Posted on: Monday 4 September 2023
Residents are being offered free compost as part of a trial by Torfaen Council to reuse green waste collected from local homes.
An estimated 3500 tonnes of green waste is collected at the kerbside every year and taken to Newport to be turned into peat-free compost.
The council is now trialling a way of distributing the compost to residents free of charge.
It was an idea suggested by the Climate Ambassador Network, which is a forum for residents interested in supporting their communities to become net carbon zero by 2050.
Turning green waste into peat-free compost helps offset carbon emissions by locking carbon removed from the atmosphere by plants in the ground. Opting for peat-free compost helps to maintain valuable peatlands, which are important for nature and the environment.
Climate Ambassador Lauren Morse, who owns Zero Waste Torfaen, in Cwmbran, said: "This is a fantastic initiative for Torfaen. Not everybody is able to compost in their gardens so knowing the household garden waste collected from kerbside travels just a few miles down the road to be turned into compost, which can be given out for free to local residents is really great."
A 15-yard skip of compost is available to be collected from the Household Waste Recycling Centre, in New Inn - next to the fridge and freezer drop off point.
Residents are asked to bring their own bags or containers and a shovel, and to limit the amount they use to approximately two bags.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: "We used to provide compost produced from green waste to schools and community groups, but this is the first time we've offered it to the public.
"We hope this will encourage more people to recycle garden and plant waste rather than putting into their purple-lidded bins because it not only helps to lock emissions away, it also reduces to use of peat which is also vital to offsetting carbon and reduce flooding."
The amount of compost available and the location will be reviewed as part of the trial.
Residents can put garden waste, grass cuttings, leaves, hedge clippings and small twigs, dead plants and flowers in their green bins, which are collected fortnightly.
Increasing the amount of green waste that is recycled will to increase recycling rates in the borough in line with Welsh Government's target of 70 per cent recycling by 2050.
Find out how you can help to Raise the Rate.