COMPOST made from green waste recycled in Hambleton and Richmondshire has achieved a national plaudit – and is now to be given away to householders.

Northallerton-based Yorwaste has achieved a tough British Standards Institution standard following a rigorous inspection process at its facility in Tancred, near Catterick.

And starting this year the company now intends to hold monthly free giveaways of the compost to members of the public - as well as selling it in bulk to the horticultural and farming industry – through its sister company SJB Recycling.

Managing director Steve Barker said: “Gaining this national accreditation is a significant achievement because it involves sending regular samples of the compost for testing over a 12-month period.

“The compost has to meet exacting standards and during the testing process it is even used to see if it can grow tomatoes

“It means we can market the compost as a high grade soil conditioner which can be used to help regular gardens, but also on a much bigger scale within the horticultural and farming industry.”

During the peak compost season, April to September, up to 2,000 tonnes of green waste is handled by Yorwaste each month.

It is initially shredded and put into stockpiles known as windrows. They generate heat which breaks down the waste further and kills off pathogens and weed seeds. Temperatures of the rows are monitored daily and when they begin to drop the rows are turned to add oxygen, reheating the material.

Once turning no longer re-heats the material, normally eight weeks, it is then ready to use as a composted soil conditioner.