If you have ventured out of isolation to go shopping you might have noticed that there are other items in short supply on the shelves apart from toilet paper: gardening supplies.
Many people have taken the opportunity to spend their time at home creating, improving or resurrecting their gardens.
One of the great helpers in the cabbage patch is compost and this week is International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW).
ICAW is a week of activities and events to improve awareness of the importance of compost, a valuable organic resource and to promote compost use, knowledge and products. Compost can help scrap carbon pollution by avoiding landfilling organic materials and helping to build healthier soils.
Byron Shire Council says they are a proud producer of a high quality pasteurised garden organics mulch that is available for sale to the general public.
Kate Akkerman, Council’s Waste Education Officer, said the compost is a great example of closing the loop on garden waste in the Byron Shire.
Compost made from garden waste
‘The compost is made from garden waste that comes into the Resource Recovery Centre and we are taking more than 3,000 tonnes of branches, leaves and shrubs and turning it into pasteurised mulch,’ said Ms Akkerman.
‘We do this by first shredding the garden waste and then using our Mobile Aerated Floor technology, which is a series of movable pipes underneath the mulch piles, which aerates the mulch as it breaks down, and the pasteurisation ensures that weeds and pathogens are killed off during the process.
Ms Akkerman says it takes about six to eight weeks to turn the green waste into a pasteurised mulch which is about half the time it would normally take for a conventional composting process, which reduces the energy and water use as well.
‘Applying mulch significantly improves soil quality by increasing microbial activity, assisting with weed and disease suppression, protecting against erosion and reducing soil water loss.
‘Our compost is superfood for your soil and it’s available year-round for home gardeners, landscaping businesses, farms and anything in between,’ she said.
‘Compost week is a great reminder about the availability of mulch from the Byron Resource Recovery Centre.’
Council’s pasteurised garden organics mulch meets the Australian Standard for Compost, Soil Conditioners and Mulches (AS 4454 – 2012).
The mulch is available from the Byron Resource Recovery Centre at Myocum for $30 a cubic metre (roughly a trailer load).
Bulk purchases are available at a reduced rate. Please contact the Resource Recovery Hotline on 1300 652 625 for further information.
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