Home composting

Compost bins and wormeries are available to buy for the low price of £5. This offer is available to Tower Hamlets residents only.

Compost bins and wormeries are an excellent way to reduce the amount of waste you throw out.

Composting is a simple, natural process where organic matter such as garden waste or kitchen scraps breaks down to form a rich dark brown soil-like material and in the case of the wormeries, a liquid.

Applying compost to gardens provides an excellent conditioner and mulch, which fertilises and provides soil structure, retains moisture and can restrict weed growth.

Man-made compost is an alternative to the peat-based compost extracted from important natural wildlife sites. Also, by home composting you are can prevent more than 20% of your waste from going to landfill.

Composting is a great step towards more sustainable living and as well as being great for the environment, you don’t have to buy compost for the garden, it’s also a money-saver.

You can compost at home by making a traditional compost heap, or by using a compost or worm bin, and some of the wormeries will allow you to compost kitchen scraps at home, even if you don’t have a garden.

The life long garden compost and wormery bins on offer come with instructional booklets that show you step by step how to set up and run your chosen system. Made from 100% recycled plastic some kits come with extras for starting up.

Composting in flats

If you live in a flat you may have room in your kitchen or on a balcony for a small wormery.

These do require a bit of looking after but will convert your food waste into a fine compost and a liquid fertiliser.

If you don't have the room for a wormery – or don't like the idea of all those worms so close to hand! we also offer a communal composting scheme for flats and can help set up a composting project for your block.

You will be able to choose from a range of compost bins which will be supplied at no charge, including rodent-proof sealed units suitable for all cooked and uncooked food waste.

We will also supply small kitchen caddy bins. To use this service there needs to be at least five residents prepared to separate kitchen waste for composting. You also need somewhere safe and convenient for the containers to be kept and someone willing to co-ordinate the scheme and look after the compost bins.

The compost you make is yours to use for communal gardens or planters. We can also give you free compost bins for garden waste if you have a communal garden area.

Several schemes have been set up in recent months. If you would be interested in discussing how this could be introduced to your block please contact us and ask about the "communal composting scheme".

email: generalenquiries@towerhamlets.gov.uk
tel: 020 7364 5004