News : Roundswell & Sticklepath

Paper is ideal compost material when scrunched or shredded as it prevents the compost getting too wet and also creates pockets of air which allows aeration (which is essential for biodegradation).

Plastic is not biodegradable so should not be put into a compost bin.
Biodegradable plastic eg made from corn starch, can be composted.

Anything that is organic (ie is living or has lived) can be composted. If you have natural fibre carpets or bare floors at home, even the contents of your vacuum cleaner can be composted.

Wormeries are ideal for people who don't have a garden. You can put meat, fish and cooked food into a wormery as well as fruit and veg peelings. They are not suitable for grass clippings as will quickly get overloaded. Grass has a high moisture content and will be too wet for a wormery.

Worms like to eat partially rotting food. They will breed according to
conditions, size of bin and amount of food available.

Paper, card and food waste make up 2/3 of an average dustbin and could be composted.

Many people have successfully composted in heaps, although specially designed binslook tidier and so might be more suitable for smaller gardens.

Details of reduced price compost bins can be found on www.recycledevon.org.