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FAQs about composting

Where can I get a home composter?

Compost bins are available at a reduced price as part of Recycle for Portsmouth. There are three types of compost bin available with prices starting at £17 including delivery. For more information or to order yours call 0845 077 0757 or visit the Recycle Now website, alternatively use the link to the order form at the bottom of this page. 

Item	Price
220 litre compost bin	£17
330 litre compost bin	£20
Komp 250 litre compost bin	£40
Kitchen Caddie (when purchased with a bin)	£4

All prices include delivery

What if I can’t fit a home composter in my garden?

You don’t have to use a custom made home composter. Many people make their own. For more information on how to make a compost heap contact the Compost Advice line on 0845 600 0323 or visit the Recycle Now website.

If you really can’t have a compost bin/ heap in your garden you can either take your garden waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Port Solent or you can purchase special sacks to have your garden waste collected by the refuse crews.

What can I put in my composter?

• Garden waste, such as old plants, flowers, grass cuttings and weeds
• Vegetarian kitchen waste like fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds and egg shells
• Prunings, hedge clippings and leaves
• Woody prunings (need to shred first)
• Bedding from vegetarian pets, such as rabbits and hamsters
• Shredded paper and broken up bits of cardboard
• Pure wool jumpers
• Straw based farmyard and horse manure.

What can’t I put in my composter?

• Any meat or fish scraps
• Any cooked food
• Dog and cat mess
• Nappies
• Coal ash
• Metal, glass, plastic and non-shredded paper
• The roots of persistent weeds like bindweed and cooch grass
• Leaves with persistent disease such as blackspot
  

Will a compost bin smell?

Compost bins don’t generally smell unpleasant. Any problems with smells usually mean that there’s not enough air in the bin. This can be resolved by giving it a stir or adding more tough, dry material such as shredded paper and broken cardboard, leaves and woody prunings. If you are having problems with your compost bin you can arrange for a Waste Liaison Officer come and help. Contact the City Help Desk to arrange a visit.

Will a compost bin attract rats?

A compost bin will not attract rats if you only put in the right stuff. As long as you avoid any meat, fish or cooked food scraps you won’t have a problem. If you want to take extra precaution you can put a layer of fine gauge chicken wire at the base of the bin to prevent unwanted visitors. If you suspect you have problems with rats you can arrange for a Waste Liaison Officer come and help. Contact the City Help Desk to arrange a visit.

Will a compost bin attract flies?

Problems with flies can generally be avoided if you keep the lid on your bin and only put the right material in it. You can avoid fruit flies by burying fruit peelings in your bin or by wrapping them in a sheet of old newspaper. If you have a problem with fruit flies cover the top layer of your compost bin with a thin layer of soil.

I have a paved yard / no grass or bare soil in my garden - can I use a compost bin?

Compost bins work best placed on bare soil as this allows garden insects and worms to get into the bin and work their magic! However, if you can’t place your bin on bare soil you can still have a bin. If you only have grass dig up the turf underneath where your bin will sit and loosen the top soil. If you have a paved yard see if you can lift a paving slab. If not, place your bin on the concrete and fill with a layer of twigs to provide drainage. Then place a layer of soil on top (to provide the mini-beasts). Then your garden waste and other compostable stuff go can straight on top.

I live in a flat - can I still use a composter?

Composters are only really suitable for households that have a garden. If you live in a flat you probably won’t need a composter anyway, as it’s unlikely that you produce much / any garden waste. However if you want to be really environmentally friendly with your kitchen waste there are two options: the first is to buy or build yourself a wormery. These can be purchased from Wiggly Wigglers or call 01981 500391. The second is to purchase a kitchen composter and Bokashi bran available from the Recycle Now web site or call 0870 849 4858. 

I haven’t got room for a composter / I don’t want one. How can I dispose of my garden waste?

If you really can’t have a compost bin/ heap in your garden you can either take your garden waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Port Solent or you can purchase special sacks to have your garden waste collected by the refuse crews.

A roll of 15 sacks will cost you £25 and can be ordered from the City Help Desk. Once we have received payment the sacks will be sent out to you by post (or you can collect them from the civic offices when you pay). You can then use these sacks to put garden waste out on your normal refuse day by 7am, and the refuse crew will collect them.  You can use the sacks as slowly or as quickly as you like and you do not need to let us know when you will be using them.

Please remember that any garden waste you dispose of using this service will not be composted.

I only have a small garden – I can’t compost – can I?

It's a myth that having a small garden means you can't use a compost bin! Small amounts of garden waste actually rot down very well in a compost bin and once kitchen wastes are added as well, residents may well be surprised at the volume of waste that they are able to compost and at the quality of the resulting material.

What can I do with leaves?

Leaves take a lot longer to rot down than other “greener” types of garden waste. However, once rotted, they make fantastic mulch for the garden so they’re worth the extra wait. Don’t put leaves in your compost bin, instead, bag them up in blacks sacks, tie closed, poke a few holes in the bag for drainage and leave it in an out of the way corner. In about a year they’ll be ready to use round the garden.

You do not need to tackle leaves leaves on the pavement outside your home - these will be swept away by the street cleansing crews on a weekly basis, the day after the rubbish collection. If autumn leaves pile up quickly and become slippery before cleaning crews are scheduled to visit, please contact the City Help Desk on 023 92 834092 to report problems. 

Associated documents:

  Compost bin order form  (1.21 MB)