Composting in Schools Project
Nicky Scott
Devon Community Composting
Network Coordinator
Dawn Neil
Composting in Schools Officer for Devon
Aims
•To develop your understanding of the types of composting
equipment available and how they work.
•To become more familiar with additional equipment offered
to schools and how to these help to make composting work
in school.
•To see various types of composting systems working.
•Anything else you would like to add?
Composting in Schools
• Initiative funded by Devon County Council
(Successful bid to Investing in Devon Fund)
• Aim to assist schools in eight learning
communities to develop appropriate composting
systems as an educational resource by providing
advice, education and equipment
• Supports the Don’t let Devon go to waste
campaign!
Composting in Schools
• Pilot Project in Okehampton Learning Community which
started during the Summer Term 2009 involving
Okehampton College and 11 feeder primary schools
which is going well.
• Ivybridge Learning Community in the South Hams joined
the project in the Autumn term 2009 involving Ivybridge
Community College and 14 feeder primary schools.
• Clyst Vale Learning Community in East Devon joined the
project recently which includes 6 primary schools and
Clyst Vale Community College.
Composting in Schools
• Implementation of this scheme in each
learning community aims to save approx:– £10,000/year
– 40 tonnes of waste/year
– 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide/year
Composting in Schools
Complements:
• Every Child Matters,
• Children and Young People's Plan,
• School Improvement Programmes;
- Healthy schools,
- Eco-Schools,
- Food for Life
- The National Framework for Sustainable Schools
Why compost in Schools?
In the UK a primary school of 200 pupils produces 3 tonnes
of waste each year, the equivalent weight of three
rhinoceros.
Across the whole country that’s the same as 67,200 tonnes
or a herd of 67,200 rhinos!!!
Why compost in Schools?
Each school can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill
by two thirds!
Each school spends between £300 to £1000 on waste disposal
each year. Millions of pounds are wasted on waste disposal!
Waste Audit Evidence
Nearly all food waste
now composted using
in-vessel systems!
School reduced waste going to
landfill by 82%!
Composting Equipment
• Your schools are going to be provided with
in-vessel batch tumbling composting systems,
called Scotspins, Joras and Ridans which are
sealed and rodent proof. These systems allow both
raw and cooked food waste to be composted. They
are insulated and therefore work all year round.
• Your school has also been provided with Scotty’s
hotboxes which will store the compost during the
maturation process (6-12months).
Scotspin composter
Scotspin composter
Jora composter
Ridan composter
Scotty Hot Box
Scotty’s Hot Box
Achieving a good system
Follow the four point composting mantra:
• Food
• Water
• Air
• Warmth
How it works
Composting goes through four stages
1. First it gets warm,
2. Then, if the mantra has been followed properly it will rapidly progress to
being hot. Turning daily to mix and aerate as new food waste is added will
maintain the temperature and will accelerate the composting process as
long as fresh materials are being added.
3. Cooling. As long as the materials have heated up and started to break down
in the tumbler they can be added to the maturation container (hotbox). At
this stage the material is only partly composted and it can vary enormously.
It can be rather wet and smelly depending on how much your school is
putting through the system and how well you are following the composting
mantra. It is an opportunity to rectify problems, for instance you can layer in
paper towels or cardboard to soak up excessively wet materials or
conversely to add moisture to a dry mix use fresh green garden clippings or
sprinkle with (preferably) rainwater.
4. Maturation. Over a long period of time the compost can now mature
Making it work!
Daily tasks to maintain your composters:
• Collecting caddies
• Transferring food waste to Scotspin, Jora or Ridan
• Adding food waste to Scotspin, Jora or Ridan and woodchip / wood
pellets then tumbling *Adult only to operate due to Health and
Safety.
• Cleaning caddies and returning to stations / classrooms for use the
next day
What to do once your Scotspin / Jora is full:
Once your Scotspin or Jora is ¾ full, it will need to be emptied into the
Scotty’s hotbox and left to mature. *The Ridan has a continuous output
and should empty once turned when it is full.
*Health and safety issues need to be considered when transferring
compost from tumbling system into Scotty’s hotbox.
Top tips
1)Add fresh materials
daily – do not leave
waste hanging around
in buckets/caddies
getting smelly and
attracting flies
Top tips
2) Always make sure you
have the right mix of wet to
dry materials –fresh raw
and cooked to dry
woodchip/pelletised
sawdust and mix well
together
3) Wherever possible chop
up whole fruit and
vegetables or large items
4) - Tumble and mix every time you
add fresh materials
Top tips
4) - Leave enough space for
tumbling to occur
- Cardboard and paper should
not be added to tumbling
systems in any large quantity
as they tend to absorb too
much moisture, do not offer
structure allowing air flow and
tend to conglomerate into balls.
- It’s rare for the compost to be
too dry but if it does seem to
be too dry it’s better to try and
add fresh green material than
water.
Top tips
5 ) Line your buckets/caddies
with some paper and or card
to soak up liquids and make
cleaning easier
6) It’s easy to store dry woodchip,
just cover it up in a bay or use
a container.
7) There’s plenty of woodchip
around, you could ask if any
parents or governors have a
tree surgery business and
could supply you. Alternatively
wood pellets are easy to use.
Top tips
8) Keep records of what you are
doing e.g. amounts, weights,
volumes, types of materials,
observations of moisture,
temperature and odour.
9) Observe what is going on and
take steps to rectify any
problems as soon as
possible, this generally means
adjusting the moisture levels
or emptying the tumbler into
the maturation bin.
10) Don’t panic! Compost
happens!
Risk Assessment Template
*Template which school’s can personalise
Additional Equipment provided –
Making it work!
Data recording sheet for input
Making it happen!
Whole school community commitment! –
Designating an adult/s to be responsible for the project.
Appointing compost monitors to collect,
empty and clean caddies.
Collecting food waste for composting
• Support from meal time
assistants at lunchtime to
ensure waste is collected.
• Support from kitchen staff to
collect raw food waste e.g.
Vegetable peelings.
Involving pupils in the project
through curriculum work
Making rot pots!
Actively promoting composting across the school
community both in school and at home.
Creating and using compost
*Compost must be used on school grounds and must not be taken off
site due to Animal by-products legislation.
Why compost at school?
Creates a valuable
resource –
COMPOST
It’s good for the
environment
It saves the school
money
Helps the school work
towards
environmental
projects and
initiatives e.g. Ecoschools.
Gives children the
opportunity for
ownership of a project
It’s a fantastic teaching resource
*www.littlerotters.org.uk
Closing the loop!
Compost
Happens!
Education for the future
Any questions???
Dawn Neil
Composting in Schools Officer for Devon
Tel: 07903 037297
E-mail: dawn.neil@resourcefutures.co.uk