Community Composting Scheme
The East London Waste Authority (ELWA) and the London Borough of Newham are proud to launch a new initiative to reduce waste and support community composting across Newham. We're inviting local residents and groups to take part in making our borough cleaner, greener, and more sustainable.
Why Composting Matters
Nearly 50% of food waste in household bins could be composted. By choosing to compost, we help to:
- Reduce landfill waste
- Lower environmental impacts
- Enrich our soil and green spaces
- Save money and resources
As Newham does not have a compost collection service, all compost produced through this scheme will stay within the community - benefiting gardens, allotments, and shared green areas.
Growing Across the Borough
Following two successful trials, we are now opening ten new composting sites. Areas without existing composting schemes will be prioritised.
What We Offer
Together, ELWA and the London Borough of Newham are making it easy to get started.
We provide:
- Funding & equipment, including:
- Food waste caddies
- 600L thermo-wood compost bins
- Informational leaflets
- Free online composting training via Garden Organic
How Your Community Group Can Get Involved
We're looking for active and enthusiastic community groups to join this initiative. To apply, your group should:
- Be well-established with a history of local engagement
- Appoint a lead and secondary contact
- Maintain the compost bin and its area regularly
- Provide an estimate of residents using the compost
- Offer a safe, accessible location for the bin
- Send monthly updates, including:
- Number of users
- Photos of the site
- Feedback and success stories
- Equipment condition
- Return equipment if the scheme ends
How to Apply
Want to be one of the ten new community composting hubs?
