NowRecycle Blog

If you were to look into your gardening bin today and find a lot of maggots crawling around, it is likely that you would feel extremely sick and disgusted. Maggots have a reputation for being dirty, horrid creatures and so usually when they are found in a bin, or around our homes in any way, we automatically get rid of them as soon as possible. However, in certain circumstances did you know that maggots can actually be good for you?

Maggots and Your Gardening Bin

There is a certain type of fly which loves to hang around a compost pile and that is the “Soldier Fly”. Now the soldier fly is roughly 5-8 inches long and they lay their eggs on the compost heap and in turn maggots grow and feed off the compost. The maggots work in the same way that worms work with compost – they help it to decompose. So by keeping the maggots in the compost, it can really help to turn it into something that you can easily use on your garden to feed your plants.

The main problem which people seem to have with the maggots is that they are afraid the flies will start to come into the home and lay their eggs there. However that is simply not the case and unless you place your gardening bin extremely close to your home, the flies are unlikely to cause any problems for you.

Now apparently the maggots are also packed full of protein which means that they are great for the local wildlife. So if you want to help to take care of your local birds then allowing the maggots in your bin is definitely a good idea as it will attract more birds to your garden. But just how do the maggots get into the bin?

Well when you think about it, it is actually quite easy for a fly to get into a garden waste bin and lay its eggs. All it takes is for you to lift up the lid of the bin and they will be able to quickly fly into it. Also, most gardening bins have holes in them which allow the flies to get in and out easily enough. So really it is incredibly easy for the flies to get in, lay their eggs and then the maggots can easily grow inside too as there will be plenty for them to eat.

Discouraging Maggots in Your Gardening Bin

If you have read all about the benefits of maggots in your compost bin but you are still not overly convinced that they are what you need, then there are ways in which you can discourage them.

One way is to hide all food scraps deep into the bin so that they are not easily found. Fruits in particular tend to attract the soldier fly. It tends to be the juices that mainly attracts the flies and so if you mask the scent of the juices by adding cardboard and perhaps a little sawdust, the flies should not be able to smell them.

So overall maggots can be good for your garden and so you do not necessarily need to get rid of them. However if you would prefer not to see them in your gardening bin then there are things that you can do to stop them.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

A lot of people these days do not realise the benefits or the purpose of having a composting bin; but it really is amazing how great one of these can be.

The environment is something that most of us take for granted, whether we throw away things that we shouldn’t and waste things that don’t necessarily have to be wasted. There are so many ways in which you can use a compost bin, but some people do not know what can go into them and what can’t and that is when they cannot be bothered to figure it out.

Something that people may not be aware of is that some compost bins are perfect for disposing of dog poo.

Why Use Dog Poo in Your Composting Bin?

If you are someone who thinks that it is okay for the dog poo to be left alone in the garden, then you may be interested to know that it is just a myth. This is because it can take up to a whole year for the poo to disintegrate.

One thing which people tend to do when it comes to disposing of dog poo is to throw it in with the normal rubbish. This may not seem like much to worry about, but it can actually create many problems; including health risks to anyone who comes into contact with it. So it is an issue that should not be taken lightly. The main reason that dog faeces can cause problems is because it may contain harmful bacteria, which can easily mix with rain water and it can then end up in streams or contaminating water systems.

Disposing dog poo in an incorrect way is just not economically friendly and there is a better way to dispose of it, hence a composting bin will be perfect for this.

If you would like a composting bin to dispose of dog poo, you will need to read into the type of compost bin that will be perfect for you. Not all compost bins will be suitable to keep dog poo in, so it is worth doing your research. It is so easy to add dog faeces to the compost in your garden and it really helps the environment in so many different ways. Due to these huge advantages, it is hard to see why people are just not using their composting bins for this purpose.

If you are not sure where to get a compost bin from, you should contact your local councillor and have a look either on the internet or some retail stores may sell them as well. Also, if you are not sure how to use it, either look on the internet or once again ask your local council and they should be able to help you.

Overall keeping dog faeces in your compost bin can really help you to keep your garden clean and to help to stop diseases from being spread. So as you can see, a composting bin is definitely a good idea to use for many things; including dog faeces!

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

An office bin is not usually considered to be the most important piece of furniture in the office; however it can prove to be invaluable. This is especially true when it comes to recycling any waste paper which you may have lying around.
Usually you would use a bin in an office to just throw anything in - pencil sharpenings, used staples, old paper and files. However, when you do this you cannot recycle any of the waste and if you look at what mainly goes into the bin, you will realise that you can actually recycle most of it.

