Veolia and West Berkshire Council giving away compost to local residents

The West Berkshire Council logo

Veolia in partnership with West Berkshire Council reveals details of their first soil conditioner give-away later this month.

On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May 2022 there will be a give-away event at the Padworth Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), Padworth Lane, RG7 4JF, between 10am and 4pm where residents will be able to pick up Veolia’s locally produced soil conditioner for free!

The soil conditioner is produced at Padworth from garden waste collected across West Berkshire and is being provided free of charge to West Berkshire Council residents through its partnership with Veolia.

Residents must bring along their own bags/boxes to load the compost into their vehicles and will be responsible for collecting and loading the soil conditioner from the site to their vehicle. 

No booking is necessary, however please bring along ID or a recently dated bill with you to prove you are a resident of West Berkshire. Depending on demand you may need to queue for the soil conditioner. Please be patient, this is a free event and it is available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis or until it runs out! We also ask that you only collect a reasonable amount to ensure everyone has an opportunity to make use of this offer. 

Cllr Steve Ardagh-Walter, Executive Member for the Environment at West Berkshire Council, said: “We are very excited to work with Veolia on this initiative to offer soil conditioner free of charge to our residents at this event. 

“As spring is here, with the hope of good weather ahead, many residents will be wanting to get out in their gardens, vegetable patches or allotments to feed their plants and crops. We are grateful to all of our residents who are conscientiously doing their bit to recycle as much as they can as this helps the environment by reducing waste and reducing our carbon footprint. We hope this gesture goes a small way in offering our thanks to create a reusable product.”

Sara Perry, General Manager at Veolia West Berkshire, said: “We take garden waste collected from residents across West Berkshire and create a soil conditioner which is certified as organic and peat-free, so it reduces pressure on peat bogs. It is rich in nutrients and trace elements that puts goodness back into your soil to help your garden grow and flourish. We’re delighted to be able to offer this excellent product free to local residents as part of this exciting event.”

Please note there will be vehicle restrictions in place. Vehicles listed as prohibited in the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) user guide on page 12 will not be allowed. No commercial vehicles will be admitted; this is for householders only. Residents have to take necessary precautions for carrying the soil conditioner safely to their vehicle. The event organisers accept no liability for any injuries that may be sustained by residents loading their vehicles with the materials.

For more information please visit: www.westberks.gov.uk/compost