Its Spring Time -- Get Composting
Press Release 19th February 2007: Sharon Cameron, Environment Awareness Officer, Mayo County Council. 094 9047360
It’s Spring Time – GET COMPOSTING!
Its spring time again and Mayo County Council is reminding householders to get into the Race against Waste and start composting.
The composting of kitchen and garden waste such as teabags, fruit / vegetable peelings, egg shells, dry and dead plant materials and garden clippings is a great way of reducing the amount of waste that you will have to put in your bin for landfill each week.
Mayo County Council run a subsidised compost bin scheme where compost bins can be purchased for the reduced price of €25. Each compost bin comes with a free kitchen caddy and information booklet.
“Spring time is the best time for people to begin composting and you do not have to be a keen gardener to take up composting. It is very easy to begin composting. All you need is a compost bin or compost heap and begin separating your waste,” says Sharon Cameron, Environment Awareness Officer with Mayo County Council.
“By taking up composting householders are playing their part in helping reach the national waste target of 50% diversion of household waste from landfill by 2013”.
These are a few simple tips to get your compost bin up and running.
- Place your compost bin in a sunny spot and start by placing some “dry” materials such as small twigs in the base the bin.
- Separate your organic kitchen waste and garden waste from all other waste and put it in your compost bin. The kitchen caddy will allow you to separate your kitchen waste easily.
- Materials for composting should be shredded or cut into 2-3 inch pieces for them to break down quickly.
- Waste will compost better if it is well aerated so stir the waste in your compost bin every few weeks with a garden fork.
- Your compost heap or bin will work better if you get a good mixture of “green” and “brown” materials. Greens include fresh plant materials such as green leaves and garden cuttings, fruit and vegetables and also tea bags and coffee grinds. Brown materials include dry and dead plant materials such as branches and also paper and light cardboard such as egg boxes.
- Compost is ready when it becomes dark, crumbly and uniform in texture.
Compost can be used as mulch around plants, as a top dressing over lawns which can fertilise the soil or as a soil improver in vegetable and flower beds.
For more information on composting contact Sharon Cameron, Environment Awareness Officer, Mayo County Council: Telephone: 094 90 47360 or visit www.mayococo.ie
Posted: 22/02/2007