May: Compost & Grow

May celebrates composting, soil health, and turning food and garden waste into a valuable resource. As part of National Compost Awareness Month, this is a great time to learn how composting at home and using Burnie’s FOGO service can reduce landfill and support healthy gardens.

 


This Month’s Focus

  • Composting food and garden waste
  • FOGO (Food Organics, Garden Organics)
  • Soil health and growing food

 


Why Compost?

Composting turns food scraps and garden waste into nutrient-rich soil conditioner. It reduces landfill, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and supports healthier gardens and green spaces. 

  • Less waste sent to landfill
  • Healthier soil and stronger plants
  • Reduced need for chemical fertilisers
  • Supporting natural nutrient cycles

 

Getting Started with Home Composting

Composting can be done in backyards or small spaces. 

  • Collect fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and eggshells
  • Add garden materials like leaves, grass clippings, and small prunings
  • Balance “greens” (food scraps) with “browns” (dry leaves, cardboard)
  • Keep compost moist and turn occasionally

Finished compost can be used to improve garden beds, lawns, and pot plants.

There are many ways to compost at home, including:

  • Traditional compost bins
  • Tumbler systems
  • Worm farms
  • DIY compost bays using recycled materials

Choose a system that suits your space and lifestyle.

 

How FOGO Works with Home Composting

Burnie’s FOGO service complements home composting by collecting organic waste that may be harder to manage at home. Using both systems helps:

  • Reduce bin odours and pests
  • Divert more organic waste from landfill
  • Produce compost at both the household and the regional scale

You can compost some materials at home and place the rest in your green-lid FOGO bin.

 

What Goes in the Green Bin?

Correct use of the FOGO bin is essential for producing quality compost.

FOGO accepts:

  • Fruit and vegetable scraps
  • Meat, bones and dairy
  • Garden clippings and leaves
  • Certified compostable liners

Keep out:

  • Plastic bags and packaging
  • Glass, metal or nappies
  • Treated timber or large branches
  • Soil, rocks and rubble

Keeping contamination out ensures compost can be safely reused.

 

Community Impact

Burnie’s community is already diverting significant amounts of food and garden waste from landfill through FOGO. Correct bin use helps ensure this material is turned into compost for agriculture and landscaping.

 

Compost Champions & Local Growers

May is a great time to highlight local growers and compost champions who are turning food scraps into healthy soil. Their work shows how composting supports productive gardens and reduces waste.

 

Small Steps

Composting today grows healthier gardens tomorrow.

 

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