Garden waste that’s been collected and recycled into compost can be made into a wide range of products for use back in your garden or other open spaces.

The production of compost is covered by an industry quality standard (BSI PAS100) and a Quality Protocol to ensure that it’s of consistently high quality.

Recycled compost can be mixed with other materials such as bark or wood fibre to produce environmentally friendly peat-free composts. Peat-free composts are available to buy from garden centres and DIY retailers.  Check out the Compost Buying Guide 2008 (1239 kb) to find out more.

All soil types benefit from having organic matter dug into or spread on it. Soil conditioners that contain recycled garden material, such as grass cuttings, prunings and leaves, are a rich source of natural organic matter – but only 39% of people with gardens currently use soil conditioner.

Wood collected from gardens, parks and elsewhere can also be recycled by being shredded and turned into mulches or outdoor surfacing material for paths and playgrounds.