By Ashley Wearne

In the practice and discussion around small-scale composting, the question of which composting technologies or methods of composting are best-suited for smaller volumes of compost and small gardens is not easy.

There are a growing number of composting technologies available to home gardeners which take the size of the garden, the volume of compostable material (‘feedstock’) and the preferences and conditions of smaller sites into consideration. All of these methods have benefits in terms of practicality, odour-reduction, pest-control and even aesthetics. But when compared to the efficiency of industrial composting operations, with their well-aerated, moisture-controlled, heat-producing ‘windrows’, the small-scale composting systems used in the home face challenges.

By examining the experience of small-scale composters and the methods they use, this study will hopefully improve peoples’ experiences of composting and help process more urban organic waste sustainably. We can use it to think more carefully about how to promote composting from a municipal/community level, given its broad range of benefits. The potential synergies, overlaps, gaps and opportunities between small-scale, home, community, municipal and industrial composting will continue to adjust and will be extremely important for all actors to monitor and build upon.

This makes it particularly interesting to look at how people are composting the enormous amount of organic waste coming from homes, and whether the systems we use should continue being promoted.

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