Different schemes use a range of methods. However, they tend to share some characteristics:
- Separate the material into different types and weigh at the Community Composting site
- Have a first bin, bay or area at one end of the site which is the receiving area for fresh garden waste.
- As the material breaks down, it is turned and moved from bin to bin to the "finishing" end of the site.
- Sieve and bag the mature compost from the final bin, ready for use by the local community
- Large pieces that are not yet fully composted are fed back through the series of bins to break down.
A shredder can be used to chip larger, woody material which is then mixed with all of the other material collected. This speeds up the composting process.
How much does a community composting scheme cost to set up and run annually?
♲ Set up costs range from £12,000 to £15,000, depending on the size of the scheme
♲ The biggest ongoing expense is turning and shredding the compost
♲ Most projects rely on income from recycling credits and donations from the 'soil conditioner.'