We are celebrating National Recycling Week which takes place 24th September – 30th September by sharing with you our top five tips on compositing. As a nation, Britain throws an estimated 7.2 millions tonnes of food and drink away each year, so by making small changes and composting at home reduces food waste playing a core role in reducing the amount sent to landfill.

Composting isn’t hard, and if done correctly, can be done odour free. Here are our top five tips –

1. Invest in a compost bin
We suggest investing in a good quality indoor and outdoor compost bin. A lidded kitchen caddy with biodegradable bags means an odour free kitchen and an outdoor compost bin is perfect for smaller gardens!

2. Let nature do its thing
Worms are the perfect waste disposal unit as they thrive in a dark and moist atmosphere so a compost heap is their perfect environment as they spend their lives eating through your organic waste.

3. The do’s and don’ts
Good things to compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags and grass cuttings are all good for compositing; they are fast to break down and provide important nitrogen as well as moisture. It’s also good to include things such as cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves.
Meat, pet faeces or babies nappies are a complete no go. These can lead to unwanted pests and smells and will not naturally decompose.
Plastics, glass and metals cannot be composted but can often be recycled in other ways. Check out our sister companies blog on different types of plastics.

4. Air your compost heap
To keep your compost heap well looked after; we suggest airing and turning this on a regular basis. Try turning your compost once a month to help mix up the waste which in turn should lead to faster composting.

5. Using your compost
Once your compost is ready, you will notice a dark brown, spongy texture which is rich in nutrients and is therefore ready to use! Using this compost on flower beds helps to improve the quality of the soils and suppresses weeds leaving your garden in tip top condition.

For more information on recycled soils and aggregates then speak to our team. Contact us on 029 2079 7835 or email our team at enquiries@neal-soils.co.uk