Food waste makes up approximately one third of the residential waste stream. The Municipality of East Hants requires composting for many reasons. Not only does the law require us to compost, it also diverts material from landfills and creates a valuable resource from waste. It is natures way of recycling. By composting, we are reducing the production of leachate and methane gas, both of which increase the cost of operating a landfill site. We are also producing natures fertilizer containing soil nutrients such as nitrogen, posassium and phosphorus. The concentration of nutrients is lower than in commercial fertilizer - but so is the price!
Composting in East Hants involves using the small kitchen mini bins and the 65 gallon, green organics carts provided by the Municipality. Food waste is diverted from the waste stream by being placing into the kitchen mini bin. The mini bin is emptied into the large organics cart regularly. Carts are collected every two weeks on alternate weeks from garbage collection. To find out more about the composting process in East Hants, click here.
Backyard
composters can be purchased or home made and will provide
material to enrich garden or lawn soil. The key to a successful
backyard composter is in layering food waste with brown (leaves
or straw) and green (grass clippings) yard waste. The pile must
be turned regularly to allow air circulation and if it becomes
too dry you may need to add water. Back yard composting includes
fruit and vegetable peels, baked goods, paper towels and napkins,
coffee grounds and tea bags, egg shells, leaves, grass clippings
and twigs. Material not suitable for back yard composting includes
all meat, chicken, fish and shellfish, bones, fat, grease and
oil, dairy products including cheese, large branches, animal waste
and diseased plants. For more information on how to build and
operate your own back yard composter please visit the RRFB
Nova Scotia website.
Vermicomposting involves using worms to break down food material. All that is required for successful vermicomposting is food waste, shredded paper and some peat moss. Information on vermicomposting can also be found on the RRFB Nova Scotia website.
If you have
further questions on composting, please contact the Waste
Reduction Educator or the Solid Waste Hotline at 1-888-873-3332.
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