Compost at home

Home composting is an environmentally friendly way to deal with some of your food and garden waste. It's easy to do and produces nutrient-rich compost for your flower beds and window boxes. It also means we send less waste to the landfill.

What can be composted?

You can put a whole range of organic materials into a compost bin, including:

  • egg shells and boxes
  • raw fruit and vegetable scraps
  • tea bags, coffee grounds and coffee filters
  • small amounts of garden waste (eg prunings, weeds)
  • old flowers and plants
  • small amounts of sawdust and shredded paper

What can't be composted?

  • animal waste
  • dairy products
  • diseased or poisonous plants
  • nappies
  • meat, fish or bones

Start composting

Southwark residents can buy a home compost bin at a reduced cost from the reuse and recycling centre or by arranging a home delivery through Get Composting

Compost bins

Home compost bins are ideal if you have a garden. The recycled plastic bins are available in two sizes and come with a five litre ventilated kitchen caddy, composting manual and access to a composting helpline.

  • the 220 litre bin is 90cm tall with a 74cm base diameter
  • the 330 litre bin is 100cm tall with a 80cm base diameter

The kitchen caddy can be used to hold your organic kitchen waste before you take it to the compost bin.

To keep your caddy clean, you can use biodegradable/compostable liners (these can be bought from your local supermarket), your old plastic bags (although these cannot be put in the bin) or a couple of sheets of newspaper that will soak up moisture and will decompose easily.

Compost bins can be purchased from the reuse and recycling centre for a subsidised fee of £10. Home delivery can be arranged for an additional fee of £5.49 through Get Composting.

Community Composting

Community groups, schools, places of worship or similar can obtain up to two free compost bins which you can collect from the reuse and recycling centre. Email us for more information or to apply - include information about the name of your community group or organisation and where you're based. We'll confirm your request and arrange a date and time for you to collect them.

Page last updated: 21 June 2023

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