Composting at home

On average, more than half the contents of Monash household landfill (red lid) bins contains food and garden waste. This waste goes to landfill, where it breaks down under conditions which produce methane (a greenhouse gas) that contributes to climate change.

Composting your food scraps and garden waste is one easy way to reduce landfill and protect the environment. Plus, you will get to enjoy the benefits of using your compost, and your garden will thank you for it! 

There are 3 typical ways you can home compost your food scraps:

• Compost bins are suitable for large families and households with a garden. You will get compost which can be dug into your garden or spread on top as mulch. You will need to add garden waste (such as dry leaves and grass clippings) with your food waste for best results.
• Worm farms are ideal for homes with a small yard or no garden. You will get worm castings which can be dug into your garden, and worm tea which can be diluted to water plants or spray on leaves to help keep plants healthy.
• Bokashi composting is perfect for apartments or small households, however you will need somewhere to bury the contents. You will end up with fermented waste which needs to be buried – or added to a compost bin or worm farm – for it to completely break down. You may also create Bokashi juice which can be diluted to water plants, or poured straight down sinks as a natural drain cleaner.

If you would like more information on each of the home composting methods, including what you can compost with each method, visit the Sustainability Victoria website.

Share your waste

If you don’t have space for a composting system or home composting isn’t for you, but you want to keep food out of landfill, you might have a neighbour who is composting and willing to take your food scraps.