What can I compost?
Any item that was a plant or animal will compost. How easy and practical each item is to compost depends on many factors: what the waste is made from (sugars are easier to decompose than carbohydrates), size of pieces (small decompose faster than large). Waste is broken down faster at high temperature (X32 faster at 60C vs. 10C).
Consider the types of waste you add to the HOTBIN. Some types will compost down faster than others and consequently produce heat at different rates. When starting your HOTBIN it is advised to add lots of easy to digest waste.
We recommend that any large pieces of fruit and vegetables are cut up into pieces <4cm to speed up their decomposition. Add cooked food when HOTBIN is at 40-60°c internally.
What waste are you adding to your HOTBIN?
| speed of waste digestion by bacteria | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Easy |
Medium |
Hard |
|
vegetables and peelings fruit and peelings, grass clippings, all food waste including plate scrapings, meat & fish waste, pasta, rice, bread, cakes |
tea bags, compostable bags, printed & office paper, corrugated cardboard |
shells (fish and eggs), cereal packets and card twigs and branches, coffee grounds, leaves, newspaper |
We have created a list of things you can compost. You can download the list or simply type it in below and see if it is compostable and the speed of composting.
