Garden and Kitchen Waste

The Problem

On average, more than half the total waste we collect from a household in Melton could have been composted in the resident's own garden. Part of this compostable waste is already collected for composting through the brown bin scheme, and the other portion is kitchen waste which can not go into the brown bins.

Overall this means that large amounts of compostable waste are landfilled, and large amounts of fuel are used to collect waste that could have been composted at home. When food breaks down in a lindfill site it gives off methane, which has a very harmful effect on the climate.

Brown bin scheme

Brown bins are for garden waste but not for kitchen waste. Find out more about which waste from your garden you can and can't put in your brown bin.

Home Composting   A range of composters is available at a reduced price from the County Council. These will allow you to make your own rich compost in your own garden, reducing the need to buy compost. If you want to compost kitchen waste and garden waste, food digesters and composters are available here. If you only want to compost garden waste, you can buy a subsidised compost bin here. If you are concerned about the food waste you generate, you can make a big difference by reducing the amount you produce in the first place. Those of you who have food waste disposal units built into the kitchen sink can use these to dispose of food waste, especially useful if composting is not possible.