Community Composting Program
Community Composting Program
Reducing organic waste going into the general waste collection system.
Making a Difference -
LLCI031-062
The issue
The problem this program addresses is the increasing amount of organic waste that goes into the general garbage collection system in the Tenterfield Shire Council area. Organic waste going into landfill is an unnecessary resource burden and its disposal also creates environmental issues such as providing food for pest species like house mice, feral cats and foxes. The problem identified was educating the community, so households could reduce their organic waste at home, and also involve people in composting unavoidable waste.
The solution
A successful application was made to NSW Environmental Trust's ‘Waste Less Recycle More Initiative Organics Infrastructure Grants Program’ to fund an education program and provide kitchen caddies, compost bins and worm farms to rate payers in the Tenterfield Shire. The project embarked on a comprehensive education program to implement the Love Food Hate Waste and Reduce Reuse & Recycle ethos into the community throughout 2015 &16. Four community composting workshops were conducted where people engaged in composting activities and were also given a kitchen caddie and either a compost bin or worm farm. Five schools were visited where students were shown how to compost their food scraps and the school was given a compost bin and worm farm to start to reduce their waste.
The impact
The program has distributed either a compost bin or worm farm to 642 rate payers to date to assist them in composting their household organic waste. Tenterfield Shire Council analysed data to assess changes in general waste quantities since the beginning of this program. The findings indicate that the program to date has achieved a 26% reduction of organic waste diverted from landfill per week which equates to 10.6 tonnes a week. Also, importantly 365 people attended composting workshops to increase their knowledge in reducing organic waste, making compost from waste and uses of compost. Five schools also received products for and training in composting.
Key facts
- 10.6 tonnes of organic waste diverted from landfill per week (26% reduction/ week).
- 642 rate payers received products to compost organic matter.
- Four Community Workshops - 365 Attendees
- Five School Activities