Australia’s agricultural sector faces numerous challenges, such as soil degradation, declining fertility, and the growing need for sustainable farming practices. One effective solution to these issues is composting food and garden waste, which not only reduces landfill waste but also enhances soil health.
How Composting Helps the Environment
Composting organic waste—such as food scraps and garden materials—turns it into nutrient-rich compost, which can significantly improve soil quality. Farmers who apply compost to their fields report benefits such as:
Better Water Retention: Compost helps soil hold moisture, reducing the need for frequent irrigation.
Improved Nutrients: Compost replenishes essential nutrients, which supports healthier crop growth.
Drought Resilience: Healthy soils enriched with compost are more resilient during dry spells, aiding in drought recovery.
By supporting farmers in using compost, we are directly contributing to sustainable farming practices that benefit both the environment and the economy.
What You Can Do: Start Composting at Home
Every household can play a part in improving soil health by recycling their food and garden waste. Key actions include:
Sorting Waste Correctly: Keep contamination out of household recycling bins to ensure more waste can be turned into compost for healthy soils.
Using Kerbside FOGO Collections: Many local councils offer services to collect food and garden organics (FOGO), making it easier for households to compost.
Supporting Circularity in Action
The Australian Government, through initiatives like the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund, is actively working to recycle nutrients and carbon back into the soil. This fund supports the development of organic waste recycling infrastructure to process food and garden waste into compost, helping meet the targets of the 2030 National Waste Policy Action Plan.
By fostering collaboration between households, councils, industry, and farmers, Australia is building a sustainable system that benefits the land, farmers, and communities.
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