How Garden Waste is Recycled

 

Green garden waste collected in green bags from households at the kerbside is delivered to Hope Farm Composting facility near Capel-le-Ferne.

The green waste is composted using the ‘windrow’ process.  This involves the material being shredded and placed into rows called windrows, they are 2-4 metres high and up to 100 metres long. 

 

  

The temperature and moisture content is closely monitored, any water that is released is captured in tanks and returned to the heap to keep the process moving. 

The rows are turned every 3-5 days to introduce fresh oxygen into the mixture.  The high temperatures reached ensure any pathogens, diseases and seeds are destroyed.

 

Once the heap has composted it is put through a trommel to remove larger uncomposted items and unwanted debris. The larger uncomposted items are reintroduced to the windrow with fresh green waste to continue the process.

The entire composting process takes approximately 16 weeks, with the finished soil improver being used at same location for horticulture use. The Hope Farm facility can process up to 12,000 tonnes of organic material collected by local authorities per annum. Kent Authorities use a number of local composting plants to manage more than 32,000 tonnes of green garden waste residents produce each year.