{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.bankaust.com.au/blog/{{slug}}" }, "headline": "{{title}}", "description": "{{desc}}", "image": "{{image}}", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Bank Australia", "url": "https://www.bankaust.com.au/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Bank Australia", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64d5d5beb2a67e9491ecdff8/64d5d5beb2a67e9491ece00c_BA-logo-white.webp" } }, "datePublished": "{{datePublished}}", "dateModified": "{{dateModified}}" }
Alert notice

1 July 2025: updates to privacy and credit reporting policy - We have updated our privacy and credit reporting policy, effective 1 July 2025. Learn more.

2025-07-01 9:47 am
Alert notice

2 July 2025 – Qantas cyber incident. We are aware of a cyber incident at Qantas that has resulted in the release of some Qantas customers’ personal information. Learn more.

2025-06-19 11:58 am
Back to blog
Planet

A beginner’s guide to keeping your food waste out of landfill

Photo journal

Keen to do your bit to reduce waste from your very own kitchen? We sat down with Reground founder – and compost connoisseur – Ninna Larsen to get the dirt on the best ways to get rid of food scraps, even when you can’t compost at home.

Aussie households send 3.2 million tonnes of food to landfill every year, where it releases methane – one of the most potent greenhouse gases – into the atmosphere. That’s enough food waste to fill 5,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Gulp.

But when it’s disposed of properly and composted, green waste can actually be turned into a vital, nutrient-dense, life-sustaining resource. “Compost is critical for our soil, because it’s how we put nutrients back into the ground,” says Ninna Larsen, founder of Reground, a Melbourne-based social enterprise educating organisations and individuals on how to minimise waste.  

But if you don’t have space to compost at home, there are still ways for you to take charge of your organic waste. If you’re keen to give back to the earth and seriously reduce the amount of waste going into your wheelie bin each week, Ninna has some tips to set you up for success.

1. First, have a look at your shopping habits

A woman holding a shopping basket with vegetables and flour

Before we even get into dealing with our food waste, let’s first try to minimise that waste. If you do a weekly grocery shop and often end up with floppy vegetables and gone-off meat or dairy products, try doing smaller, more regular shops, and planning for a couple of days worth of food at a time.

2. How much space are you working with?

Now we’ve tightened up our shopping habits, let’s dig into the food waste we do create. Because as long as we eat food, there’ll be scraps to dispose of. But if we shouldn’t put it in the bin, don’t have an organic waste pickup through our local council, and don’t have space for a backyard compost bin, how do we get rid of it?

There are a few options that’ll keep your food scraps out of landfill. Check with your local council website to see what initiatives they have in place for FOGO (food organics green organics) in your area. While you might not have a green-lidded organics bin, many councils have set up community organic waste hubs where you can drop off your food waste a couple of times a week.

You can also download the ShareWaste app to find people in your neighbourhood who’ll take your organic waste for compost, worm farms or to feed their chooks. Or look out for orgs like Cirque du Soil, a Melbourne business (and Bank Australia customer), who’ll collect your green waste and turn it into compost.

Ask yourself a few questions: do you have the time and space for a home compost setup? Do you have a garden on which to liberally sprinkle your compost? Are you keen to do your bit for the planet and avoid putting food waste into the bin, but would prefer to do something less labour intensive?

If you’re keen to start composting, great – keep reading. Not so keen but still want to do your bit? Call your local council about their organic waste initiatives, download ShareWaste, or contact Cirque du Soil.  

3. Get yourself a bin, and find the right spot for it

A garden with two large compost bins

There are heaps of different bins on the market, but Ninna’s personal preference is the traditional Gedye-type bin, with an open base and a lid. You’ll also need an aerator or compost turner, and a caddy to chuck your kitchen scraps into.

The best place for your compost bin is on a patch of dirt, ideally the shade. “It’s fine if your bin gets a bit of sun, but if it’s too sunny your compost might dry out and you’ll need to water it,” Ninna advises.

