Composting Resolutions - Christmas and Beyond

12 Days of HOTBIN Composting

The new year is the time for a new leaf!  Here are a few potential composting resolutions for you to consider in the new year.
 

1. Reduce or Recycle Your Food Waste

How much food do you waste every year?

Hopefully you will have a good idea of just how much food waste can be diverted from landfill if you have been reading all of our 12 days of HOTBIN Christmas posts. As a nation we waste over 7 billion tonnes of food every year.

So let’s fight waste by being more food savvy and recycling more types of food waste into reusable compost. Everything from garden waste to food waste can go into the HOTBIN, and when operating at the hotter temperatures of 40-60°c you can even put in cooked food waste, bones and pet waste.
 

2. Use Your Small Indoor Food Caddy

Whether you are collecting waste for your own composting or for the council, food caddies are a great way to store up food waste. Use the caddy as a carrier for taking waste out to your HOTBIN and as a gauge for keeping track of how much waste you are putting in. It can also help with gauging how much bulking agent and shredded paper needs to be added with the waste.

HOTBIN should be fed a typical 5 litre caddy twice a week and you should add roughly;

1. Bulking agent: 1-2 handfuls (Ratios of 5:1)
2. Shredded paper 2-3 handfuls (Ratios of 2:1)

Top tips

1. Why not mix in shredded paper and bulking agent direct into your caddy as you add waste.
2. Empty your food caddy once a week to prevent it going smelly and attracting flies.
3. Line walls with kitchen paper and sprinkle shredded paper in the bottom of the caddy.
   

3. Be like the Scouts and Always Be Prepared

Three tips for being prepared with the HOTBIN.

1. Stockpile bulking agent and shredded paper. Ensure you have a supply of bulking agent – without this the HOTBIN will lack aeration and will stop working. So buy plenty in advance or be sure to stockpile your own using a chipper. Keep it as dry as possible too for maximum effectiveness!
   Shredded paper is used to control moisture levels in the HOTBIN. Too wet and the waste will become a cold soggy and potentially smelly mush, so make use of paper shredding’s by bagging and storing for when you need them.
2. Stay in the know. Sign up for our free hot composting hints and tips email to learn how to get the best from your HOTBIN.
3. Keep chicken pellets handy for cold weather. These are easy to digest waste for the HOTBIN and provide a much needed heat boost as the weather cools down.
    

4. Grow Your Own

HOTBIN produces rich compost in just 90 days, if you are not already why not use this lovely compost as a base to start growing your own vegetables? No matter how much space you have there are numerous options to start growing your own. Raised beds are an excellent way to begin and you can start with a few easy things like carrots, herbs, onions and salad leaves.

After all, nothing tastes better than home grown vegetables and salads!
 

5. Keep it Clean and Organised

Vermin and other pests are largely attracted to odours, so keeping the bin and the surrounding area clean is one way of reducing these issues. Ensure the outside HOTBIN walls are clean and the lip around the lid is kept free of food.

The manual is always good for reference. Ensure you know where it is and keep it together with any HOTBIN extras you have such as the rake, kick start bottle and additional thermometer.

Lost your manual? Download an electronic version.

So let’s waste less and compost more in the new year!