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Print articleNot only is composting good for the environment, but it is good for the bank balance too.
Vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, tea bags and egg shells can be recycled along with grass cuttings, flowers, leaves and hedge clippings. Untreated sawdust, small amounts of cardboard, paper towels, waste paper and wood ash can all be added to bins and heaps.
As well as reducing the amount of waste that is buried in landfill sites, it produces rich plant food that can be recycled back into the soil.
Celebrities including weathergirl Sian Lloyd, TV gardener Charlie Dimmock and DJ Chris Evans are all joining in the composting craze.
Council waste minimisation/recycling officer Karen McNeil said:
?We are delighted so many residents are taking action to reduce their waste and recycle more.
?The average person throws away seven times their own body weight in waste every year. Composting alone can reduce the amount of waste you dispose of by at least 30 per cent, so what better way of doing your bit for the environment, with the added benefit of helping your flowers bloom for summer.
?We have been inundated with orders for compost bins, so the message is obviously getting across.
?Some residents may have wait up to six weeks for their bins to be delivered however, as the demand has been so high.?
Carmarthenshire County Council's 'Green or Mean: it's up to you' campaign aims to raise awareness about waste issues, and ultimately to reduce the amount of waste created in Carmarthenshire and increase recycling rates.
The county has to recycle and compost at least 40 per cent of its rubbish by 2010.
Councils executive board member for the environment Councillor Pam Palmer said:
?We have had an excellent response from the public to this campaign, recycling is one of the most practical and convenient things we can all do to protect our environment.
?We can all make a difference by changing the way we do things, even the smallest of changes to our daily routine can make a big impact.?
The council sells compost bins for ?10 including delivery.
