5 things you should never put in a compost bin following the new garden waste disposal rules in England
Don't fall for these common composting mistakes
Garden experts have revealed five things you should never put in a compost bin, following new recycling guidelines that have changed how we dispose of garden waste.
Whether you’ve just learned how to make compost or you’ve been a composting pro for years, it’s always helpful to have a little refresher on the things you should never put in a compost bin.
While the Simpler Recycling rules mean there have been some changes to what you can put in a garden waste bin, the rules of composting remain the same. Here’s what should never go in a compost bin, according to experts.
What you need
1. Weeds
First of all, you should avoid putting weeds in your compost bin. Instead of making this big weeding mistake, you should instead dispose of weeds by taking them to your local recycling centre, where you can dispose of garden waste.
‘Weeds that produce seeds are actively trying to spread around your garden, and when these are placed in a compost bin, they can begin to sprout again,’ says Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.
'If the compost containing weed seeds is then used in your garden, you may spread the weeds around your garden where they will compete with plants for resources.'
‘To compost weeds properly and ensure that they will not spread, you need a very high temperature, and it is unlikely that a garden compost heap will reach a temperature high enough.’
2. Food waste
The majority of food waste - dairy products, cooked food, cooking oils and grease and fish scraps and meat - are not suitable for your compost bin. While you’ll still need to check what you can put in a food bin, remember that you definitely can’t put these items in a compost bin.
‘Cooked leftovers are best kept out of the compost bin, even if they seem harmless,’ says Lucas Hargreaves, recycling and waste expert at Recycling Lives Services.
'Many cooked foods can contain fats, oils, sauces or salts, which can interfere with the composting process and attract pests. Food scraps are better suited to council food waste collections where available - it’s a good idea to check this beforehand.'
‘Milk, cheese, yoghurt and cream are - surprisingly to many - unsustainable for home composting as they spoil very quickly, creating unpleasant odours. Dairy waste can also upset the balance of a compost heap by creating overly wet conditions that reduce airflow and slow decomposition.’
3. Walnuts
I can honestly say that I have never stopped to consider whether you can compost walnuts or not. And while it would be easy to assume that you can, Richard warns that certain nuts are a big composting no-no.
‘Certain nuts, including walnuts, contain juglone, a chemical that can be toxic to many plants. If this chemical mixes with your compost after the nuts break down, it can harm plants,’ he says.
4. Teabags containing plastic
It is a popular gardening hack to use teabags in a garden as they are great for providing both weed control and natural fertiliser. However, you should avoid putting them in a compost bin - especially if the teabag contains plastic.
‘Many tea bags contain polypropylene fibres that can help seal the bags together. Unless the packaging specifically says the tea bags are plastic-free or home compostable, they may release microplastics into the compost,’ says Lucas.
5. Treated grass clippings
‘If you have treated your lawn with a herbicide or chemical fertiliser, you should not add the clippings to your compost bin. This is because these chemicals will still be present in the resulting compost, and can kill any plants it is used on,’ says Richard.
Instead, you should take treated grass clippings to your local waste centre, where you can dispose of garden waste. As grass clippings can be a little tricky to transport, I recommend purchasing a garden bag (such as this Lakeland Pop Up Garden Bin 96L, £7.49) to transport them.
If you want to keep your garden happy and healthy, you should always avoid adding these common items to your compost bin.
