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Making compost

Here's some information about what you can add to your bin to make the best compost. Aim for a balance of 50% greens and 50% browns in your compost bin to get the right mix.

'Greens'

Quick to rot and provide important nitrogen and moisture.

Green-tick

Green-tick
  • Animal manure with straw
  • Annual weeds
  • Bindweed
  • Bracken
  • Brussels sprout stalk
  • Carrot tops
  • Citrus peel
  • Coffee grounds
  • Comfrey leaves
  • Cut flowers
  • Deadly Nightshade
  • Fruit peelings and pulp
  • Fruit seeds
  • Grass mowings
  • Hay
  • Hedge clippings
  • House plants
  • Ivy leaves
  • Nettles
  • Old bedding plants
  • Perennial weeds
  • Poisonous plants
  • Rhubarb leaves
  • Seaweed
  • Soft prunings and plant debris
  • Tea leaves and bags
  • Urine
  • Vegetable peelings and pulp

'Browns'

Slower to rot, provide carbon & fibre and allow air pockets to form.
 

Brown-tick

Brown-tick
  • Autumn leaves
  • Cardboard
  • Christmas tree
  • Corn starch liners
  • Cotton towels
  • Cotton wool
  • Egg boxes
  • Egg shells
  • Evergreen prunings
  • Hair
  • Natural corks
  • Nuts
  • Paper bags
  • Privet
  • Straw
  • Sweetcorn cobs
  • Thorny prunings
  • Tomato plants
  • Used kitchen paper
  • Vacuum cleaner contents
  • Wood ash
  • Wool

Keep this out!

Certain things should never be placed in your bin.

Red-cross

Brown-tick
  • Bones
  • Bread
  • Cans
  • Cat litter
  • Cigarette ends
  • Cling film
  • Coal ash
  • Crisp packets
  • Dairy products
  • Disposable nappies
  • Dog faeces
  • Dog food
  • Drink cartons
  • Meat and fish scraps
  • Olive oil
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic bottles
  • Soiled tissues

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Brought to you by WRAP

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (which operates as WRAP) is a registered UK Charity No. 1159512 and registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 4125764.

Registered office at Second Floor, Blenheim Court, 19 George Street, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 5BH.