Composting

Composting is nature's way of recycling and helping to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste we send to landfill.  Biodegradable waste include things like food, garden, paper and cardboard.

Buckinghamshire residents produced 86,350 tonnes of food and garden waste in 2007/08.  Most of this went to landfill.  When biodegradable waste is sent to landfill it produces methane, which is a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.

Local authorities are coming under increasing pressure to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste reaching landfill sites.  As landfill tax is set to increase, Buckinghamshire councils face fines of up to £150 per tonne of biodegradable rubbish that is sent to landfill.

The need to protect our environment and meet tougher recycling and waste diversion targets is important.  The five councils in Buckinghamshire are fully committed to a strategy, which seeks to deliver a recycling rate of over 45% by 2011 and aspires to 60% in the long term (2025).  By recycling food and garden waste we can make a positive difference to recycling rates.