Cool Compost NSW Environment Protection Authority

Purchasing and using compost not only improves soil health and productivity, it also provides cost-effective solutions for businesses and government agencies looking to reduce their waste and carbon footprint.

In the final episode of the Cool Compost series, we talk to a government representative and the recycled organics industry about what’s on the horizon for compost, and hear about a case study that increased awareness and uptake in the infrastructure sector.



Tune in to learn


How compost made from kerbside organics is a versatile recycled product that can be used in a variety of projects. (02:24)




How the Organics Market Development grants program showcased the benefits of compost across a range of markets (3:42)




How the compost blanket project demonstrated how roadside sites can be stabilised and rehabilitated using compost. (5:06)




The importance of sourcing site specific compost. (10:00)




Product reliability and quality standards. (12:32)




How government agencies can lead the way and make the most of quality recycled compost as we move towards a circular economy. (15:00)



About our guests


Amanda Kane, Organics Manager, NSW EPA  epa.nsw.gov.au




Penelope Smith, horticultural soil scientist




Charlie Emery, Charlie Emery, Director (NSW Chair), Australian Organics Recycling Association www.aora.org.au



Resources and links


To learn more, visit circularag.com.au/compost

Councils are largely responsible for managing our waste to landfill or recycling and keeping our waterways clean. Did you know that compost from recycled food and garden organic waste is a solution to both these challenges? In this episode we talk to a council that’s trialling waste reduction initiatives to achieve sustainability and circular economy goals.



Tune in to learn


How the City of Newcastle is working to reducing waste and recycle food and garden organics. (01:57)




How the City of Newcastle and the Centre for Organic Research and Education conducted a successful trial using compost in stormwater biofiltration (4:04)




How food and garden organics recycling can divert waste from landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (09:51)




How compost has added benefits including increasing infiltration and storing more soil moisture. (11:09)




How development control plans need to be changed to encourage the use of recycled materials in biofilters for new developments. (12:52)




How councils across the Hunter region are implementing a circular economy procurement project to help procure more recycled organics products. (18:17)



About our guests


Carol Duncan, Councillor, City of Newcastle newcastle.nsw.gov.au




Eric Love, Chairman, Centre for Organic Research and Education core.asn.au




Tim Askew, Regional Policy and Program Manager, Hunter Joint Organisation hunterjo.com.au



Resources and links


To learn more, visit circularag.com.au/compost

Whether you’re a landscape designer, project developer or town planner, using compost is a long-term investment in the health and productivity of landscape design.

In this episode we talk to a consultant about how compost could improve your project’s overall sustainability rating. And we hear from a housing developer that’s leading the way in sustainable suburbs.



Tune in to learn


How commercial compost is helping to improve property and infrastructure projects, meet sustainability requirements, and boost the survival rate of plants. (04:14)




How composting can play an important role in a circular economy and help meet the NSW Government’s target for all households and select business to be recycling food and organics by 2030. (09:55)




How applying compost can provide a range of benefits relating to water, waste, biodiversity, reducing emissions, responding to climate risk, and meeting sustainability ratings. (13:45)



About our guests


Mike Twemlow is a Sustainability Consultant at Edge Environment. edgeenvironment.com




Paul Himberger is a Sustainability and Research Manager at Landcom, the NSW Government’s land and property development organisation. landcom.com.au



Resources and links


To learn more, visit www.circularag.com.au/compost.

When it comes to growing vegetables and other horticulture crops, soil health is vital. So, it's important to put nutrient-rich plant material back into the soil using recycled organics like compost. It builds soil health, structure and water holding capacity.

In this episode, we talk to a vegetable grower who trialled compost made from supermarket food waste. And we hear from experts about the growing opportunities for the horticulture industry as food and garden organics waste collection ramps up across NSW.



Tune in to learn


How compost makes soil more resilient and able to cope with heavy rainfall, high temperatures and drought. (02:16)




How vegetable and herb grower Damien Lin trialled quality compost made from food waste supplied by Harris Farm Markets. (05:18)




How successful demonstration trials around NSW have proven that compost can have economic benefits and increase soil health, organic matter, and yield. (8:14)




How a lack of awareness of compost and the benefits of using it has limited uptake across the agriculture sector to date – and how this is set to change. (15:42)




How vegetable growers and other horticulture industries can get started with compost – and what to consider when sourcing and applying it. (17:58)



About our guests


Angus Johnston is the founder and director of BioCarbon Soil. biocarbonsoil.com.au




Damien Lin is a vegetable and herb grower in Mangrove Mountain, NSW.




Courtney McGregor is the sustainability project lead at Harris Farm Markets. harrisfarm.com.au




Liam Southam-Rogers is an environmental scientist at Applied Horticulture Research. ahr.com.au




Elisabeth Blik is an environmental consultant and educator wildblueglobal.com.au



Resources and links


To learn more, visit circularag.com.au/compost

Compost has been used in agriculture for centuries, but the widespread potential of commercial compost in the grazing industry remains largely untapped. Why?

In this episode, we talk to a grazier who used compost to transform his farming landscape from dirt poor to rich pasture. And we hear from an environmental scientist who’s used the power of compost pellets to boost a farmer’s crop by 30%.



Tune in to learn


How grazier Steve Leisk and his wife transformed their property in central west NSW into rich fertile soils using compost. (02:35)




How grazier and compost spreading contractor Tim Mendham improved his farm and others by applying compost with a state-of-the-art spreader. (08:39)




How a ground-breaking trial using compost pellets could change the way compost is used, increase yield and open the market for compost in broadacre agriculture. (13:40)




How using commercial compost benefits farms by putting carbon and vital trace elements into the soil, improving water retention, becoming more drought resilient and helping with erosion control. (23:09)




How to start using commercial compost on your farm. (29:36)



About our guests


Steve Leisk is a grazier and regenerative farmer near Molong in central west NSW. https://dolittlefarm.com.au/




Tim Mendham is a grazier and compost spreading contractor near Orange in central west NSW. https://mendhamcontracting.com.au




Virginia Brunton is a principal consultant (Organics and Community Engagement) at MRA Consulting Group. https://mraconsulting.com.au



Resources and links


Pelletisation trial results - https://mraconsulting.com.au/compost-pellets-down-the-tube/




To learn more, visit www.circularag.com.au/compost

As New South Wales transitions to a circular economy, more and more food and garden waste is being diverted from landfill, instead being recycled into quality compost.

What’s driving this is the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy, which aims to halve organic waste to landfill and achieve net zero emissions from organics in landfill by 2030, paving the way for compost production to ramp up.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA for short) is leading this transition and has already made significant gains in converting household organic waste into compost and reducing waste to landfill, thanks to millions of dollars of grant funding since 2013.

The EPA has collected a wealth of information over the years from the experiences of grant recipients and the people they’ve worked with.

So in this series, we talk to these experts on the ground about the benefits of compost to the landscape and your business.

We’ll also hear from innovators who are using technology to transform the way compost is used across a wide range of industries, all to help you take advantage of this growing opportunity.