Green Lunch

Recycling Green Waste

About 1/3 of the average household bin is filled with green waste. Green waste is fruit and vegetable waste from the kitchen and garden waste, like grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, weeds and dead flowers.

The green waste that is sent to landfill decomposes and produces methane because there is no oxygen there. Methane is a greenhouse gas and can be explosive, cause global warming and be harmful to the environment. It also produces chemicals, called leachates, which can pollute the local land and water.

What is composting?

Composting is a natural process carried out by millions of tiny creatures, most of which are too small to be seen with the naked eye. These creatures include microscopic bugs, fungi, insects and worms which breakdown your waste into a crumbly soil like material and it provides nutrients which can be used as food for the plants in the garden to make them grow better.

How to make compost?

Your compost bin should be placed on bare soil or grass, so that worms can get in and moisture can drain out. Your compost bin should not be placed on concrete or paved areas.

You can put most of your green waste in your compost bin but there are a few things that are best left out.

Yes Please

Fruit and vegetable peelings

Tea leaves, coffee grounds, crushed egg shells

Prunings

Grass cuttings

Hair

Leaves

Evergreen clippings

Old flowers and plants

Plant stems

Straw & Hay

Weeds

Paper

No Thank you

Meat and fish scraps

Bones

Cooked food scraps

Dog and Cat droppings

Nappies

Man made fibres

Dairy products

Plastic bags

Diseased plants and plants that have been in contact with fertiliser

Click on the Compost bin above to see how compost is made