Sometimes called indoor compost, compost caddy, countertop compost bin, bench top compost bin, kitchen composter, kitchen scrap bin or ice cream container - these bins can help households compost their waste rather than send it to landfill. 

The main purpose of a kitchen compost bin is to hold your food scraps for a couple of days before you empty them into your Food Organics and Waste Organics (FOGO) wheelie bin (if your council offers this service) or outdoor composting system.

Ideally, you want your compost bin to look stylish on your bench, without attracting fruit flies and emanating any odours. 

Here are some features to look out for when purchasing a compost bin:

• Charcoal Filters: Charcoal filters are usually placed in the lid and are designed to absorb bacteria, smells and moisture that emanates from food waste. They should last up to 3 months before losing the absorption ability
• Ventilation: Holes in the lid of the compost bin helps to reduce moisture, the main cause of unpleasant odours
• Airtight lid: An airtight lid helps keep the smells in the compost bin rather than in the kitchen, plus helps prevent fruit flies
• Size: A 5 litre compost bin is compact enough to sit on the bench, but large enough to hold a couple of days of waste depending on household size
• Material: Stainless steel can look sleek on your bench and match other appliances
• Ease of cleaning: It’s best if the compost bin can be easily washed with soapy water and won’t rust
• Light weight with handle: Compost bins that are light weight and come with a handle allow you to easily transfer waste to your FOGO bin or outdoor compost bin

 To shop kitchen compost bins, visit The Compost Co products page

Sometimes referred to as the waste hierarchy, the three R’s are as follows:

• Reduce the amount of waste your produce
• Reuse items as much as you can before replacing them
• Recycle items wherever possible

By making a couple of small changes to our daily lifestyle, we can help reduce waste so that less is sent to landfill. Below are some helpful tips to reduce, reuse and recycle:

Reduce

• Shop and buy items that are more environmentally friendly and durable
• Only buy what you need (helps to reduce food waste)
• Choose products with less or no packaging
• Buy in bulk where possible
• Switch to clean energy, eg. Solar
• Ditch disposable items such as baking paper and foil, try using silicone

 Reuse

• Find another use for unwanted items
• Refill a water bottle from home rather than buying another one
• Share your toys rather than send them to landfill
• Buy used items
• Borrow, rent or reuse items rather than buying new
• Shop with reusable bags
• Join buy and sell groups

 Recycle

• Compost food waste
• Always recycle paper and card
• Avoid non-recyclables
• Buy products from recycled content
• Dispose of e-waste appropriately