Waste Storage

[Hugh_B]

As a small household (2) we need to store waste until sufficient for a charge. This normally results in a gloopy mess with too much moisture. Has anybody come up with a storage method to allow waste to stay dry (ish) until ready? We are north UK so tend to struggle maintaining temperatures during the cooler parts of the year!

[awillow]

I don't have a suggestion, but I am struggling with the same thing. I'm interested to see if anyone has a response. I just started my bin and I think I will have to start over because my waste was so full of stinky liquid that I ended up having to drain a huge amount from the leachate tube and now I'm worried it's all just glop and won't start properly.

[strawberry]

Hello both. For food waste I layer the waste with shredded paper in the mini caddy to absorb some moisture, you do need to make sure that you mix it well when you put it in the hotbin as the wet paper can stick together, I then add more paper to the hotbin when I feed it. For garden waste I pour out any moisture from bottom of bag I store it in and then make sure i add plenty of paper and cardboard when it goes in hotbin. If in doubt add more shredded paper and cardboard as the hotbin seems to work OK when content fairly dry.

Amanda dont worry too much about the volume of leachate - if the leachate smells awful or the bin content smells bad then there is not enough airflow and contents have gone anaerobic - if this happens then best to empty stuff out and leave it to dry and use as mulch and start again. Do make sure you use bulking agent to keep airflow in bin. Good luck

[Hugh_B]

Thanks for the response. I also empty the bin onto the garden in the spring, allow it to dry and put half back to start again the other half being dug into the beds.