Photo: Supplied.
CONTRIBUTED BY REDLAND CITY COUNCIL
It’s International Compost Awareness Week from 5 to 11 May 2024, which is the perfect time to consider the benefits of composting.
Did you know that composting and worm farming can remove up to 50 per cent of household organic waste going to landfill, helping to reduce your ecological footprint?
In landfill, organic material breaks down and generates methane and carbon dioxide, both major greenhouse gases.
Composting and worm farming are effective ways to produce rich compost for your garden while reducing food and organic waste to landfill and greenhouse emissions.
Did you know?
- Worms only breed if there is enough food. In good conditions, the population can double in two to three months. Compost worms breed every seven to 10 days.
- Worm farms are hygienic and have no unpleasant odours unless the worms are fed too much food or the wrong food types.
- Composting creates nutrient-rich fertiliser which can enrich your garden’s soil.
- Garden organic waste can be added to home garden compost bins or you can order a green bin from council.
Items you can compost include:
- Fruit scraps such as watermelon peel, banana skins, apple cores and rockmelon peel
- Vegetable scraps such as lettuce cores and broccoli stalks
- Cardboard, newspaper, leaves, hay or straw
- Coffee grounds
- Hair from your brush or comb
Items to avoid include:
- Fats and oils
- Meat products (including bones)
- Dairy products
- Bread and cake products
- Cat or dog faeces
- Citrus and onion (for worm farms)
If composting isn’t your thing, you can share your food scraps and other organics with your neighbours who may be composting, have a worm farm or keep farm animals. Go to sharewaste.com for more information.
To find out more about composting and worm farms, visit redland.qld.gov.au/composting.
