Did you know in 2005-06, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough helped save almost 81,400 tonnes of material from being buried in the ground by using kerbside composting collections and local HWRC's. This is 21% of entire waste produced.

Why should I use my kerbside collections?

Using your kerbside collection to compost is important for several reasons. Not only will it save space in our local landfill sites and but you are helping to create compost, a useful product.

All bio-degradable materials (garden and food waste, paper and cardboard) when sent to landfill generates methane gas when it rots. Methane is a powerful green house gas (stronger than carbon dioxide) and therefore adds to climate change. Composting prevents this. The same benefits apply to home composting.

Is there a composting collection where I live?

Yes but the collections do vary depending on where you live:

  • Cambridge City: Green bin or brown sack for food and garden waste
  • East Cambridgeshire: Brown sacks for food and garden waste
  • Fenland District: Brown bin or sack for food and garden waste
  • Huntingdonshire District: Green bin or brown sack for food and garden waste
  • Peterborough City: Brown bin for garden waste only
  • South Cambridgeshire: Green bin or brown sack for food and garden waste

Find out more about the composting collection in you areas.

What happens to my garden and food waste?

The material brought to recycling centres and put into your kerbside collections is sent to a centralised composting site.

There are two types of composting methods, enclosed (In-vessel) and open (windrow). We have two enclosed sites in Cambridgeshire (Ellington and Watebeach) and one Windrow in Peterborough (Dogsthorpe). The enclosed compost sites are specially designed to compost food and garden waste whereas windrow is traditionally garden waste only.

Windrow composting involved several large heaps ranging from fresh garden cuttings to brown compost. Each heaps are turned from one to another as the garden waste gradually breaks down to form compost. As the material composts, a lot of heat is generated (40 - 50 degrees Celsius), which helps the process

In-vessel method can compost the materialsmore quickly. The materials are put into giant enclosed heaps with strict controls on moisture and temperature, which help speed up the process. The compost can reach temperatures over 60 degrees Celsius.

When it is ready it is bagged and sold at local garden centres, or is available direct from the Composting contractors.

For more information, call Donarbon at Waterbeach, on 01223 861010 or Marshall in Ellington, near Huntingdon, on 01480 810431.

Your local authority wants to keep as much garden rubbish out of landfill sites ('holes in the ground') as possible. Why bury it when we can use it!