4. Know what to compost

You can compost just about all your kitchen scraps, even bread (just make sure you remove stickers from fruit and rubber bands from herbs; these definitely aren’t compostable!). The only thing you shouldn’t throw into your backyard bin is meat, as it will attract rats. But if you’ve got a green bin and your local council does weekly or fortnightly collections, it’s fine to throw in almost everything, except cooked bones, oyster shells and pet waste.  

5. Lay down your foundations

A person holds a handful of dirt in his hands

Before you start throwing in food scraps, it’s important to lay down a base in your bin. “I always start a new compost by putting down some branches and dried leaves that will lift the contents of the bin off the ground and generate some aeration. Air is a really key element to your compost,” explains Ninna. “You don’t want to have food waste sitting directly on the ground, because it won’t get enough air through it.”

6. Use the lasagne technique

“The key elements of any good compost are water, nitrogen, carbon, air and time,” says Ninna. “Nitrogen is your food scraps. If there’s too much nitrogen, you can get blocks of food waste and it’s a bit gross. That’s why you need to balance it with carbon, like dried leaves from your garden, wood chips, or straw.”

Ninna suggests that every time you put something in the bin, you should add more carbon than nitrogen, then give it some oxygen. So add your food scraps, throw in some dried leaves, and then give it a turn with your aerator (even turning it once a week is fine).  Keep doing this until your bin is full.

7. Then? Wait.

The inside of a compost bin

You need to let your waste sit for six to eight weeks so it can do its thing. “All compost needs to go through a maturation process,” Ninna says. “If you hear people saying they can turn scraps into compost in eight days, it’s not going to be right. It’s like drinking wine that’s only just been bottled. There’s something in the aging process that helps it balance.” It’s OK to check on your compost and give it a stir during this time, but don’t add anything to it – no nitrogen, no carbon.

And when it’s ready?  “It should look soil-like,” Ninna says. “It shouldn’t smell, or look like clumpy food waste either.”

8. How to use your glorious, nutrient-rich compost

If you don’t have a garden, there are still plenty of ways to utilise your compost. Use it on indoor plants, offer it to someone in your neighbourhood, or donate it to a school, community garden, or local farm. “Composting is a fantastic way to connect with your garden; it’s a great exercise in engaging in the natural cycle of things,” Ninna says. “The greatest happiness comes form caring for something – it’s why people have pets. So think of compost as your garden pet!”

Find out more about how Reground are helping Australians reimagine their waste now.

Related stories

Impact

“Stories of strength, resilience and self-determination”: Victorian Aboriginal News is amplifying First Nations voices

From his van on Country to the airwaves across Victoria, Uncle Charles Pakana is amplifying First Nations voices through Victorian Aboriginal News. We spoke to Uncle Charles about how the independent media project, backed by Bank Australia, is changing the narrative around reconciliation.

Read how Uncle Charles Pakana uses his VAN as a voice for the future.

Impact

How Nalderun is helping young First Nations people thrive

On Djaara Country in Central Victoria, Bank Australia community customer grant recipient Nalderun has been changing the lives of young First Nations people for over 15 years. Their aim? To help their kids thrive and become the leaders of tomorrow.

Impact

First Nations Recognition and Respect: An update one year on from our strategy launch

In May 2024, Bank Australia launched its First Nations Recognition and Respect strategy, setting out our vision for walking together towards First Nations justice, reconciliation and self-determination. One year on, we spoke with Rafe Pfitzner Milika, our Manager Reconciliation Strategy, to reflect

Read the highlights one year on from our First Nations Recognition and Respect strategy Launch

News

We've signed up to Respect and Protect – Combating financial and domestic abuse

We’re proud to announce that Bank Australia has signed up to the ‘Respect and Protect’ program where we join like-minded customer-owned banks in updating our terms and conditions to better protect customers from domestic and financial abuse. We recognise the significant responsibility we have in add

News

B Corps coming together for good: Behind the scenes of our latest campaign

People

How Priyanka and Grace are supporting their communities to overcome racial barriers in the workplace