Standard for compost use in roadside landscaping

A Mandurah-based compost producer has been awarded grant funding under the State Government’s Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme to develop a standard for the application and use of compost in roadside landscaping.

Custom Composts will receive $25,000 towards development costs. The grant will build on significant investment made in innovative demonstration projects on the Perth-Bunbury Highway for recycling a range of materials.

Using composted materials in roadside rehabilitation is common practice in other states, but it has not been used widely before in Western Australia. The grant funding will allow the development of updated standard procedures for adoption by state and local government authorities. This will open new opportunities to use material such as compost made from household organic waste.

Local governments have made substantial investments in the production of compost from household organic waste, but the development of markets for the product has not kept pace with increasing production.

The Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme is funded through the state’s levy on waste dumped at urban landfill sites and grants from the scheme are allocated by the Waste Authority. The scheme provides support and encouragement to business and industry, local government, community groups and individuals tackling priority waste issues.