% of Alexandrina’s landfill is from food and garden waste that could be turned into nutrient-rich compost.
● You can green bin it, compost it, feed it to worms, bokashi it or create community compost.
Composting is the process of breaking down organic waste materials, such as food scraps, leaves, grass clippings, paper or cardboard, into a natural fertiliser for your plants. It has many benefits, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and producing a natural fertiliser that can improve soil health. This process is facilitated by microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and other decomposers like worms, which break down the organic matter. Over time, the organic matter breaks down into a dark, crumbly substance that is rich in nutrients. It is a simple and effective way to reduce the amount of organic waste that goes into landfill. There are a number of different ways you can create compost.
Green Bins: Alexandrina residents can compost their organic waste via council's green bin service. You can put food and organic waste in this bin.
You can collect your waste inside in a kitchen caddy – a small bin for food and organic waste – with a compostable liner bag. Alexandrina Council provides all residents with a 50 per cent subsidy on the purchase of kitchen caddies and rolls of compostable liner bags. You can buy caddies and compostable bags at Council’s offices in Goolwa or Strathalbyn Office.
Compost at Home: Another option is to start your own compost. Home composting can be done in several ways, including backyard composting, using worm farms and community-scale composting. It requires space and time but there are a range of different systems available for households. You’ll need to consider:
- how much food and garden waste your household generates,
- which compost system is best for your space,
- how much time you have to maintain your compost, and
- where you will use the compost you generate.
Backyard Compost: A backyard compost system is great way to process large quantities of food and garden waste. It requires a patch of earth or a compost bin. The compost is made from green (food scraps and green garden waste), and brown materials (brown leaves, hay, sawdust, cardboard and paper). The green materials are the nitrogen component and the brown are carbon. Overall, the compost mix must contain a ratio of 20:1 or 30:1 nitrogen to carbon. A regular rotation of the mix will ensure a good aeration. For this, you can use a pitchfork or a specialised compost screw.
Compost Tumbler: A good solution for backyards that do not have a grassed or soil area is a compost tumbler. It is a compost bin on a frame that is rotated to mix and aerate the materials. This system follows the same ratio principles as a standard backyard compost.
Worm Farm: Worm farms use worms to break down organic waste into nutrient-rich compost and a worm tea. It’s especially good for food waste (though not meat and dairy, and oily or processed foods). Food scraps are added to the upper tray for the worms to feast on. Over time worm casting builds up in the lower tray and can be harvested to add to your garden. You will also need to add paper, cardboard or coconut coir to provide bedding material for the worms. These systems come in a range of shapes and sizes and can even fit small spaces, like apartment balconies. They are easy to maintain but need a shady spot.
Bokashi: Bokashi is a fermentation process that originated in Japan. Organic materials are layered with an added mix of specific microorganisms and then sealed to ferment for several weeks. These materials will break down and produce a compost suitable for the garden. This process can compost meat and dairy products and is faster than other composting methods. Bokashi composting is also a great way to reduce waste in small spaces, such as an apartment or balcony. The process is anaerobic, with no unpleasant odour.
Community Compost: If you don’t have the space or the time to manage a compost system on your own you can still get involved in a communal one. Check out with your local community garden if they have compost bins in which you can drop your waste.
- Cittaslow Goolwa Community Garden - 145 Kessell Road, Goolwa
- Strath Neighbourhood Centre Community Garden - 6 Parker Avenue, Strathalbyn, SA
- Clayton Bay Community Garden - 6 Alexandrina Drive (corner Grand View Dr), Clayton Bay, SA
- Milang Community Garden - Corner Coxe & Rivers St, Milang, SA
Another option is Share Waste that connects you to your neighbours who may have compost bins. You can also reduce food waste through better meal planning and the use of apps like Saveful to make better use of leftovers.