Tonnes of free compost given out in Dacorum as council mark International Compost Awareness Week

Dacorum Borough Council gave away 10 tonnes of peat-free compost to residents on Sunday, May 16, to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week (May 2, to May 8).

Over 400 keen gardeners from across the borough came to collect their free bags.

When the gates opened, queues of green-fingered residents filled Cupid Green Depot to collect their compost which was kindly provided by Biogen, the company responsible for turning Dacorum residents' garden waste into quality compost.

Residents also received free packets of bee-friendly wildflower seeds to plant at home.

To adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, the Cupid Green Staff loaded each car boot with two compost bags so that residents did not have to leave their cars. The 10 tonnes of compost available was snapped up in just over an hour!

Councillor Graham Barrett, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services, was on-site to help load the compost bags into cars on the day.

He said: “I am thrilled to see so many happy, green-fingered residents here today.

"This event is the perfect example of a circular economy, showing that the contents of residents' green bins are turned into nutrient rich compost, which is then ready to be used again in their gardens.

"Residents were also very happy with the wildflower seeds which will not only make gardens look lovely but will attract important pollinators too."

Because the compost is made from recycled garden waste it means that it is peat-free. This is important as the production of peat is bad for the environment, destroying valuable eco-systems and releasing carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

When choosing your compost always be sure to look for peat-free.

Have you tried creating your own compost from the comfort of your garden? You could get your own home compost bin and transform your fruit and vegetable peelings and garden waste into your own nutrient-rich soil improver.

If you find that you are frequently over-filling your green bin, you may be interested in the council's Additional Garden Waste Subscription Service.