How to set up a community composting scheme

Do research

• Set up a working party. A group of two to three volunteers is a good starting point.
• Conduct market research. Do people:
  • Want a community composting scheme? 
  • Want the resulting compost? 
  • Want to volunteer on a regular basis?
• Is your parish or town council interested in supporting the scheme?
• Investigate where your composting site could go. This is essential!  
• How will your composting site operate? Will you:
  • Collect from householders. This means you can keep some control over the material you get. Or
  • Receive garden waste at the composting site. You will need to include traffic management arrangements in your plans.
• Do you want to pay a scheme co-ordinator?

Planning

Planning permission

You will need planning permission to set up a community composting scheme. You must apply to Norfolk County Council, Minerals and Waste Planning Authority.

How to submit a planning application online
You might want to make an informal enquiry before applying. Contact:  

Minerals and Waste Planning 
Norfolk County Council
County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2SG

Telephone: 0344 800 8020
Email: [email protected]

Environment Agency permit or exemption

You must apply for an Environment Agency permit or an exemption to operate your scheme.

Your community composting scheme must meet the Environment Agency's requirements. These are part of the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2010. 

The Environment Agency focuses on managing risk. The composting process is the riskiest element of a community composting scheme. Community composting is most straightforward:

• If schemes collect garden waste only
• If households in the community use the compost on their own land, and
• Where treatment at the composting site involves less than 60 tonnes of waste at any one time

Read the full waste exemption guidance on GOV.UK   

Waste Carriers Lower Tier exemption

Composting groups should also get a Waste Carriers Lower Tier exemption. 

Find out how register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer on GOV.UK

The composting site

Think how you should lay your composting site out. Consider:

• How close your neighbours are
• Any possible environmental impact. This could be things like noise, traffic and where local streams are

Moving your site

If you move your site, you must get new planning permission from Norfolk County Council. You will also need a new permit or exemption from the Environment Agency.

Advertise your community composting scheme

It is important that the local community knows about the composting scheme. It will help you find more volunteers. 

Consider creating a constitution

Some composting schemes have a formal constitution. This sets out the aims of the scheme and details who is doing what and how.

Insurance policies 

You will need an insurance policy that covers your volunteers and third parties.

You can get insurance as an extension of a parish council's existing insurance policy.

You can also get group insurance from organisations such as The Conservation Volunteers. Visit The Conservation Volunteers' website to read their insurance guidance that explains the policies.  

Recruit volunteers

You will need several volunteers to ensure you can manage the work, and have cover for holidays and sickness.

Find funding and grants

Look into funding and grants to help cover the set-up costs of equipment and insurance.

Countdown to launch

Infrastructure and equipment

Once you have funding, create secure storage, and purchase or hire equipment.

Train volunteers or staff

All volunteers or staff need to know what they are doing.  

Some volunteers will like doing the physical work. They will need health and safety training for handling garden waste and compost.

Other volunteers may prefer to do the accounts, admin or promote the scheme.

Marketing plan

'Sell' the scheme to the community in regular newsletters. This will: 

• Help publicise it 
• Help persuade people to use it 
• Keep residents informed about:
  • The benefits of the scheme
  • Money raised
  • Opportunities for local groups 

A marketing plan may also help you get more grant funding and new volunteers.