Waste Education
Composting with Food Waste
Composting with Food Waste
Preparation
You need a planting box and organic fertilizer.
What is food waste?
Food waste includes leftover meals, food trimmings from cooking (bones, peels, stems), and expired food. Food waste naturally decomposes to release phosphorus and trace elements that help plants grow.
Sorting food waste
Not all food waste is suitable for composting. Liquid food affects moisture levels.
Recyclable: vegetables, fruits, meat, noodles, rice, bread, peels, tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells.
Not recyclable: plastic bags, disposable utensils, foil, tissues, bones, shells, beverages, soup, oil.
What is compost?
Compost is dark brown, earthy-smelling humus rich in nutrients. Electric composters take 4-24 hours; compost bins take about 2 weeks.
Methods
DIY compost bin
Lowest cost, no electricity. Layer soil, dried chopped food waste, dry leaves and soil. Seal at 80% full. Ready in ~3 months.
Commercial compost bin
No electricity, costs a few hundred HKD. Layer newspaper, food waste, and coconut coir. Ready in 2-3 weeks.
Thermal composter
Fast, odorless. 2-3 hours per cycle.
Probiotic composter
Add probiotics, brown sugar and water on first use. Then add chopped food waste. 4-24 hours per cycle.
Growing seedlings
Mix compost with soil at 1:5 to 1:7 ratio. Sow seeds, cover with 0.5cm soil, water thoroughly.
Maintenance
Water once or twice daily after germination. Transplant seedlings with adequate spacing.
Harvest
From sowing to harvest takes 8-18 weeks. Cut vegetables between root and leaves.