Dumping compost?

openup

I'm a renter and live with two other sustainability conscious people. We live in a granny flat type situation and use our landlord's bins. We have asked for a brown bin but he refuses point blank. We have a small yard area and I was thinking of having a go at composting myself. However aside from a few pot plants I wouldn't have much to put it on. Is there any point in composting if it's just going to landfill?

I would have assumed it's still better as the food will have broken down before it reaches landfill but I'm not sure. Obviously it's a drop in the ocean either way...

I've looked for "community compost" type initiatives but there doesn't seem to be any nearby. I would be open to any other suggestions.

magicbastarder

is the yard concrete, or is there bare soil to place a compost bin on?
if you've no garden though, you won't be generating much to place in a compost bin, but if someone that you know near you is composting, could be worth dropping it in their bin?

elperello

Someone in a local allotment would be glad to get it.

baaba maal

Offer to do a price comparison on waste collectors- your landlord may be assuming an increase in charges, but when you reduce the amount gong into the landfill bin, the overall charge may actually reduce. If he is living in an area where brown bins are available (any town or village over 500 people) then he (as a commercial customer given he is renting a property out) is legally obliged to segregate the waste into the three waste streams (recycling, landfill, food/garden waste).

Alkers

Do any neighbours have a brown bin? They're free to have collected so you could ask a few if they would mind you using theirs?

openup

Thanks for the replies. I would love if there was some sort of community garden nearby but I haven't managed to find one. Asking the neighbours is an idea. I assumed you paid for brown bins by weight like other bins (but it was just cheaper or something) so hadn't thought that would be an option.

We don't have a lease or anything so I don't think forcing our landlord's hand is any use. Besides, we wouldn't want to make trouble, he's otherwise a fantastic landlord and we all love living here (plus, the rent is ridiculously cheap).

Markcheese

You could get a small wormery, you won't be producing that much food waste, and you'll have even less compost at the end,

baaba maal

OP- can I ask what the landlord's objection/s to using a brown bin is/are? The obvious options are of course an increase in cost and fear of smells etc. but I am interested to know....

two wheels good

A few comments:
- Aren't bin companies required to supply a food waste bin? Phone them and ask if it's included free of charge.
- It will be months before you actually have useable compost. Someone will want. If you need to get rid of it dump it in a ditch, spread it under a park hedge.
- Sell the idea to your LL as an opportunity to compost (some) garden cuttings.
- Composting is easy but does need a bit of research/reading. There is a technique to get it started.
- Your local amenity tip (i.e rubbish dump) should have a food compost bin. (In my case €2 access charge to recycling centre.)

Maybe the LL thinks it's messy and will attract vermin.