Compost

Household waste can be reduced by 30-35% by composting. Valuable fertilizing compost is made from garden waste and leftover vegetables and fruit (meat excluded).The transformation from waste into compost surely  takes some months, even years depending on the method used (and the climate). However, for those who have a garden and/or a compost bin, composting can be enjoyable and a fun way to reduce waste.

In Iceland gathering organic waste will become mandatory step by step and that is why brown bins for organic waste are being introduced in many communities. Another solution is to have an ordinary waste bin, with a separate container for organic waste.

You can also compose leftovers yourself. If you have enough space for a composting bin, you should make an effort and try it. Composting makes you conscious of how much food is actually being wasted in your household. Figures show that about half of the World´s food production is thrown away at one time or another. Wasting food is thus an enormous problem, and an expensive one for us and for our planet.

The composting bin accepts all organic waste, except meat leftovers and fish.

For optimum composting, the compost has to be kept sufficiently moist and it is a good idea to use newspapers and garden waste in order to improve the compost. A homemade wooden composting tray can be used, and also plastic composting bins are available. Composting methods differ slightly according to the type of container being used.

Finally everything decomposes and a valuable fertilizing compost is produced. An open air compost takes about 3 years, but in a composting bin, the process can take a few months. There is almost no chance of anything going awry when composting. It is a natural process which takes pretty much care of itself.