Green waste which goes to landfill affects the environment because:

• Transport is needed to get it there, generating atmospheric pollution and congestion on the roads.

• It takes up space in already full landfill sites.

• As it decomposes in the landfill site it produces methane because there is not enough oxygen for the micro-organisms. (In a home compost bin you can turn the waste to aerate it.)

• Methane is a greenhouse gas and can be explosive.

• The decomposing green waste produces chemicals which can leach out of the site into the local water supply.

• On the plus side, methane can be piped away and used to produce electricity but this does require expensive management.

If green waste is composted at home none of these problems occur and the garden will benefit from having the compost dug in or spread around as a mulch.

• Adding compost to soil increases the nutrients and the crumb structure so plants grow better.

• Home-made compost is an excellent alternative to peat products. Peat is dug up from peat bogs which are very important and endangered habitats.