How Fast Will Waste Breakdown?
10 March 2015 | HOTBIN Composting
Waste Digestibility Table 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. What waste are you adding to your HOTBIN? | speed of waste digestion by bacteria | | Easy | Medium | Hard | | chicken pellets | straw/hay | shells (fish and eggs) | | blood and bone meal | manures | cereal packets and card | | nettles and comfrey | tea bags | twigs and branches | | vegetables and peelings | compostable bags | coffee grounds | | fruit and peelings | Items That Require Shredding | Items That Require Shredding | | grass clippings* | printed & office paper | leaves | | | glossy magazines | newspaper | | | corrugated cardboard | | | ONLY Add The Following When HOT Composting (40-60°c) | | cooked food waste | diseased plant material | pet bedding & waste | | meat & fish (inc skins) | used cat litter | bones | leftovers
(inc pet food) | | weeds
some require 60°c | | pasta & rice | | | | mouldy bread & cakes | | | Always! Chop waste to less than 4cm and shred waste where necessary.
Doing this increases surface area accessible by bacteria and speeds up waste breakdown. | |
