'Dishing the Dirt' project pairs Sask. residents with composting systems

A Saskatchewan composting project is playing matchmaker between members of thepublic andthe composting systems that best meettheir needs.

On Tuesday the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) announced the results of its "Dishing the Dirt" project, in which 26 volunteers collected data on 26 composting systems over one year.

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Funded by the City of Saskatoon and the City of Regina, the project's goal was to make it easier for Saskatchewan residents to compost their organic waste by identifying which systems worked best in certain situations.

Its results have been compiled in three ways: a detailed report, an infographic and an online quiz that people can use to find the best system for them.

The findings recommend types of composting systems based on factors including space, lifestyle, quantity of organic waste and maintenance requirements.

SWRC compost education coordinator Lisa Howse demonstrates the "bokashi bucket"

8 years ago

Duration 0:44

Bokashi bucket compost demonstration, Saskatchewan

Large wooden bins, tumbling bins, dried leaves and bokashi bucketsare among the recommended composting systems, some of which can be used to break down meat as well as fruit and vegetable waste.

SWRC compost education coordinator Lisa Howse said the study tested both indoor and outdoor composting systems.

"We realized that the relative cost of a certain compost system wasn't necessarily directly correlated to how well it worked for the person," she said.

"What was more important was that they chose a system that fit well with the space and with their composting style, rather than spending a lot of money on it."