Heard about Compost Awareness Week? Want to find out more about how you can get involved? Want to find out more about its relevance to you? Read on...

Aim:

To encourage the public, business and communities alike to take action to support composting at all scales, and to make good use of the valuable resource of compost.

During the second week of May every day, members of the composting industry and third sector groups are encouraged to hold special events to promote composting and the uses of compost to their local communities.

History:

This initiative began in Canada in 1995 and was brought to the UK for the first time in 2001 by The Composting Association. Since then, it has gradually been adopted by other stakeholders including community composting groups and local authority waste departments as a week in which to concentrate composting promotional efforts.  In 2007, WRAP set up a dedicated website giving details of compost-related events across England.

Example events:

• Open-days at large scale composting facilities often with compost 'giveaways'
• The launch of local authority composting initiatives
• Openings and tours of compost demonstration areas eg at National Trust properties, Wildlife Trusts, council run parks with composting areas, community compost sites, or even Master Composter gardens.
• Compost roadshows with stands/compost bus etc.

Activities:

There are many activities that could be run at any event, particularly activities for children/schools such as making a compost bottle or looking for mini beasts, also compost giveaways where the public come and help themselves from a skip of compost are often popular and well attended.

Help available:

In 2006 The Composting Association offered packets of sunflower seeds at a reduced rate. You could also promote your event free on the CA website and on the Recycle Now website.

For further information go to: