District-wide Compost Giveaway

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) runs from the 6-12 May.  Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, in partnership with Natural Waste Products (NWP), is once again taking part with its FREE compost giveaway on Saturday 12 May.

Compost Awareness Week is celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. Started in Canada in 1995, ICAW has continued to grow as more people, businesses, municipalities, schools and organizations are recognizing the importance of composting and the long-term benefits from organics recycling.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew said, “The FREE compost giveaway is running at all of the district’s Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) this Saturday.  The distribution of the compost is on a first-come-first-served basis so we are advising everyone to come early to avoid disappointment.

“The goal of the scheme is to raise awareness regarding the benefits of using compost to improve or maintain high quality soil, to grow healthy plants, reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improve water quality and protect the environment.  Supplied by NWP, the compost is made from biodegradable waste collected from Newry, Mourne and Down households.

“Last year residents in this area diverted an additional 60% of brown bin waste from landfill sites. This is due to the roll out of 27,000 brown bins and the launch of the awareness campaign, ‘Recycle Right’ by the Council. As a result, a vast number of people have changed their waste habits and diverted food from the general waste bin into the brown bin. The Compost Giveaway recognizes and rewards the efforts residents have made to use their bins correctly.”

For further information about food waste recycling or to obtain a brown bin (free until 30 June 2018), visit www.newrymournedown.org/brown-bin , call 0300 013 22 33 or email recycling@nmandd.org.