Apply for the home composting rebate

• Eligible items must be purchased new and receipts for the rebate must be dated within six months of the rebate application date.

• The rebate is a one-off payment of $40 or your total purchase price for eligible items, whichever is lesser. Only one rebate is available per household.

• Payments are made by EFT. Payments may take up to four weeks to be processed from the date application is received by council.

• Your application must be accompanied by a tax invoice receipt (photograph or photocopy) clearly showing the item description, purchase date, price and place of purchase.

• The rebate is only available to residents of Yarra Ranges Shire and must be installed for use at the applicant’s place of residence within the shire.

• Yarra Ranges Shire reserves the right to cancel the rebate should the scheme reach its maximum budget allocation.

Before choosing which system you will buy, consider which will suit your home and the materials that you have to compost.

Compost bins suit homes that have larger backyards with a mix of food waste and garden clippings that can be mixed with dry materials such as fallen (deciduous) leaves, scrunched newspaper or other carbon-rich materials. The compost bin will produce a soil conditioner that is highly beneficial to improve soil structure in the vegetable garden. For more information on composting, see the Beginners Guide to Composting

Worm Farms suit homes that have food waste but do not have easy access to dry materials. The worm farm will need to be kept in a sheltered, cool location. Worms require consistent feeding and care to ensure the composting worms are healthy. Worm Farms create a high-nitrogen fertiliser (in solid and liquid form) that can be added to the vegetable garden in smaller amounts. For more information on worm farming, see the Beginners Guide to Worm Farming

Bokashi Bins are food waste fermenting units that can be kept in a cupboard or under a bench. They are airtight and therefore should not smell. They reduce food waste to a very small amount, with regular addition of a bran-like product that enhances the fermentation process. Once the fermentation process has reduced the volume of food waste considerably, the waste product can be buried in a garden bed or added to a friend's compost bin. The unit also produces a small amount of liquid fertiliser that can be diluted and used on potted or garden plants. For more information on the use of Bokashi Bins, go to https://www.bokashi.com.au/

Pet poo from dogs and cats is organic waste and can be composted rather than put in your rubbish bin.

Tips for composting your pet poo:

• Any type of compost bin or worm farm can take dog and cat poo. There are also specific composting systems designed for pet poo, including in-ground composting units.
• If you use an ordinary compost bin or worm farm, avoid putting the finished product onto your edible garden. Use only on your ornamental garden.
• Avoid placing poo from recently-wormed animals into your composting system, as worming chemicals can harm composting worms.
• Add a mix of materials to your system, similar to a traditional compost bin or worm farm to balance out your pet poo. Consider pet poo as a high-nitrogen input, similar to food waste.
• Paper-based kitty litter can be added to a compost bin. This would be considered as a carbon-based material and can contribute to balancing your compost bin.

 Join the Gardens for Harvest program for a free vegetable gardening info kit, monthly gardening updates and information on upcoming workshop where you can learn more on growing your own fresh and healthy food.