Home Composting

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Composting is nature's recycling service: it allows households to recycle a substantial amount of their waste – including vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, grass cuttings, cut flowers, paper kitchen towels, egg shells and cereal boxes – without it ever leaving their home.

If it is buried in landfill sites, this biodegradable waste lets off methane as it rots 'anaerobically' (without the presence of air). Methane is a harmful greenhouse gas that is 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. But in a compost bin, the presence of air completely changes the way the waste decomposes and methane is no longer released.

Kingston Council has joined up with the Recycle Now Home Composting  Campaign to offer you compost bins delivered to your door at bargain prices!

*RRP: Recommended Retail Price.  Prices correct as of August 2008.

Order your subsidised compost bin online at the Recycle Now website, or call 0845 077 0757 quoting reference HCA2.

Kingston Community Compost Network (KCCN)

The volunteer Kingston Compost Network nurtured over the last 3 years currently comprises 14 active expert volunteers and 6 allotment associations. Volunteers are trained to master composter standards. The compost mentors represent a knowledge base within the community.

Allotment associations serve as the base for training and knowledge sharing. Allotments involved have demonstration sites where allotment holders and members of the public can experience a working home compost system.

London CRN plays a facilitator role in this programme, they work closely with Kingston Federation of Allotment Gardeners (KFAG) to recruit representatives of allotment sites across the borough, set up demonstration sites and generate potential mentors. The structure of the support was designed to create a trickle-down effect with London CRN organising expert training for the Compost Mentors, covering topics ranging from basic and advanced compost advice to event management.

Armed with this knowledge and a set of training materials, the Compost Mentors then returned to their allotment sites to share their expertise with other allotment holders and local residents.

Allotment association involved to date:

• Kingston Vale Leisure Gardener’s Association
• Dickerage Road
• Tudor
• Hook Leisure Gardens Association
• Elm Road
• Beverley Park

If you are interested in learning more about allotments, visit the allotments webpage.

Becoming a Compost Mentor

Compost mentors are a fundamental pillar of the network. Volunteers receive a great deal of support from the project including high quality training, field visits, participation in social events to meet other master composters (London wide), access to an internet based discussion forum as well as access to other interesting environmental volunteering opportunities.

If you are interested in becoming a compost mentor please contact: Edouard Guidon on edouard@lcrn.org.uk or 020 7324 4690.

Trouble Composting

If your compost bin is not as attractive as it used to be then help is at hand. Kingston Council are working with the London Community Recycling Network (LCRN) to train volunteers as Master Composters.

Volunteers will help to spread the word about composting, providing free and friendly advice to residents.

LCRN provide a free training service on becoming a volunteer Master Composter and provide expert advice on your composting queries. To get your heap smelling sweet or for further information please contact the LCRN on 020 7324 4690 or at compost@lcrn.org.uk.

Kingston Friends of the Earth

Kingston Friends of the Earth can also provide you with information, advice and support through their composting project.  For further information, please visit their website by following the link at the bottom of the page.