Compost Starter Kit

For those who would like to start composting at home for the first time with a low investment, INORA has developed a composting starter kit. The kit includes following:

• a 32 l container with cover. Aeration holes on the sides and cover. No drainage holes are provided at the base of the container.
• 5 kg of INORA’s Composting Medium,
• 1 kg of INORA’s Decomposition Culture,
• 0.5 l of INORA’s IVEM Odour Control Spray,
• A Garden Rake,
• Spray Bottle and
• A pair of Rubber Hand Gloves is provided.

The composter can process 1 kg per day for about 15 days. After the container fills up, a pair of ozone stabilised HDPE bags are provided, in which the semi finished compost is emptied for further curing. The bags are to be kept aside for 4-5 weeks to allow for full curing. In the meantime, the bucket can be cleaned and reused.

The compost kit is to be used as follows:

1. Pour the 0.5 l of IVEM liquid provided into the Spray Bottle.
2. Dispose the plastic container and packaging responsibly.
3. Open the 1 kg pack of INORA’s Decomposition Culture and transfer into an air tight container.
4. Wear the gloves provided. Dispose of plastic packing responsibly.
5. Fill the 32 l container with half the quantity of INORA’s Compost Medium as a base layer.
6. Take 1 kg of fresh kitchen waste which you would like to compost and spread in as thin a layer as possible on top of the compost medium. Use your hands to spread the waste. Optionally use the rake provided.
7. On the first day, add a teaspoon of INORA’s Decomposition Culture and spread it well across the whole surface of the wet waste.
8. Spray the fresh waste with INORA’s IVEM spray. No dilution is to be done of this liquid.
9. Bury the fresh waste in the brown layer of the compost medium in a way that no fresh material is left exposed to sight.
10. Close the lid and you are done for the day.
11. On the next day, repeat steps 6, 8, 9 and 10.
12. Add a teaspoon of INORA’s Decomposition Culture only once in 4-5 days.
13. Keep an eye on the moisture content of the composting medium. If it gets too wet, add handfuls at a time of the remaining compost medium and mix well to balance the moisture. Do not add any extra water. If you run out compost medium, you can look for dried leaves, grass, hay, shredded garden waste in your surroundings to cover kitchen waste.

Watch this instructional video on the how to use the kit on a daily basis.

The composter can take all organic bio-degradable wastes such as vegetable peels, fruit peels, food scraps, shells of nuts, stalks of greens, coffee grounds, tea leaves, food waste, egg shells, non-vegetarian waste (in small quantities), bones, coconut fibres, etc. Those who start composting for the first time should ideally start with only raw organic wastes such as vegetable peels, scraps, stalks of kitchen herbs, fruit peels, flowers, etc. Cooked food waste should be introduced at a later stage in small quantities at a time after completion of one cycle of harvest.

With liquid food waste such as dals, sambhar, etc that need to be disposed of, ideally, it should be strained in the kitchen sink to wash away all the liquids. The solid content can then be disposed of in the composter.

Certain food materials like dairy products, oils, etc. lead to stickiness and cut off air circulation leading to odours. When added to the compost bin, only small quantities can be added. After addition, the contents of the bin should be turned to mix and aerate the compost pile. Any sticky food materials, such as chapati dough, etc should be avoided or added in small quantities with care, since it tends to form sticky lumps in the compost and lead to anaerobic conditions that lead to odours.

Any material that adds an excessive amount of moisture, stickiness, potentially harmful pathogens or materials that destroy friendly composting microorganisms should not be added into the composter. A few such materials are:

Food waste with large amounts of liquid contents such as gravies, curries, oils, dairy products, sugars, etc should be avoided. The solid content of the waste can be added after they have been washed and sieved under running water.

Cat and Dog litter, biomedical wastes should not be added since it adds harmful pathogens into compost. Cow dung is the only exception since it promotes composting with a whole host of beneficial micro-organisms and also removes odours.

All non-bio-degradable materials should not be added particularly, plastics.

Harmful chemicals, such as paints, pesticides, mineral or fossil based oils, detergents, etc should not be added in the composter.