Composting Workshop
One Simple Act
In Alberta, what material makes up the majority of
household waste?
A: Organics/Yard Waste
B: Beverage Containers
C: Paper
Residential Waste Disposal (2002)
(Source: NRCAN 2006)
Plastics, 10%
The average Albertan
Metal, 2%
Glass, 3%
Paper, 21%
Organics,
49%
Other, 12%
Hazardous Renovation,
2%
Waste, 11%
disposes 289 kg
of residential waste
every year
Composting
Recycling organic materials
Images courtesy Dr. Riley Kinman, University of Cincinnati
What happens to
organics at a landfill
site?
Greens
Water
Soil
Browns
Repeat until no more material
Shovel of soil
5-10 cm Greens
Wet the pile
5-10 cm dried browns
5 cm of twigs
BUILD YOUR OWN
COMPOST BIN
www.edmonton.ca/waste “Composting Bins You Can Build”
Continue Layering
Save your browns!
Add moisture as needed
Mix often to speed the process
“The more effort you put in the more compost you’ll get out”
When is my compost ready to use?
Uses
Mulch
Compost Tea
Add to potted plants
Add to garden soil or spread around trees
Nutrient rich soil enhancer
Saves money
Holds moisture
Symptom
Problem
Smells like eggs
Too much moisture
Solution
Add dry ingredients
Too compact not enough air
Mix often
Smells like ammonia
Too much Nitrogen (green)
Add more browns (carbon) and mix
Process is slow (compost can
take anywhere from 3-12mths)
Not enough surface area
Shred or break organics in to
smaller pieces (less than 20-25cm)
Wrong material has been added
Don’t add any grains, cooked meat
or bones
Organic are exposed
Make sure food is covered with soil
or a layer of brown
Temperature is too cold
Continue to add to your compost
bin. If bin is full start a new bin or
store materials. Process will begin
again in the spring.
Critters are interested in my
compost
Winter is coming – Process has
slowed or stopped
Vermicomposting
Grasscycling
Worms have blood.
Worms cannot see.
If a worm is cut in half both parts will grow back.
Worms have teeth.
Compost year round
Castings make an excellent
soil conditioner
Limited space
Educational experience
Diverts waste from the landfill
The Container
The Bedding
The Worms
Eisentia fetida
“You have too many worms when more than one-fifth of your bin is worms”
Build a Vermicompost Bin
Regularly
In Moderation
Weekly
Monitor
Cover
Mark area
Easy Method
Migration Method
Cone Method
“My compost smells awful!”
“I have a fruit fly infestation”
“I have moldy food in my vermicompost bin”
“My pile is sopping wet!”
Questions/Comments?
www.onesimpleact.alberta.ca