Composting materials in Shropshire
Residents across Shropshire can recycle their compostable garden waste from the kerbside from wheelie bins that are collected fortnightly. This compostable waste is taken to a composting facility where it is recycled to make high-quality compost.
You can put the following items out for your compostable waste collection:
Grass cuttings, Hedge trimmings, Plants and weeds, Small branches (less than 2inches in thickness), Leaves, Prunings, Cut flowers, Twigs, Cardboard.
If you live in North Shropshire, Shrewsbury and South Shropshire you can add food waste to the compostable material you recycle (check your individual calendar for more information) or call the Customer Service Centre on 0345 678 9007.
You could also try recycling in your garden by starting a composter. Having a compost bin enables you to recycle not only your garden waste, but also non cooked waste from the kitchen. To get the best from your compost bin you need to add a mixture of “greens” and “browns”.
Greens
Tea bags, Grass cuttings, Vegetable peelings, Old flowers, Fruit scraps including the peel from citrus fruit, Nettles, Coffee grounds and filter paper, Bedding plants, Young annual weeds
Browns
Crushed up egg shells, Egg boxes, Cereal boxes, Corrugated cardboard packaging – scrunched up in small amounts, Tubes from kitchen or toilet rolls, Garden prunings, Dry leaves, twigs and hedge clippings, Straw and hay, Bedding from vegetarian pets, Wool, Feathers, Ashes from wood, paper or lump wood charcoal, Woody clippings, Cotton threads, String made from natural fibres, Tissues, paper towels and napkins (unless they have been in contact with meats, fats or oils), Shredded paper.
To get you started, your council has joined up with the Recycle Now Home Composting Campaign to provide composters at a reasonable price. To buy a reduced price compost bins go to www.recyclenow.com/compost
Become a Master Composter!
The Master Composter group is funded and run by Veolia. A foundation course is held at various times throughout the year.
The course covers all elements of the home composting process including an in-depth look at the types of materials that make successful compost. Once qualified, volunteers will go out and about across the county to talk to groups about how to compost at home. The next training session is Saturday 15th February 2020. If you are interested in becoming a Master Composter, please call Rachel on 07584 343 846.
Free compost bins for schools
Veolia provide free compost bins for schools to use with pupils. If your school would like to participate in this scheme please contacts: [email protected]