Tips on how to compost food and garden waste at home

Melanie Ludwig founding member the Organics Recycling Association of South Africa speaks to Zain Johnson on how to compost food and garden waste at home.

Every year, more than three tons of organic waste goes to landfills in the Western Cape. However, this will soon change.

The Organics Recycling Association of South Africa says an organic waste landfill ban could come into effect in 2022, stipulating a requirement of a 50% reduction of waste and a 100% reduction by 2027.

Melanie Ludwig, founding member of the association, speaks to Zain Johnson on how to compost food and garden waste at home.

With landfill space rapidly decreasing, organic waste, polluting the environment and harmful greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, recycling organic waste is a growing need.

Ludwig says in order for compost to work, you need garden and food waste together working to create it.

We compost garden waste along with food waste and we need both of those two components to make your compost work.

Melanie Ludwig, owner - Organics Recycling Association of South Africa

The city actually has an integrated waste management by-law, which requires waste generators to submit waste management plans to the city with details on how they are going to sort, separate and recycle organic waste.

Melanie Ludwig, owner - Organics Recycling Association of South Africa

She adds that large generators of waste are going to be assessed in the future making sure that they are complying and managing waste.

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