Compost bins

Home composting requires hardly any effort and is suitable for everyone. All you need is a composting bin and plenty of kitchen or garden waste.

Why compost?

The average household bin contains 43% of organic material which could be composted. This includes items such as eggshells, tea bags, fruit and vegetable peelings. This rots in landfill sites fairly quickly, but when buried like this, it produces methane which contributes significantly to global warming. These materials can be easily composted either in a traditional compost heap or a special bin. In addition to this, grass cuttings, leaves, pruning and small plant clippings can also be composted. Composting is an excellent way of reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

Compost helps your garden and minimises the need for chemical fertilisers that can harm the environment and are costly to buy. Homemade compost is equally as good and is absolutely FREE. By composting you also cut down on the need to buy peat based products. Most commercial compost comes from peat bogs - these provide natural habitats for rare plants and animals and are almost extinct.

How do I start composting at home?

Collect your kitchen waste (use an old plastic container in the kitchen) and garden waste and use one of the three ways to compost at home:

• Pile it into a heap in an allocated part of the garden (on bare soil), cover with something waterproof and let nature do the rest
• Buy or build a compost bin/heap

You can make your own compost bin from wood (old pallets are useful), wooden posts and wire mesh lined with thick cardboard or old carpet. Cover it with carpet, a wooden lid of black plastic to keep the rain out and heat in - this will help quicken the rotting process.

Alternatively, Gloucestershire County Council have a deal with Get Composting. To view the range of bins and accessories visit the website.