In a world where waste is piling up faster than we can blink, Cape Town is flipping the script, one compost bin at a time.
Cape Town, South Africa (26 June 2025) – As part of its ongoing mission to reduce food and organic waste heading to landfills, the City of Cape Town is putting home composting in the hands of everyday residents.
During a recent Mayoral Service Blitz in Kensington and Maitland, 300 composting containers were handed out, along with a bit of know-how and a whole lot of purpose.
More than just a bin, each container represents a quiet revolution in how we treat what we throw away. With over 50,000 composting bins already distributed since 2016, it’s clear Capetonians are leaning into the soil-to-soul cycle, and reaping the benefits.
“Composting is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce the waste we send to landfill,” says Alderman Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management. “It’s not just about greener gardens—it’s about lowering emissions and protecting our shared future.”
And he’s right. When organic waste ends up in landfills, it breaks down without oxygen, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂. But composting? It turns kitchen scraps into rich, crumbly fertiliser that feeds your garden, not the climate crisis.
Here’s how to start composting at home:
- Pick a spot: A shaded corner of your garden or a ventilated container on a balcony will do.
- Know your greens and browns: Greens (like fruit peels, veggie scraps, coffee grounds) bring nitrogen. Browns (dry leaves, newspaper, cardboard) bring carbon. Aim for a 1:2 ratio.
- What not to add: Skip meat, dairy, oily foods, and pet waste—they attract pests and slow the process.
- Turn it, feed it, love it: Stir your compost every week or two to let it breathe, and keep it moist but not soggy. Nature does the rest.
Whether you’re growing tomatoes on a balcony or keeping a few herbs alive in a windowsill pot, composting turns your leftovers into something truly life-giving.
The next bin giveaway happens in Sub-council 11 on 15 July 2025. But wherever you live, now’s a great time to join the movement. Because the truth is, our leftovers don’t have to be wasted, they can be the start of something beautiful.
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