The best and easiest way to compost: at home!

No matter what you do to reduce organic waste, you may still end up with things you can't eat, like banana peels, onion skins and garden waste.  That's why it's important to have a home compost bin if you can.  Home Composting helps to keep garden and household waste out of landfill sites where it would produce harmful greenhouse gases, and also produces nutritious compost, which can be used on flower beds and vegetable plots, for patio planters, hanging baskets and window boxes.  Nationally, around 30% of households are already composting at home, but it's important to see this number increase.

Over 40% of the contents of an average UK household bin can be home composted, when you combine kitchen and garden waste. Yet many people are not aware of how important and simple this is to do.

Where to start?

Check out recyclenow for a comprehensive guide to what you can and can't compost as well as troubleshooting tips.

Did you know that the Brighton & Hove City Council is running a discounted compost bin program?  To order an affordable compost bin or a Green Johanna (which composts all kitchen waste), please visit the City Council's Composting and Garden Waste page.

Choose the best site for your bin.

For the best start, your bin meeds to go on to a flat bit of well drained soil. If you are putting it on grass, dig over the area your bin is going on. This is so that worms can get into your compost bin.

Ideally, you should put your bin away from any walls with space next to it so that you can get to the compost when you need to turn it.

If you can, place your bin in a partially sunny place as the heat will help to speed up the composting process.

What type of bin is best for you?

Stand-up Plastic Bin Composters

This type of bin is the most common. The bin can be designed in many ways but generally have a bottom door or slide which allows the user to remove composted material from the bottom, while adding new material to the top. The materials inside this type of bin must be turned by removing the bin and mixing the materials or stirred with a long stick (like a broom handle). There may or may not be a bottom. If there is no bottom and you are concerned about rodents, you may line it with overlapping wire mesh which will still allow the worms inside.

For larger amounts of compost (up to 900 litres), you can buy larger plastic compost bins such as the ThermoKing. They range from between £50 to £150. They usually have a ventilation system for maintaining the ideal temperature and air. They usually also have base plates to protect from rodents.

Wooden Composters

Wooden composters can be made from old pallets and other recycled wood. This can make them very easy and cheap to make. They may or may not have bottoms or tops. The material is turned by hand. They come in all sizes, so can be built to suit the space and needs. You can have one bin or multiple bins next to each other. Having multiple bins makes it easier to turn the material from one bin to the next.

Buy subsidised bins from the City Council.