Home composting bins
Practical Action
Protect from external whether conditions, mainly rain, winds (proper cover or lid)
Retain the temperature inside (dimensions of the bin and material used for constructing)
Easy adding and mixing of waste ( proper height ,easy handling lid)
Easy removal of compost (size and number of compost removing doors)
Keeps away from the pest like rats, dogs crows etc.
Durability of the bin (material used, strength etc)
As management practices, more care should be taken on selecting suitable materials for
composting. In most systems, 98% of the biodegradable can be composted without much
problem. But in urban areas, as there are space limitations any form of malfunction in the
composting process can lead to environmental issues in the surroundings. Malfunctions are
caused primarily when non-degradable materials are added to the composting bin. (Table: 1)
Table: 1 Things to be composted and excluded from composting bin
Materials to include
Materials to exclude
Vegetables/kitchen refuses
Garden trimmings, grass
clippings
Leaves, dry leaves (straw)
Twigs and shredded branches
Food refuses :bread, buns etc
Egg shells
Farm animal manure (e.g. Cow,
Sheep, Goat , Poultry)
Fruit refuses
Wood ash
Non biodegradable waste: polythene,
plastics, glass, metal etc.
Human faeces, pet manure(e.g. dog, cat)
Dairy Products
Diseased plants
Fish , meat scraps and bones
Slow degradable materials like coconut
shells, coconut husk, komba etc.
Fats/cooking oils
Hazardous material like batteries, bulbs,
electronic components, chemicals
How to use a compost bin
1. Correct Locating of the bin
Bins should be located on a suitable place of the garden with convenient distance from the
kitchen (5 - 15 m) .This place should not be a water logged area during the rainy season and a
good basement is required for a steady installation. The basement should allow the drainage of
excess water and it should permit the entry of soil microorganisms, earthworms etc. It is
important to ensure that rats or any other pests should not enter tot the bin. It is best that the bin
is placed in a sunny area to enable better composting in high temperatures (Thermophlic
composting).
2. Adding the materials for composting & maintenance
Fill the bin with household organic waste as alternative layers of kitchen waste and dried
garden waste. Do not add inorganic (polythene, plastic, glass, metal) or slow degradable
materials like coconut husk, coconuts shells, banana stalk etc.(table:1)
some twigs and branches can be shredded into smaller pieces so that it accelerate the
composting process
Do not add any problematic materials like meat scraps, fish, dairy products and oily
products to the bin (this attract pest). Smaller quantities of above waste can burry in the
centre of bin to minimise pest attraction and malfunctions. Further, good monitoring
mechanisms are needed to optimise the composting process.
A minimum volume of material is required to activate composting and therefore, the
compost bin must be at least ¾ full for the process to work well.
Composting cannot occur without moisture and therefore, spray some water to moist the
dry materials in a bin. Too much moisture creates anaerobic conditions that can create
unpleasant odours (moist but should not squeeze out water from the bin).
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