In line with our aim of recycling the green materials generated by our services, we try were ever possible to utilize the recycling facilities offered by Warwick County County were this is not possible we encourage our clients to consider composting the material. To help with this we have provided the following guidelines.

Adding equal amounts of greens (greens are things like vegetable peel, fruit scraps, teabags, grass cuttings, not to be used if the lawn has been treated with any propriety selective weed killers, and hedge clippings. They break down quickly and keep the bin moist.) and Browns ( Browns are things like straw, wood chippings, sawdust, and shredded paper and cardboard. They give the compost its fibre and allow good air circulation.) will really help the natural composting process. It also works best if you add lots of materials (chopped into small pieces) at once.

The ‘forbidden’ list of things never to compost includes cooked vegetable, dairy products, meat, fish, bones, pet litter, disposable nappies, plastic, glass and metal.

The composting process usually takes 6-18 months. In the meantime if you do go out to buy any ready-made composts, soil improvers or mulches, look out for the reduced peat or peat-free products - they also contain recycled products!

The final product will be a very dark brown or black compost at the bottom of your compost bin. You can use it directly on your garden or blend it with sand and soil to make a potting mix.

For information or advice on home composting, contact your local authority recycling officer or visit www.compost.org.uk.