Composting

Composting at home

Composting not only helps to reduce the rubbish in your bin but also creates a free fertiliser for your garden.

You can buy compost bins from the Get Composting website.

• 220-litre compost bin - from £25 (plus £6.99 delivery) - buy 1 get 1 half price
• 330-litre compost bin - from £28.50 (plus £6.99 delivery) - buy 1 get 1 half price

Recycle Now provide great tips and useful advice to get your compost bin started.

Soil Conditioner give-away September 2023

On Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September 2023 there will be a give-away event at the Padworth Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), Padworth Lane, RG7 4JF, between 10am and 4pm, where residents of West Berkshire will be able to pick up Veolia's locally-produced soil conditioner for free!

The soil conditioner is produced at Padworth from garden and food waste collected across West Berkshire and is being provided free of charge to West Berkshire residents through its partnership with Veolia.

You must bring along your own bags/boxes and will be responsible for collecting and loading the soil conditioner from the site to your vehicle.

No booking is necessary, however, please bring along ID or utility bill with you to prove you are a resident of West Berkshire. Please be patient. This is a free event and demand for previous give-away events has been huge, so please expect some queues, particularly at the beginning of each day. We will be re-stocking throughout the day so there is no need to get to the site early. We also ask that you only collect a reasonable amount to ensure everyone has an opportunity to make use of this offer.

Please note there will be vehicle restrictions in place. Vehicles listed as prohibited in the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) user guide on page 12 will not be allowed. No commercial vehicles will be admitted; this is for householders only. Residents have to take necessary precautions for carrying the soil conditioner safely to their vehicle. The event organisers accept no liability for any injuries that may be sustained by residents loading their vehicles with the materials.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where do I go on site for the give-away?

Please enter the site and follow signs for the visitor/staff car park. This will be past the entrance to the Padworth Household Waste Recycling Centre. There will be signage in place and staff available to direct you to the right place.

What is the soil conditioner?

The soil conditioner is made from the garden and food waste collected from households in West Berkshire, as well as some smaller inputs from other Veolia customers. The food and garden waste has been treated in the in-vessel compost (IVC) facility at Padworth to produce the soil conditioner. The soil conditioner is certified as organic and peat-free.

Will be there be any other soil conditioner give-aways?

This will hopefully be an annual event, however, we will advertise any events that we hold.

Can I purchase the soil conditioner at other times of the year?

Residents can't purchase the soil conditioner that we produce at Padworth. The soil conditioner is currently used by local farmers and landscapers. Compost produced from other Veolia sites is available to purchase at our HWRC's.

How do I collect the soil conditioner?

The soil conditioner will be located inside a container. The container is not level with the ground therefore there will be a step to get inside the container. The soil conditioner will need to be manually loaded by yourself into your bags and boxes and placed inside your vehicle to take home. If you have a shovel you'd like to bring along please do, however, these will be provided on site for you.

How much can I collect?

We ask that you only collect a reasonable amount, such as the equivalent of 6x50l bags, to ensure everyone has an opportunity to make use of this offer. You may be asked to stop and move on if you are taking an excessive amount.