Why Recycle Your Waste Paper?

There is waste paper collections all around Europe and the UK has proven to have the most amount of waste paper out of all of the European countries. Having over 60% of the waste paper recycled in the domestic market, the UK really is helping to make a big difference. However, not all offices recycle their waste from their office bin as they do not really see the benefits.

Some of the benefits which do come from recycling waste paper within the office include:

· It is extremely good for the environment
· It keeps less waste from the landfill sites
· It is cost effective

As you will be recycling more paper it means that fewer trees will be chopped down as result. The amount of trees that are currently chopped down for paper is ridiculous and in some cases new trees aren’t even being planted and that means that we are fast running out of trees to get our paper from. So recycling more paper using your office bin will really help to limit the number of trees that are being chopped down and therefore that will in turn help the wildlife and environment.

Using Your Office Bin to Recycle Your Waste Paper

The best way to recycle any used paper that you have in the office, is to have two bins. One could be used for ordinary waste and the other could be a desktop bin which is used to put all waste paper into it. That way it doesn’t take up too much space and it will be right there in front of you when you are sitting at your desk. It may take a while getting used to putting in all of the waste paper instead of just dumping it in the old bin, but with time it will become more of an habit than anything else.

If you actually look at the rubbish that is in your bin, you will notice that a lot of it can be recycled. Old files, old letters from clients, post it notes; absolutely all types of paper waste can be recycled. So overall having a desktop bin as well as your old bin could really make all the difference. You can do your bit for the environment no matter whether you are at home or at work. So the next time that you go to throw something away into your office bin, ensure that it goes into the right one.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

A kitchen bin is something that most households have; however it is mainly only used to collect non-recyclable waste - or so you would think. The truth is most of the waste that is put into your kitchen bin could be recycled. You just do not realise it and as you only have one bin within the kitchen, absolutely everything is thrown into it. So the best thing for you to do would be to have a second kitchen bin; one that you could use specifically for recycling waste.

The Benefits of a Second Bin in the Kitchen

If you have not yet got a recycling bin in your kitchen, it would certainly be a good idea to consider one. Some of the many benefits of having one can include:

· You can help to keep the environment clean
· You will cut down on your overall waste which can save you money
· You will not have to worry about any pests getting into the bin

In the UK, recycling is becoming more of an issue and local councils are urging members of the public to recycle more waste. So having a kitchen bin especially designed to help you to do that is definitely advised.

Also, the council are now arranging fortnightly collections with wheelie bins. Now you can only keep so much waste in a wheelie bin and that means that you need to cut down on your current waste if you do not want to be taxed on anything extra that you throw away. So by having a bin in the kitchen to easily put your food waste into, you will be ensuring that you save money in the long run as you will obviously not have as much waste.

So what exactly do you do with the bin once it is full? Well, mainly you can put it into a compost bin outside. The one disadvantage with a kitchen recycling bin is that if you keep your food waste in it and it takes a while to fill it up, you could end up with a really smelly kitchen. So you need to ensure that you clean the bin out regularly if you do not want it to attract pests such as rats and mice. Generally it is safer to keep the bin in the kitchen because pests won’t be able to get to it as easily as they could if it was outside. Just be sure to place the contents in a tightly sealed compost bin every night and you will end up with a nice smelling kitchen as well as doing your bit for the environment.

Overall a second kitchen bin could really come in handy. Just ensure that you empty it regularly to stop your kitchen from smelling of rotten food. If you frequently empty the contents into a good compost bin then you should not have a problem. You can purchase a second kitchen bin from a number of places, with the internet being one of the best places to start.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

Recycling bins are fast becoming more and more popular as recycling becomes a top priority on many people’s lists. The government is constantly encouraging people to recycle more by limiting the pick up of their rubbish.

There are many great benefits of recycling things around the house, with one of them being that it is helping out the environment. It can be hard work recycling things however, because you have to take good care of the things that you do recycle and that you do not throw away anything which is in any old condition. Things need to be clean when you put them into the bin and the problem is that people think that they are helping by recycling any old rubbish. However, without taking the right amount of time, or by having the right knowledge, it can attract rats into your home.

If you are wondering how recycling bins can attract rats then just think - the collections are every two weeks and the smell will be extremely pungent.

