Did you know that up to 60% of the rubbish Australians put in their garbage bin could be put to better use in the garden as compost and mulch or could be returned to agricultural land to improve soil quality!

Sue Clarke, NetWaste Environmental Learning Adviser, states that “one of the major concerns for the waste industry is that the breakdown of organic matter, such as food scraps, garden organics, wood and paper, within landfill is known to generate methane gas, a gas with at least 25 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide! In 2008, emissions from the waste sector were 2.5 per cent of Australia’s national emissions of greenhouse gases.”

So what can we do about it?

Sue indicates that “reducing the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfill will assist in reducing greenhouse emissions. If properly composted instead, this same organic waste could help to abate climate change in yet another way by sinking or ‘sequestering’ carbon back into the soil.

For example, a tonne of composted mulch applied in agriculture can sequester 25 kg of carbon in soil, and at the same time improve soil fertility and assist in water retention”.

During International Composting Awareness Week (2-8 May 2010), a new initiative was launched by Cabonne, Dubbo, Lachlan, Lithgow, Parkes and Weddin local government areas which aims to deliver composting workshops and provide composting advice to local residents. The initiative is part of a regional program proudly sponsored by NetWaste and Central NSW Councils (Centroc).  Councils will aim to deliver the workshops during the warmer months of September and October 2010.

To celebrate the launch of this exciting new program participating councils gave away Centroc's Grow Your Own Compost Kits to local residents who came into Council during International Composting Awareness Week. The fantastic starter Kits will also be distributed at the upcoming program workshops. The Kits have proved very popular at past events including Taste Orange @Cook Park; Bathurst Sustainability Expo; Harden community event;  Young Sustainability Expo; National Field Days Borenore; and Oberon Farmers Markets to name a few!

Participants will have the chance to take part in a "Community Compost Cook-Off" at the end of the home composting program in order to be in the running to win a fantastic range of prizes for the best home grown compost! This event will be proudly sponsored by Centroc and the NSW Environmental Trust.

For more information on our home composting program contact Sue Clarke, NetWaste Environmental Learning Advisor, on 02 63938771 or Rachael Young, Centroc Sustainability Programs Manager, on 0448 264 496.