Home composting-basic rules

27/05/2020

Installation of the Home Composting Bin

Ideally you should place your compost bin in a sunny spot in your garden, on the ground (direct contact with the soil), in a place that you can easily fill and evacuate. The reason you should put your bin in the ground is that it allows beneficial micro-organisms that live in the soil to enter in your container and break down your biological waste. It also helps in better ventilation and drainage of the bin, both important for successful composting.

What we can put inside

  • Fruit peels and vegetables residues
  • Salad leftovers (without oils)
  • Food remnants of legumes, vegetables, pasta (without oils, fats)
  • Coffee, cocoa, tea and other beverages’ leftovers (with or without filters)
  • Nuts, shelled eggs (not whole eggs)
  • Old bread (not fresh) and biscuits
  • Green leaves, lawn, wild grass
  • Dried leaves, springs, stems. straw etc.
  • Ash from fireplaces (after couple of days) and ash from wood/pellet burners

What we DO NOT put inside

  • Oils, fats, butter
  • Meat, fish, bones
  • Dairy products
  • Tarts, cakes, chocolates
  • Peels from lemon, orange or tangerines
  • Baby diapers, sanitary papers, magazines
  • plastic and metal packaging

Also, we avoid throwing napkins, kitchen paper or small papers (if some fall, it’s ok)

Useful tips

  • Shred large materials to speed up the composting process
  • Stir at least once a week to ventilate the material
  • The mixture should be relatively warm (40° C) and liquid (but not dripping) If it is too wet, add dried materials
  • If you have room make a pile of green materials (leaves, grass etc) next to the bin and not place them all direclty, but in the right proportion.
  • The compost should not smell bad (it’s ready when it’s smells like soil)
  • You can mix some of already made compost with the other material we pour daily inside for faster degradation
  • It is necessary to add the right proportions of materials and to regularly take care of the bucket during the first 6-8 weeks of application
  • If you follow the instructions above, it will be ready in 5-7 months

Check here the home composting guide (Greek)

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the participating countries and the Managing Authority.