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Community Composting Schemes

Introduction

Community composting is where a community gets together to make compost. It is a very rewarding activity and it makes use of valuable resources that are so often regarded as 'waste' or 'rubbish'. It diverts garden debris and kitchen waste out of the waste stream - and so out of the landfills - and creates a useful, natural product for the garden which cuts down on the necessity for peat and so helps to conserve our natural bogland areas.

You, your garden and the environment will benefit from a natural soil conditioner that means all round improvement in your gardens and plants. Everything you need to make your garden healthy already lies in your home and garden waiting to be exploited.

Most garden debris and wastes can be recycled back into the soil - a far better alternative to consigning them to ever increasing landfills or bonfires. This recycled organic material can be used to provide plant food and improve the structure and health of the soil - an excellent (and free) substitute for peat and peat based composts.

One of the best ways to carry out the recycling process is to make a compost heap - a subject surrounded by mystique with everybody having their own rules for success. In fact, making a compost heap is easy.

Another good reason for making your own organic conditioner is the peace of mind of knowing that you are not contributing to further exploitation of finite resources such as our wild bogs.
There are plenty of alternatives to peat compost available if you are prepared to look and pay for them. It does not mean that the alternatives must always be a second best to peat; most may be as good, or even better. But the best and easiest alternative by far is the creation of your own compost. About one half of your rubbish is likely to be kitchen and garden waste. Most of this organic material can be recycled and put to good use in your garden.

People are increasingly thinking about their local environment and how much waste they produce. Community composting is a way of putting words into action. At the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 world governments committed themselves to using the world's limited resources fairly and wisely. This was called Local Agenda 21. They realised that for this to become a reality they had to get things working at a local level. Local Agenda 21 is about local people setting the agenda for action to improve their immediate environment.

Community composting is the way to help fight the war on waste, create an excellent source of free garden compost and protect precious peatlands.

Why set up a community scheme?

Adopting a "co-operative" composting scheme gives everyone a chance to do a bit for the environment. All kinds of community groups can get involved:

· Residential Groups
· Gardening clubs
· Parish Groups
· Wildlife Groups
· Urban Groups
· Scouts and Guides
· Sports Clubs
· Women's Institutes
· Schools
· Youth Clubs

There are several practical reasons for creating a communal heap.

A small back garden may not produce enough organic matter, nor the right balance of soft-to-woody material needed to create a successful heap. At least a cubic metre (1m wide x 1m deep x 1m high) is required to generate sufficient heat to break down all the material. Much of the compostable waste that finds its way to the tip is made up of garden debris that is difficult to cope with.

Community composting benefits everyone because it:
· Produces a focus for voluntary action
· Provides a free source of one of the best soil enrichers
· Creates a place for people to take waste if they do not have space to compost at home
· Pools local composting knowledge/skills
· Reduces pollution from back garden fires
· Cuts down on illegal dumping in the locality
· Shares tools and equipment
· Generates a source of compost and mulch for local environmental improvement schemes
· Raises awareness of the benefits of composting
· May save participants money by reducing the amount of rubbish presented to or for collection.

Setting up your Community Composting Scheme - Key Points

Forming a core of interested and enthusiastic volunteers is the obvious first step in forming a Community Composting Group. Advertising in the local press and shops is a good way to attract people. The number of people necessary to operate the scheme will depend on the scale and size of the community which will be served by it. It may be wise to limit the size of the operations until it is underway. Start small with room to expand. This should prevent the work load being too high and so prevent people from being discouraged and overwhelmed.

Many recycling projects start off with great enthusiasm but fail after a while. It may be worth keeping the following points in mind:

Have a clear idea of your objective. Is it:

· To improve the environment?

· To develop a group or community?

· To make money?

After this you will need to:

Establish a Community Composting Group
Arrange a meeting premises and hold regular meetings
Invite members of your local community to join the scheme
Select possible sites
Research funding sources
Look into issue of planning permission
Draw up a work plan
Arrange for volunteer workforce
Publicise your intentions to the community you are working in
Monitor feedback

For further information on the details of setting up a scheme and how to compost - check out The IPCC Guide to Community Composting (order details at the end of this factsheet)

Irish Community Composting Schemes & Contacts

Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Bog og Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore, Rathangan, Co. Kildare Ireland. Tel. 045-860133. E-mail us by clicking here with any queries you have.

1. Household Organic Waste Composting - The Centre for Organic Education, An tIonad Glas, Drumcolagher, Co Limerick, Tel: 063 83121.

2. Garden Greenwaste Composting- Cork 20/20 Vision Project - Ms Katherine Walsh, Waste Management Department, County Hall, Cork, Tel: 353 - 21 - 28 53 27 Fax: 353- 21 - 34 20 98

3. Household Organic & Garden Waste Composting - Tralee Area Composting Scheme - Mr Gerry O'Sullivan, Senior Executive Engineer, County Buildings, Rathass, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Tel: 353 - 66 - 7 12 11 11 Fax: 353 - 66- 7 12 97 64

4. Household & Garden Organic Waste Composting - Limerick Composting Scheme - Ms Ursula Hynes, Environment Officer, City Hall, Maerchants Quay, Limerick, Tel: 353 - 61 - 41 57 99 Fax: 353 - 61 - 41 83 45

5. Household Worm Composting Scheme - Crampton Buildings, Temple Bar, Dublin. Ms Sabhbh O'Neill, 52 Crampton Buildings, Asdill's Row, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel: 6774052 e-mail: sadhbh@esatclear.ie

Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore Rathangan, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Tel. 045-860133. E-mail us by clicking here with any queries you have.

The IPCC Guide to Community Composting (1998) A 25 page book designed to help local groups and interested individuals establish community composting schemes to reduce the amount of material going to landfills and produce a sustainable alternative to peat for use in the garden.

The IPCC Guide to Community Composting is for any enterprising person or group of individuals who would like to take practical action for the environment at a local level. It is a guide to the recycling of organic garden and household waste produced in all communities, and its conversion into useful compost to enrich soils in public and private areas.

The guide provides practical advice on what to compost, wehat is needed to set up a scheme, Funding Sources and how to organise the local community into a composting work force.

Five case studies highlight successful and beneficial schemes.

Paperback, Price £5.00 Get me your order form