Eden DM launches a Pilot Household Composting Project
The result of waste characterisation studies compiled of waste being transported from households and businesses in the Eden District Municipal areas, has clearly indicated that huge quantities of organic waste are being disposed of at landfill sites in the district.
Most of the landfill sites in the district are already closed or nearly reaching their maximum capacity. Due to this, municipalities need to implement drastic waste minimisation actions to reduce waste dropped off at landfill sites which will lengthen the life expectancy of the site and also to reduce transport costs from generators to landfill. By keeping organic waste away from landfills, the production of detrimental landfill gasses will be eliminated.
Eden District Municipality’s (Eden DM’s) Waste Management Section, in collaboration with the Waste Management Officers of the various local municipalities, identified a practical solution to minimise organic waste from households going to landfill. On Monday, 5 February 2018, residents of the Gouritsmond community attended the launch and training session of the first Home Composting Pilot Project. This came forth as an initiative by Cllr Thersia van Rensburg from the Hessequa Municipality and Eden DM’s Waste Management Section. Cllr Thersia van Rensburg officially opened the session, followed by Mr Morton Hubbe, District Waste Manager of Eden DM, who presented on the methods, techniques, benefits and possible expectations of the project. Mr Hubbe explained to residents that a one-on-one follow-up training session would be held with each household of the 30 participants. These participants will then all receive a composting bin and worm farm.
Considering that 30% of the normal household black bag waste contains organic waste originating from the garden and kitchen, the decision was taken to implement the Household Composting Pilot Project in the different municipal areas. Through this Project, garden and kitchen waste will be recycled into compost, using different recycling methods, such as bin -and worm composting. The compost worm castings and worm tea are then used as fertilizer in-house and for vegetable gardens.
In addition, the Eden District and Hessequa Municipal Waste Management Officers will receive monthly updates from the residents, which will enable them to monitor the progress of the project and capture data. The duration of the pilot project will be for one year from the date of implementation, and it is envisaged that the project outcome will display to Municipal Councils that the exact quantities of organic waste can be diverted from landfills with the assistance and buy-in from normal households. Also, to motivate Councils to extend the program to the rest of their municipal area.
It is anticipated that the next pilot project will be implemented in the Mossel Bay Municipal area during March 2018.