Home composting critics “missing bigger picture”

Professor Jan Gronow of London's Imperial College said on Tuesday (September 19) that many home composters were not using their bins properly. This, she said, meant many compost heaps were turning anaerobic, producing methane – a gas considered to have an impact on global warming 20 times worse than carbon dioxide (see letsrecycle.com story).

” Compost is widely accepted as playing an important role in helping to reduce this country's reliance on landfill and contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gases. “
– Dr Jane Gilbert, Composting Association
Dr Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the composting association, believes that Professor Gronow has missed the “bigger picture” and failed to acknowledge other research findings, including work done by the Environment Agency.

She said: “We do feel that these comments were unnecessarily negative and could have had a harmful effect on the numbers of people composting at home. The advantage of home composting bin, producing comparatively little methane, and the benefits of diverting green waste away from landfill and the carbon stored by compost in the soil more than make up for this.

“Compost is widely accepted as playing an important role in helping to reduce this country's reliance on landfill and contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gases. It would be a shame if scare stories like this had a negative impact on the phenomenal commitment the British people have made to composting this organic waste,” she added.

Studies
Dr Gilbert pointed to a number of studies carried out which proved the positive effects that home composting has on the environment – including work by the Environment Agency and environmental consultancy AEA Technology Environment.

She said that research showed “very low levels” of methane, and other harmful gases such as ammonia from home composting, but that the Environment Agency had pointed out that all waste management processes have some impact on the environment.

” We have demonstrated significant diversion of waste from landfill but have found little evidence of compost bins going anaerobic. “
– Philip Ward, WRAP
The studies also indicate that if a generally aerobic environment is maintained within the windrow, methane production is not detected.

WRAP


Another organisation defending the green credentials of home composting is the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which has used Defra money to hand out over one million home compost bins across the UK. The organisation is aiming to divert 400,000 tonnes of organic waste from landfill via its home composting scheme

Philip Ward, director for WRAP's Waste Implementation Programme, said: “If home composting is carried out correctly, with the right mix of materials, there is no reason for anaerobic conditions to develop.

“For this reason, WRAP’s home composting campaign provides detailed information, helpline support and regional advisors to ensure that householders know how to use their bins correctly.

“WRAP has carried out extensive research into the way its home compost bins are used. We have demonstrated significant diversion of waste from landfill but have found little evidence of compost bins going anaerobic, regardless of whether or not they are being turned,” Mr Ward added.