What You Can do to Stop Your Recycling Bins from Being Contaminated

A great way to stop as much of the smell as possible from your recycling bin is firstly to not put anything in there that shouldn’t be there. Also you will need to wash anything out thoroughly and then dry it too. Some people throw things in their bins such as unopened cakes or out of date food. However, the thing with this is that it will start to smell quite quickly; especially during warmer weather.

Having the right amount of knowledge as to what should go into the bin and what shouldn’t can really help tremendously. After all, it is not just the smell that is the problem; contamination of the recycling bins can also occur. The problem is that there are different bins for different purposes and people tend to use them any old how, thinking that this is right when it might not be. Other people may try and be devious in the way that they put normal rubbish at the bottom of the bin and then place the recycling items on top of it.

If you are not sure what to put into your recycling bin, you can generally find the information out by either contacting your local council or visiting their website. It is amazing the amount of things that you can recycle, but make sure that you do know what can and cannot be put into the bin in order to prevent any problems from occurring.

There are measures currently being taken to spy on people’s bins and you may have heard of the term bin busters. You should be careful what you put into your recycling bin, as there are quite a few different consequences of putting the wrong things into it, including a fine.

Due to these drastic measures, the rate of recycling has improved, but there are still quite a few problem areas that exist. The contamination of these recycle bins is fast becoming a big problem and it can be potentially hazardous to your health.

So if you have a contaminated or a smelly bin, you should sort it out immediately as otherwise it will attract pests. It can also actually spread diseases, so it is a problem with recycling bins that really needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

If you own a compost bin then you will know just how good it can be for your garden. However, there is something that is even better than just ordinary compost and that is sifted compost.
Sifted compost has no bits of twigs or any stones like most other types of compost do. It is basically a 400 thread style soil count and it is perfect for using on the garden. So what are the uses for sifted compost? Well there are actually quite a few!

The Uses for Sifted Compost

Sifted compost is great in a compost bin for various reasons. The first one is that it can be used for renovating the lawn. If you are extremely proud of your lawn then you will want to take good care of it. So by using sifted compost you can ensure that the lawn will have all of the nutrients that it needs and it will not get clogged up with bits of twigs and stones.
Sifted compost also makes an excellent bed for seeds. So if you would like to plant more flowers and plants within your garden then it would be ideal for that. You can even successfully grow hard to germinate seeds in sifted compost so it is certainly worth looking into it if you have never before used it or even heard of it for that matter.
If you grow your own vegetables then you will know exactly how hard it can be to keep them looking their best. With sifted compost from your compost bin, you can place it over the top of the soil and it will help to provide the vegetables with all of the nutrients that they need. It also makes your garden look a lot healthier as its dark colour really does stand out.

Creating Sifted Compost

If you would like to create your own sifted compost then be warned – it is not an easy task. However, if you do have a good compost bin then it does make the job a lot easier. However, you do not just put everything into the compost bin as you would usually do; you have to first ensure that you create something that you can sift the compost with before it goes anywhere near the bin.
To create a “sifter” you will need hardware cloth, 2×4 foot pieces of lumber wood and fence staples as well as wire mesh. First you will need to assemble the pieces of lumber together so that they make a nice little frame. You should place it on top of a wheelbarrow or cart of some sorts so that the sifted compost will be collected eventually when it is made up. Next you should have half an inch of hardware cloth and you will need to place it over the frame and attach it down with the fence staples. That is basically it and your tool for sifting the compost is now ready. All you have to do is rub the material that you are using for compost, over the frame and the sifted parts of it will go into the wheelbarrow. That can then be transferred to your compost bin.
So overall if you are looking to keep your garden looking really healthy then sifted compost in your compost bin is the best thing that you can use.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

If you own a wheelie bin, you may not be fully aware of all of its full potential uses. However, an activist in Sydney recently found out exactly what wheelie bins can be good for. So what do you think they can be used for? Waste? A means of transportation perhaps? What about a sound system?

How Can a Wheelie Bin possibly be a Sound System?

One activist in Sydney managed to turn his wheelie bin into a sound system by placing an amplifier, some speakers and a battery into it. It got so much attention from the police that the man didn’t understand it. He got searched with it three times just to check that he was not storing anything potentially dangerous in there. Mind you, if you saw a wheelie bin sound system, wouldn’t you be a little suspicious too?

A wheelie bin is mainly used for waste obviously, but the reason why the activist chose to use his for a sound system is because he wanted to really grab attention. Obviously the bin would have been quite big, which would mean that the sound coming from it would get across to everyone.

