Compost questions
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Q. a) What is community composting?
A. The term ‘community composting’ generally refers to the composting of organic materials within the community by local people for the benefit of the local community and its environment. However, community composting projects operate in many different ways, ranging from a small group of neighbours or allotment holders composting their waste together to a social enterprise running a local kerbside collection and composting operation on behalf of its Local Authority. Many of these community organisations are also involved in the promotion of home composting within their local communities.
Q. b) What sort of site do I need?
A. This depends on what you intend to compost and the size of your operation. For further information on designing a site, see the CCN’s Community Composting Guide, available through the CRNS. Also Chapters 12 and 13 of the Mucking In Pack, downloadable from www.communitycompost.org
In terms of garden waste, if you will be dealing with less than the upper limit for a Waste Management Licensing Exemption of 400 tonnes of material on site at any time, no impermeable surface such as concrete is required. Such a surface is required if you intend to add materials such as cardboard, paper or manure. If you are composting materials such as fruit and vegetable waste from shops you will need a site with a building (eg. a shed), an impermeable surface and you will require sealed drainage. If you are composting kitchen waste which comes from a separate premises and/or the finished compost will be used off site, according to the Animal By-Products Regulations this must be done in a contained way, i.e. in an enclosed building or using an in-vessel composter, which would then require access to water and electricity.
See the SEPA website for the Waste Management Licensing Exemption registration forms and details of the full Waste Management Licence, if you are dealing with more than 400 tonnes on site at any time. Full WML details: www.sepa.org.uk/regulation/waste/exemptions.htm
Q. c) Where can I get information on the BSI PAS 100 compost standard?
Q. d) How should I market my compost?
A.
The best way is word of mouth in your local community. You could try putting up posters at local allotment groups and gardening clubs. Click here for an overview to composting regulations.
SWAG offer free support to community sector waste organisations to develop a marketing strategy. Contact SWAG for details.
WRAP also offer advice on marketing:
www.wrap.org.uk/materials/organics/
Q. e) What’s the best way of measuring how much organic waste our project deals with or how much compost we produce?
A. If your project does not have access to weighing equipment, see the Measure Your Treasure Factsheet on Community Composting for methods on how to calculate or estimate quantities of compost produced or waste dealt with.
Measure Your Treasure
Q. f) How can the project be funded?
A.
Ways of generating an income from community composting include:
- Payment from Local Authorities to divert waste from landfill
- Payment for the provision of training placements
- Sales or donations for products
- Grants & investment programmes such as INCREASE and the Big Lottery Fund
Q. g) Where can I get information on Health and Safety?
A. See the chapter on Health and Safety in the CCN Community Composting Guide to be available from the CRNS. Also contact your local Health and Safety Executive office for more information. See www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/scotland.htm to find your nearest office.
Q. h) What’s an in-vessel composter?
A.
An in-vessel composter is a machine which provides a contained and controlled environment for composting. Since the introduction of the Animal By-Products Regulation in-vessel composting - or contained windrows, or anaerobic digestion - is necessary for composting kitchen waste, if it is received from separate premises and/or the final compost is to be used on a separate premises. In-vessel composting technology ranges from large-scale plants, which deal with thousands of tonnes, to small-scale systems, which are suitable for small community composting schemes or on-site composting for blocks of flats. The Big Hanna, the Webb’s Rocket and the Jora are the most well-developed, small-scale systems available on the market at present.
Q. i) Who should I contact if I want to start a community composting site?
A.
You should contact your local Waste Management Department, your local SEPA office, and if you are going to be collecting food waste from separate premises, then your local Animal Health Office.
Q. j) What regulatory requirements do I have to meet?
Q. k) What courses can I go on to learn more about composting?
Q. l) What is a Master Composter scheme?
Q. m) Where can I get more information on community composting?
Q. n) What shall I do if I find New Zealand Flatworm on the compost site?
A. New Zealand Flatworm is a non-indigenous species which predates on earthworms. As the name suggests they are flat and have a dark purple/brown upper surface and pale edges and underside. They are on average 1 cm wide and 6 cm long. The eggs resemble shiny blackcurrants. If you find New Zealand Flatworm on your site, it should be reported to Dr Brian Boag at the Scottish Crop Research Institute on bboag@scri.sari.ac.uk.
Please also inform the CRNS by contacting sarah@crns.org.uk. For more information, see
http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pestnote/flat.htm
Q. o) How do I go about finding a site?
A. Contact your local authority. Planning Aid can also provide valuable help with issues related to planning permission.
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