A site visit to the Warwick Zero Waste Composting Site was taken during International Composting Week which is commemorated from 7 to 13 May.

THE first Durban Composting Networking Forum was held on 5 May at the Durban Botanic Gardens conference
hall. The forum was held in commemoration of International Composting Week which is celebrated from 7 to 13 May. The event was held in partnership by the Warwick Zero Waste Project in collaboration with the Durban Botanic Gardens Trust. It aimed to connect the composting and urban gardening network in Durban and bring together people working on food waste composting, organics recycling, and urban gardening projects that improves soil health, increases food security, and helps mitigate climate change.

There were exhibitions showcasing their projects as well as presentations by the Durban Botanic Gardens, Ground Work, Convert the Dirt, and Black Umbrellas. Three tours of the Warwick Zero Waste’s composting facility were conducted as part of the event. Martin Clement, Manager of Botanic Gardens said, the Municipality supports
the Composting Forum as it promotes sustainable waste management practices and Durban Composting Forum sets agenda creates jobs and economic opportunities as part of a zero-waste solution for the City. “The City promotes composting and a zerowaste future. This is done by partnering with the Durban University of Technology and the Urban Futures Centre to implement composting projects in the Durban Botanic Gardens. This is the beginning of a more localised approach to quality and community partners,” he said. 

Asiphile Khanyile, a Waste Campaigner, highlighted the importance of zerowaste, explaining that the goal is to reduce the consumption of resources, save energy, and protect the environment. “Composting is important as it improves soils to conserve nutrients,” she said. Thandazile Nkongwane said the event was informative and educational. “It provided an opportunity to learn from experts and practitioners in the field of composting and waste management.”