HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF COMPOST WEEK: 14TH-20TH MARCH 2022

At first sight, composting can seem a fairly difficult and lengthy way to dispose of food scraps and garden waste. According to recent Google trends data, searches for ‘How to start a compost bin UK’ have increased by more than 130 per cent in the past year, highlighting a growing interest and potential new trend. Composting at home is really simple and one of the most environmentally-friendly ways of dealing with kitchen waste.

Composting has a wide range of environmental benefits; from reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill, to improving soil health – the process has a positive impact on the planet. It also helps to reduces the amount of food that goes to waste in the UK; according to leading global sustainability charity, WRAP, food surplus and waste is estimated at 3.6 million tonnes per year.

By recycling your organic waste, you are reducing the amount of household waste you produce and in turn reducing the amount of pesky greenhouse gases that landfills emit. Composting also provides the perfect excuse to get outdoors and enjoy feeling at one with nature.

There has never been a better time to get involved in recycling your kitchen and food waste during this year’s Compost Week. Magnet has shared its top tips on how to make composting at home simple.

Invest in a dedicated pull-out bin for your compost

It is worth preparing your kitchen space in advance of composting to make the overall process easier. Instead of using a compost bin that sits on the kitchen worktop emitting unpleasant odours, consider opting for a dedicated two part pull-out bin to store your food waste and paper recycling to use in your compost. By keeping your food scraps out of sight and away from food preparation areas, your kitchen will feel cleaner and fresher.

Ninka Bin

Magnet’s Ninka Bin can be used to store your compostable kitchen waste

Conserve your coffee grounds for fertiliser

After making your morning coffee, refrain from throwing away any leftover coffee grounds in your machine as they can be beneficial for composting and can also be used as a fertiliser when added to the soil your garden. Consider setting aside a sealed container to store these

excess grounds, before sprinkling some into your soil in your garden when you get a chance.

AEG Integrated Coffee Machine KKK994500B

You can utilise leftover coffee grounds from your integrated coffee machine, like this AEG model, to fertilise the soil in your garden

Make your garden more accessible to kickstart your composting journey

Getting outdoors to deposit matter into your compost can sometimes feel like a big ask, especially when your dedicated compost bins are stored away in the kitchen. Consider making the outdoors more accessible by incorporating bi-fold doors in your living space. Not only will this make composting feel easier, but the sight of the beautiful outdoors will also help to inspire you to get outside and immerse yourself in outdoor pursuits, such as gardening and composting.