9 December 2024

Free compost giveaways return

Free compost giveaways for East Riding residents are to return in May.

East Riding Council will be handing out 5,000 bags of compost – 60 tonnes – to residents over nine events between May 13 and 28.

As normal, residents are invited to drive along to their nearest giveaway event, where two bags of compost will be placed into their car boots by council staff.

The giveaways will start in Pocklington before moving on to Brough/Elloughton, Withernsea, Beverley, Preston, Goole, Hornsea, Carnaby and finish in Driffield.

The compost being given away will be entirely made up from the recycled garden and food waste which East Riding residents place in their brown bins.

Councillor Paul West, the council’s portfolio holder for environment and transport said: “We’ve been running our compost giveaways for a number of years now and they’ve been as popular as ever.

“They are the council’s way of thanking residents across the area for their fantastic, continuing support of our recycling schemes.”

All brown bin contents collected in the East Riding get recycled into compost by the Biowise plant in Willerby – where the giveaway compost comes from.

Brown bins can be used to recycle grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, small branches, leaves, flowers and weeds, all cooked and uncooked food, peelings, plate scrapings, bones, bread, meat, eggshells and small amounts of soups, sauces and gravies.

In Withernsea, the giveaway will be in the Pavilion car park on Friday, May 17, from 4pm.

In Preston, the venue is the Lelley Fields Crematorium in Sproatley Road, on Monday, May 20, from 4.30pm.

In Hornsea, the compost giveaway will be on Friday, May 24, at Hornsea Freeport, from 4.30pm.

Other giveaways are at Pocklington on May 13, Brough/Elloughton on May 15, Beverley on May 18, Goole on May 22, Carnaby on May 25 and Driffield Showground on May 28.

Residents are asked not to queue at the venues beforehand or they may be turned away for safety reasons.

The compost is best used as a soil improver.