Compost Awareness Week

Compost Awareness Week 2010

What is Compost Awareness Week?

The 1st to 8th May is Compost Awareness Week, which aims to encourage more people to realise the benefits of home composting and the great results that can be achieved by using peat-free composts containing recycled material. There will be a series of compost give away events and trouble shooting 'Compost Clinics', to help struggling composters. These events will help to celebrate the week and encourage Suffolk residents to help their gardens and the wider environment. Keep visiting the website over the coming days - more events are being organised all the time!

Home Composting helps to keep garden and household waste out of landfill sites, and also produces nutritious compost. An average household in Suffolk could divert an astounding 150kg of organic waste a year from landfill by home composting. Over 1/3 of the contents of an average UK household bin can be home composted, not to mention all the garden waste that can be added to a compost bin. Yet many people still do not recognise how important and simple this is to do.

Peat-free compost

Amateur gardeners still use about 69% of the peat sold in the UK, mainly through multi-purpose compost even though there are greener peat-free alternatives. Buying peat-free compost helps to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere - peat bogs store carbon equivalent to about 20 years worth of national industrial emissions. Once peat is extracted stocks have little chance of recovery. On average around 1mm in depth of peat develops per year - it will take 1,000 years to replace every metre that is mined for garden compost.

As well as helping to preserve this diminishing natural resource by buying peat-free compost you are also reducing the amount of garden waste sent to landfill sites. Large quantities of garden waste is now being recycled on a large scale commercially for use in peat-free products, helping us to make the most of the waste we throw away and helping reduce carbon and methane emissions caused by landfilling compostable waste material.

Get shovelling Events

To celebrate compost awareness week and promote the use of peat-free compost the public are invited to help themselves to some free compost at several events in the county. This compost giveaway is a 'thank you' for Suffolk residents who have used local authority green waste services. The compost has been kindly provided by County Mulch. Compost is available on a first come first served basis whilst stocks last. It will be up to the event staff’s discretion as to how much compost is a reasonable amount to take. PLEASE NOTE - The public are required to do their own shovelling, provide bag(s) or containers and a spade and wear appropriate footwear. Free soil-improver available only until stocks last!

Compost Giveaways are taking place at the following locations:

Sat May 1st - Brandon Country Park 9am to 1pm - Orchard Car Park, Bury Road, Brandon, IP27 0SU. Sat May 1st - Clare Country Park 9am to 2pm - Visitors Car Park, Malting Lane, Clare, CO10 8NW. Sat May 1st - The Grove Car Park in Felixstowe 10am to 3pm - (accessed off the roundabout at the junction of Colneis Road, Links Avenue and Beatrice Avenue), Felixstowe, IP11 9. Sun May 2nd - Needham Market Lakes - 9am to 3pm Mill Meadow side (nr 'Mustard Pot' Veterinary Surgery), Needham Market. Sat May 8th - Delphi Car Park, Sudbury - 9am to 3pm Delphi car park Alexandra Road, off Newton Road, Sudbury, CO10 2XH

Other Suffolk Compost Awareness Week events:

Mon 3rd May - 10am to 2pm at Yoxford Garden and Plant Day, Village Hall, Yoxford. Master Composter 'Compost Clinic' Sat 8th May - 10am to 4pm at Otley College Big Day Out - Otley College, Otley, Ipswich IP6 9EY. Suffolk County Council Recycling Bus and Master Composter 'Compost Clinic'

Launch of the 'Suffolk Get Composting' campaign

Having problems with your compost bin? Want to compost but can't afford a bin? Come and talk to a Master Composter volunteer and find out how to kickstart your home compost bin, buy a reduced price bin or learn how to make one yourself. Information and expertise will be on hand at all the above events during Compost Awareness Week. Suffolk Master Composter Volunteers will provide Home Composting advice and show the range of cheap compost bins/accessories available through the new scheme. Details on how you can order a reduced price compost bin from as little as £14 will be available at each event! Suffolk residents are able to buy a 220 litre compost bin for £14, a 330 litre bin for £17 or a range of competitively priced compost bins, alternative systems such as wormeries and other accessories. Visit www.suffolk.getcomposting.com or phone 0844 5714444 for details of all the products on offer through the scheme and to place orders.

Further details on Compost Awareness Week and events taking place in other areas of the region can be found at the Compost Awareness Week campaign website.