Community composting
Community composting schemes range from involving small household groups to large districts. Whatever the size and scale of the project, community composting is about groups of like-minded people coming together to ensure that food waste ends up as compost, rather than being sent to landfill.
The recycling team can help set up a composting project for your block. There are some minimum requirements needed in order to go ahead:
- The communal area must not be directly exposed to major roads.
- At least three residents prepared to maintain the scheme and look aftter the compost bins.
- At least a third of the total number of households in the estate must be willing to take their food waste down to the compost bins.
Providing the above requirements are met, we can provide free compost units, small kitchen caddies and leaflets for all households involved.
How can I find out more about community composting?
To find out more about community composting schemes please contact us using the details on the right.
Please note that the home composting scheme available through the council is only suitable for households with gardens. These units may not be appropriate for larger schemes taking place on communal areas in estates.
Case study: Warburton & Darcy scheme
Residents living in the Warburton & Darcy estate near London Fields park have been composting their kitchen and garden waste in large shared bins since the scheme started on 29 August 2009. Training and bin building took place on site and was organised through a partnership between the tenants residents association, London Community Recycling Network and the recycling team in Hackney Council.
As well as reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill, the compost produced by residents is used in their communal flower beds and their food growing spaces.
Arlette, the tenants residents association secretary, says: "We enjoyed bin building during a sunny hot day and we had many of our neighbours to launch the community composting scheme. Many of us worried about throwing food away and this has helped us close the loop. The compost produced will be used to grow our own fruit and veg and fertilise our flower beds. I hardly throw waste away any more."
Flickr slideshow of composting images
Page updated: 4 May 2012
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