The garden centre takes compost made of food scraps and garden clippings collected from kerbside bins and mixes it with the business’ soil blends to create high quality, environmentally friendly soil.
The compost can also be used as mulch, compost, soil additive or an amendment to improve soil structure.
Sand and soil manager Jade Kane said the garden centre had received great feedback about the soil.
“Our customers love our soil blends that we create on site,” she said.
“[They] love the quality of the plants, flowers and vegies that they can grow using our soil blends.”
Throughout Campaspe Shire there are currently 10,254 properties using a total of 10,490 green bins, which is about 80 per cent of the shire.
In 2023-24, the average fortnightly tonnage of food and garden waste was 147 tonnes, with a total tonnage of 3827 tonnes over the year.
According to Campaspe Shire Council acting chief executive Michael Sharp, the community response to the green waste bins has been positive.
“Overall, our community is positive about our green bin service,” he said.
“It reduces waste to landfill and saves on greenhouse gas emissions.”
Although the community has welcomed the bins, Campaspe’s green bin service is sitting at a 0.483 per cent contamination rate.
The contamination is caused by putting the wrong waste into the green bins, such as plastic and biodegradable bags, glass and plastics.
Some examples of what cannot go in the green bins include: any plastic that is not compostable, glass, metal, fruit stickers, nappies and wet wipes, coffee pods (including compostable pods), gardening tools and equipment, and plastic pot plants and plant tags .
Ms Kane said green waste could be a valuable resource with the support of the community.
“Creating high-quality compost for community gardens and farms across the state starts with us as Victorians,” she said.
“By keeping rubbish out of your green bin, food scraps and garden clippings can be turned into a valuable resource ... but also reduces the volume of waste sent to landfill.”
Sustainability Victoria (SV) found that 53% of Victorians are motivated by the knowledge that their food scraps and garden clippings improve compost quality for farmers.
Additionally, 52% are driven by the fact that the food and garden organics services divert waste from landfill, and 39% appreciate that councils use this compost on local gardens.
More information about what can be put into the green bins can be found at www.campaspe.vic.gov.au/Our-services/Waste-recycling/What-goes-in-what-bin/What-goes-in-your-green-bin
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