There is much to be said about composting organic waste. It makes sense to gather green and organic materials and either use them in the garden or set them out to be recycled. It makes no sense to send these items to landfill. While it is true that the items will bio-degrade, the process takes much longer in a landfill than it does in the open air. Some councils however, are discovering that there is often confusion about what is or is not acceptable in regards to compost recycling.
One of the local authorities with concerns for proper procedure is the Sandwell council. Councillors have taken to reminding householders to avoid putting non-compostable items in with garden waste collections. The intermingling of compostable and non-compostable items can cause a great deal of trouble throughout the recycling process.
Acceptable items include garden waste such as weeds, plants, flowers, grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, twigs, and bark. Heavier materials, although they may be organic, can make garden waste bins too heavy to be handled by the refuse collection vehicle’s mechanical system to lift. The main items that people should avoid putting into their garden waste bins are sod, soil, thick tree limbs. Waste services often see other unacceptable items in the waste bins, including animal waste, plastic bags, and food.
Councillor Mahboob Hussain recently said to the Haloswen News: “It’s great that so many residents are keen to use the service, but useful for us all to remind ourselves what can and cannot be collected for composting.”
For further information go to sandwell.gov.uk/recycling
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