Get Composting With Isle of Wight Council

Compost clinics, food workshops and a compost giveaway are among events being organised by Isle of Wight Council as part of national compost awareness week.

A number of events are being organised to encourage people to turn suitable household waste into compost to help reduce the amount sent to landfill. By recycling suitable kitchen waste, quality compost can be created to enrich garden soil.

During the week, compost experts will be on hand at Thompson Garden Centre in Newchurch between 1pm-4pm on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 May. The compost clinics will offer advice on what foods can be composted and tips on how to put your compost to good use.

On Wednesday 6 May a ‘Food for Thought’ road show is taking place in St Thomas Square between 11am and 3pm. Community Chef, Jenny Harris will be cooking up some tasty leftovers and sharing tips on minimising food waste. People can also find out how to get a cut-price compost bin and how to register for a free kitchen caddy which is collected weekly with your normal waste collection.

Kitchen caddies are also being given away at the Riverfest event at Newport Quay on Saturday 9 May. Caddies will be given away full of compost, along with compost ideas and tips on reducing food waste.

Laura Kay, Isle of Wight council waste minimisation and recycling officer said: "As part of our ‘love food hate waste’ campaign we are promoting the benefits of composting, both as a way of avoiding waste being sent to landfill and as a way of saving money. We have planned a number of events during national compost awareness week to encourage people to get composting, and make people aware of how they can obtain cut price compost bins and free kitchen caddies."

 

Notes for editors

Free kitchen caddies are available to order via www.iwight.com/waste or by calling 01983 821000.

Cut price compost bins can be ordered online at www.recyclenow.com/home_composting

Compost Awareness Week takes place 3-9 May 2009 www.compostawarenessweek.org.uk