Islanders encouraged to compost at home in bid to cut down waste export costs

Whilst more than 40% of households compost at home, around half don't include kitchen waste. Credit: PA

A new campaign is urging people to turn their food waste into compost at home.

A survey has found that whilst more than 40% of households compost at home, around half do not include food waste.

Guernsey Waste is highlighting the cost of exporting this waste off-island.

In 2022, more than 3500 tonnes of kitchen waste was collected from households in the island.

Following initial processing in Guernsey, it is is exported to a facility in southern England to be utilised as a fertiliser and to generate electricity.

Islanders are being asked to help to cut down export costs by composting food, such as raw fruit and vegetables, tea bags and coffee grounds, at home.

Waste prevention and recycling officer Tina Norman-Ross, “We think we can do more and are keen to encourage islanders who have stopped composting kitchen waste to give it a go again.

"Plus, there are probably a lot of islanders out there who have not yet tried home-composting but could do.

“Whether this is using compost bins, building your own heap, creating a wormery, buying a hot bin, or even a bokashi - there are lots of ways to compost to suit the size of your garden.

“The more food waste we compost at home, the less we have to export and the less we all have to pay to process it.”