Think green ... live clean - composting at home
As part of Arun District Council's commitment to sustainability, our Think green, live clean campaign encourages residents to take simple, impactful steps toward a greener future. One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce household waste and enrich your garden is by composting at home.
Why composting matters
Every year, UK households throw away millions of tonnes of food and garden waste. Much of this ends up in landfill, where it decomposes anaerobically (meaning in a way that does not require oxygen) and produces methane - a potent greenhouse gas.
The benefits of composting at home:
- reduces landfill waste
- cuts methane emissions
- improves soil health
- saves money on fertilisers
- supports biodiversity
What you can compost
- fruit and vegetable scraps
- tea bags and coffee grounds
- eggshells
- grass clippings and garden trimmings
- shredded paper and cardboard
- leaves and plant cuttings
What not to compost
- meat, fish, and dairy (attracts pests)
- cooked food or oily leftovers
- pet waste
- diseased plants
- glossy or coated paper
How to start composting
1. Choose a compost bin - you can buy a compost bin or build your own. Place it in a well-drained, partly shaded spot.
2. Layer your materials - alternate between greens (wet, nitrogen-rich like food scraps) and browns (dry, carbon-rich like leaves and paper).
3. Keep it moist - your compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it's too dry or more browns if it's too wet.
4. Turn it regularly - aerating (introducing air) your compost speeds up decomposition and prevents odours.
5. Wait and use - in two to six months, you'll have rich, crumbly compost ready to use in your garden beds, pots, or lawn.
Tips for success
- chop large items into smaller pieces to speed up decomposition
- keep a small kitchen caddy to collect scraps easily
- if it smells bad, add more browns and turn the pile
- use your compost to feed houseplants, flower beds, or vegetable patches
Local impact, global change
By composting at home, you're not just helping your garden - you're contributing to a cleaner, healthier planet. If every household in Arun composted their food and garden waste, we could collectively divert hundreds of tonnes of waste from landfill each year.
Let's think green and live clean, by kicking things off in our own back garden. If you don't have a garden, you can still get involved - read more here: How to stop throwing away food waste - with or without a garden / RHS Gardening