Free compost giveaway in Suffolk

FREE compost, bargain green waste bins and environmental experts are on offer to green fingered Suffolk residents during National Compost Awareness Week 2013.

From Monday 6 to Tuesday 14 May, the Suffolk Waste Partnership will be highlighting the environmental and financial benefits of those who choose to make and use their own compost.

To celebrate the week and to thank Suffolk residents for supporting green waste recycling services, officers will be giving out free bags of compost, whilst stocks last, to Suffolk residents visiting Household Waste Recycling Centres across the county.

Green fingered residents will be able to pick up a 25 litre bag of soil improver together with information on home composting and local authority green waste collection services, at the following Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) events:

• Portman’s Walk HWRC, Ipswich, IP1 2DW, Tuesday 7th May, 10am – 4pm
• Hadleigh HWRC, Crockett Way, Hadleigh, IP7 6RH, Wednesday 8 May, 10am - 4pm
• Mildenhall HWRC, Mildenhall, IP28 7JQ, Thursday 9 May, 10am - 4pm
• Bury St Edmunds HWRC, Rougham Road (U8048), IP33 2RN, Friday 10 May, 10am - 4pm
• Lowestoft HWRC, Hadenham Road, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate, NR33 7NF, Monday 13 May, 10am - 4pm
• Foxhall HWRC, Foxhall Road, Brightwell, Ipswich, IP10 0HT, Tuesday 14 May, 10am - 4pm

Loose soil improver will also be given away for free and two further events - but you'll need to take along a spade and bags to help yourself.

• Needham Market Lake, Mill Meadow side Needham Market, Sunday 12th May, 9am to 3pm (or until stocks last)
• East Town Park, Haverhill, CB9 7UR, Monday 13th, 10am to 4pm (or until stocks last)

An average household in Suffolk could divert 150kg of organic waste a year from landfill by home composting. When sent to landfill, organic waste breaks down without oxygen, producing methane which contributes to global warming.

For those interested in making their own compost for use at home, there has never been a better time to start, with a whole range of compost bins and accessories available to Suffolk residents at bargain prices. The Suffolk Waste Partnership is also offering even greater subsidies to residents who purchase composting systems designed to process cooked food waste.


There will be a number of 'Compost Clinics' during the week. Suffolk Master Composter volunteers will be 'on call' to show residents how to compost at home and to offer free trouble-shooting advice. Compost advice clinics will be held at:

• Tuesday 7th May – Endeavour House (SCC), Ipswich, 11.30 – 2pm
• Thursday 9th May - Endeavour House (SCC), Ipswich, 11.30 – 2pm
• Sunday 12th May – South Suffolk Show (Craft Marquee), Ampton Racecourse, Ingham, Bury St Edmunds (on A134), 9am – 5pm

For details of all the items available to Suffolk households through the offer, and to order, visit www.suffolk.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444. Further details on Compost Awareness Week activities will be listed on www.suffolkrecycling.org.uk

Composting will also be covered as part of the BBC Radio Suffolk Rubbish Diet in Week 4, commencing on 13 May, so if you've been thinking about getting into composting, there's no better time to start.