Know how to compost kitchen waste at home easily
If you have ever considered that your kitchen waste is biodegradable, so it is safe to dump. Then think of it this way: kitchen waste is biodegradable and is thus extremely valuable to be repurposed.
Municipal solid waste comprises 30–55% of biodegradable matter, and out of this, merely 2% is recycled. It becomes difficult to segregate bio waste from other solid waste and, thus, recycling becomes arduous.
Bio-waste can be handled more effectively when this waste is prevented from reaching landfills and is managed properly at home.
One step to deal with it right is by preparing home compost. You can also buy a home composting kit but composting kitchen waste at home is not only easy but feasible as well. Follow the steps as listed and you can compost kitchen waste at home easily.
Understanding Composting!
Let’s begin by understanding what composting is. It is a process that converts organic waste into useful organic soil called “compost”. This process is executed with 4 main things-
- Bio-waste- Your usual kitchen waste, that’s a rich source of nitrogen.
- Brown waste- Waste that’s carbon-based. Like- grass cuttings, dry leaves, hay, paper, sawdust.
- Oxygen
- Adequate water
What can you compost?
The best part is, from your kitchen’s bio-waste, there is a lot to list what you can compost and only a limited what you cannot. So here I’ve listed what to avoid while composting:
- Oils
- Dairy products
- Meat, fish, & bones
How to prepare home compost?
- Collect enough organic waste (peeled fruits and vegetables, eggshells, tea leaves) and brown waste (old newspaper, wood chips, dry leaves) to compost.
- Take a large container and drill a few holes at the bottom and its boundary.
- In the container, add some soil at the base. Now, dump your waste in the container in alternating layers of brown & green waste.
- Sprinkle an adequate amount of water. It’s only required to moisten the soil. Too dry or too wet will not help.
- Cover it with a wooden plank & remember to give it a turn once or twice every week to aerate the mixture.
Now wait for 2-3 months or until you get a dark, crumbly soil that is perfect to be fed to your plants.
Tips:
- Too dry or too moist compost can never work. Maintain an adequate amount of water in it.
- Tea leaves are good for the preparation of compost. But tea bags are made from nylon or PP. Refrain from adding such materials to your compost bin.
Share
TheGreenLiving is reader-supported. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