At one point there were extra police called in as when the bin was being searched, a group of activists started to cause trouble and crowd around to see what was happening. So the unique sound system certainly got the desired reaction. However, the police search was thought to be a little too much and activists did find that the whole searching process was going a little overboard. Still the police were just there to do their job and no doubt the search was as much to do with curiosity than anything else. After all – it isn’t often that you see a wheelie bin being used as a sound system!

What Would You Use Your Bin For?

So does this news story make you feel creative when it comes to your own bin? If not then don’t worry, using it for waste is just as good as being creative with it. After all, using it for your household waste really can help the environment. However if you would like to be more creative with your bin then here are just a couple of ideas:

· You could turn your bin into a remote controlled bin. That would be handy as you wouldn’t have to actually go up to it every time you wanted to out something into it. You could get the bin to come to you!

· You could use it to wheel yourself around in if you were really bored.

· You could even use the bin to hide and surprise your friends and family. You could decorate the bin and use it to jump out of on your friends and families birthday.

Obviously the ideas above are a little silly, but life is made for living and so if you do get bored you could always use some of the ideas for your own entertainment. A wheelie bin is a great essential for keeping the environment clean and tidy, but it can also be used in a number of other ways too!

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

Gardeners with their portable gardening bins are some of the original recyclers. Grass clippings, weeds and autumn leaves are all put to good use by gardeners as compost. But, there are some things that you may not be putting in your gardening bin that could be great additions to your recycling effort. Consider these items that you might not currently be recycling into your garden.

Newspapers – Today’s black-and-white newspaper sections are printed using soy-based inks, so the threat of heavy-metal contamination no longer exists. Paper, of course, is made from trees, and it breaks down into compost quite easily. Shred it before you put it into the gardening bin, and then work it into your compost pile, making sure to keep the pile moist.

Newspapers also make great weed barriers. Lay several layers of newspaper in your beds and then apply a thick layer of mulch on top. The newspaper makes it very difficult for weeds to break through, and eventually the newspaper will break down into the soil.

Cardboard Boxes – Cardboard boxes should also be added to your gardening bin for recycling. They also decompose into natural compost, just like newspapers. And, like newspapers, they can be cut up and laid in your gardens to prevent the sprouting of weeds.

Kitchen Waste – If you’re not recycling your kitchen waste, then you’re missing out on a great soil amendment. Coffee and tea grounds, vegetable peels and other organic waste from your kitchen should be added to your compost pile, as they add important nutrients to the soil. Kitchen bins, like those you find at Recycle Now, are inexpensive and airtight, so that you never need worry about your organic waste smelling up your kitchen.

If you’re beginning to think that all these suggestions mean that you need a larger gardening bin, Recycle Now has those, too. There are many styles and sizes to choose from and they’re priced affordably.

There are also some other items from your home that you could use in your garden, giving them a second use, and saving yourself some money. Consider these ideas:

Save those old plastic milk bottles. Cut the top down until it becomes a great “hat” for your plants. These come in handy on nights when frost threatens. Simply top your tender plants with a hat to prevent frost damage. Large drinks bottles can often be used for this purpose, too.

Use your egg cartons as seed starters – Instead of purchasing those seed flats from the nursery, just use your egg cartons. Each egg compartment is the perfect size for starting a seed. Milk cartons work well for starting small plants from the nursery, like tomato plants. Just be certain to rinse out any containers before you reuse them.

It’s simple to step up your recycling efforts, saving yourself money and helping to save the planet. Think of creative ways to use items you have lying around the house, rather than just throwing them away. Recycling isn’t just about putting items in your recycling bin; it’s about reusing ordinary household items as well as those items in your gardening bin.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

If you are a keen gardener or if you are someone who does the gardening now and again, you will realize that a gardening bin can come in extremely useful. Your garden can accumulate a lot of rubbish and waste and throughout the colder months you will find that leaves, branches, rubbish and other things can collect all over the lawn and garden. This can look extremely messy, but when it comes to tidying it all up, people often tend to put it into normal household rubbish bags.

The problem with this is that there is then less space to put the rubbish into the tip, so what this means is that you have to be more vigilant and spend more time disposing of your waste. A great way to get rid of garden waste and to be a more productive gardener is to use gardening bins. You can easily get hold of a garden bin and it is a great way to dispose of the rubbish and not have it scattered everywhere.

Why should you Use a Garden Bin?

