|
Compost Awareness Week - The Chance for Gardeners to put something back!
It’s Spring again, and with more and more time to spend outdoors, now is a good time to think about how we can all contribute to putting something back into our environment.
Composting* can give a natural boost to your garden and make a big difference to the wider environment by helping to reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill**. This is because most organic waste will fully biodegrade under composting conditions, whether in a home compost bin or a large scale compost facility, and can be turned into soil enriching composts.
Running from 2-8 May, International Compost Awareness Week is aimed at encouraging the public and businesses alike to do just that, using the theme “Be Resourceful – Compost!”
The initiative, which is being co-ordinated by the Composting Association, will involve a wide variety of events right across the country to demonstrate the benefits of composting and the different ways to make and use compost.
Gardening writer and TV presenter Monty Don is lending his support to the Composting Association to help promote the benefits of making and using composts.
He said: “Composting is the wonderful alchemy that turns all kinds of waste material into rich, sweet-smelling goodness to be returned to the soil. Not only does composting create a valuable resource, it also is the best way to solve the growing problem of landfill. It is the easiest way of working for our environment and every gardener and every council should make compost today!"
Many people still don’t realise how easy it is to make your own compost, - several councils now offer specially discounted home composting sets to get you started straight away, so it couldn’t be simpler!
If you’re planning an overhaul of your garden over the forthcoming weeks and find yourself with too much material to compost yourself you can take grass cuttings, hedge trimmings and branches to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre where they will be composted for you.
If you can’t compost at home, why not contact your local community composting scheme, to see how organic material can be collected from your home or whether there is a site for own delivery.
Now in its fourth year, Compost Awareness Week has gone from strength to strength and has become the focal point for local authority and the composting industries promotional activities. The 2004 Week has been made possible thanks to funding from the Environment Agency*** and from Biffaward¥.
Says Jane Gilbert, Chief Executive of the Composting Association, “Since Compost Awareness Week has been running, we have seen a huge range of interesting events being held, which have generated a tremendous response from all sectors of the community. People are becoming increasingly aware of the need to adopt a more resourceful approach to waste disposal. This initiative will help them get involved so that they see the benefits of composting not just during the Week but in the long-term as well.”
To find out more about Compost Awareness Week go to www.compost.org.uk, to find out more about the Environment Agency go to www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
*Composting is a natural decomposition process in which microscopic organisms convert organic materials into compost, which is a soil-like substance. This process can be used in a range of activities, from domestic gardening to the sophisticated treatment of commercial wastes.
**According to the Composting Association, 80% of household waste goes to landfill, far more than in most other EU countries. The EU Landfill Directive requires the UK to reduce this dramatically within the next decade or fines of millions of pounds could be levied on the Government. Approximately 40% of municipal waste is currently suitable for composting.
*** The Environment Agency is the leading public body protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It is our job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today's society, so that tomorrow's generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. Our work includes tackling flooding and pollution incidents, reducing industry's impacts on the environment, cleaning up rivers, coastal waters and contaminated land, conserving natural resources and improving wildlife habitats.
¥ Biffaward was created by Biffa Waste Services using donations of more than £4 million annually from qualifying contributions under landfill tax regulations. The fund, managed by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation, supports many worthwhile environmental projects involving local communities, education, biodiversity, heritage and research into sustainable waste management.
¥¥Focus Wickes is the second largest UK DIY retailer in terms of turnover. It operates 270 Focus stores and 158 Wickes stores.
About the Composting Association
The UK Composting Association is a membership organisation which represents the interests of companies, local authorities, community groups, academic institutions and other organisations involved with composting biodegradable wastes and marketing composted products. The Association promotes good practice and works with Government and other regulators to ensure that an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework is in place to permit the sustainable development of commercial, community and domestic composting.
For further information on composting visit the Composting Association website on www.compost.org.uk or contact your local council recycling officer.
|
|
You can do more than you think to help and it will make a huge difference - around 60% of your rubbish can be recycled
Alistair McGowan
Patron, Rethink Rubbish campaign
|
