Recycled green waste compost proves a success

A RECYCLED compost made from green household waste such as grass cuttings, prunings and leaves has proved a resounding success in trials at Lafarge Cement UK's Dunbar works.

The trial involved mixing a total of 2,300 tonnes of the special compost in with the topsoil left in an area of the Dunbar Works quarry after materials had been extracted. The effects on the quality of the soil and plants growing in it were then studied over the next 12 months.

The researchers discovered that, in general, the greater the amount of compost used, the greater the positive effect.

Enhancing the soil in this way is expected to support a range of uses including improvement of rough grazing land, water holding and erosion prevention on slopes, and establishment of native woodland.

Dunbar Works manager David Chrystall says: "We are delighted we could provide such a useful testing ground for this new product. The northwest quarrying area is being allowed to regenerate naturally but this trial has shown that composts can play an important role in establishment."