If you think that you do not need a garden bin or if you just cannot be bothered to use one, then this could be a damaging attitude to have. Garden waste is different to household waste and that is why there are collections for both normal household waste and garden waste. Generally, garden waste such as leaves and grass clippings etc. are bio degradable, but with most household waste, this is not the case.

If you put garden waste into a household bin bag, you are filling more of the bag up and taking more space up in the tip. This may not seem like a bad thing but it is because the space in the tip is quickly running out and this is why using a garden waste bin will be a good idea.

If you are after a bin that is easy to store, you may decide to go for a foldable bin which has many benefits too. They are relatively easy to get hold of just like the normal garden bins, so there is absolutely no excuse not to get one.

The benefits of a garden bin will include:

· You will be doing your bit to help with the environment
· It helps to be more productive with the gardening
· You will have a reduced amount of rubbish as you are putting garden waste into the bin, rather than mixing it with household rubbish

Overall, with a garden bin you know that you will be doing your bit with the environment, as well as keeping organized at the same time. At the beginning, you may have felt that they are a waste of time, but when you actually have one you then realize just how good they really are. If you are not sure where to get one from, search the internet, ask around or contact your local council to enquire about getting one. They truly are worth it and you can have peace of mind that you are doing your bit when you are disposing of garden waste in your gardening bin.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583

Making your own compost using a composting bin in your garden is simple and cost effective. In addition, composting reduces the waste we are asking our rubbish collectors to pick up and reduces the amount of commercial fertilizers we have to purchase. Gardening with organic compost is the oldest and most natural way to garden.

You’ll need some tools to get started. Don’t spend time fretting about the cost; these tools are relatively inexpensive and will pay for themselves quickly because of the money you’ll save on commercial fertilizers and soil amendments.

You’ll essentially need three tools: a composting bin, a gardening bin and a kitchen bin. You’ll use your kitchen bin to collect organic matter from your kitchen like coffee grounds, tea grounds, vegetable by products and egg shells. You’ll take your gardening bin with you when you weed your garden, placing grass clippings, weeds, sticks and other garden waste into it. Finally, your composting bin is what you’ll empty both your kitchen bin and your gardening bin into, allowing the material to decompose into compost.

Choose a kitchen bin that fits nicely under your sink, and one that has an airtight lid, to prevent odours. Your gardening bin should be easy for you to carry around the garden, but not so small that you’re constantly having to empty it out while you’re weeding.

Choosing the right composting bin is slightly more difficult. There are several things you need to consider.

First of all, decomposition takes time. Your clippings and organic matter will break down fairly slowly. The length of time depends upon the type of matter you’ve put into your bin as well as the amount of moisture and air they receive. Organic matter that gets too dry will decompose much more slowly than that which is kept moist. Items like autumn leaves, for example, will break down more quickly than, say, egg shells, because the leaves are already somewhat decomposed when you rake them and add them to the composting bin.

For this reason, many families choose to have a couple of composting bins. When one gets full, they stop adding matter to it and allow it to complete the decomposition process, putting their new organic matter into the second bin. By the time the second bin is full, the first one should be completely decomposed into compost. You can empty it, add it to your gardens, and then begin the cycle all over again.

So, you’ll need to consider how much organic matter you’ll have to put into your composting bin. A family of two will have far less kitchen waste than a family of four. A family with a big garden will produce far more clippings than a family with a very small garden. Plus, you’ll need to decide if you want to have two bins, so that you can always save your organic matter, or if you want to take a “recycling break”, simply adding to your composting bin until it’s full and then refraining from collecting organic matter until your compost is ready and the bin can be emptied. Then, you start the process again.

Once you’ve decided on how you’ll manage your composting at home, take a look at products available to help make life easier. You’ll find a wide range of composting and recycling products at reasonable prices. You can find your kitchen bin, gardening bin and composting bin on this site, and you won’t have to spend a fortune to prepare for recycling at home.

Editors’ notes:
NowRecycle.co.uk is a trading style of Plastic Omnium Systems Ltd - a European market leader in waste containment solutions that provides a wide range of waste containers and services including wheeled bins, litter bins, banks, composters and sacks. It is part of the International Plastic Omnium Group, a world leader in contract waste container solutions with worldwide sales of more than £1.8 billion. It employs over 9,000 people in 25 countries, across four continents, in manufacturing and service solutions for the automotive, environment and performance plastic products.
Press Contact: Simon Dutta, N European Marketing Director, Plastic Omnium Urban Systems Ltd
Telephone: 01952 582 583