Compost is stepping into the spotlight again as International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) returns from 4 to 10 May 2025. Across Australia, households are being reminded that one of nature’s simplest gifts could hold the key to confronting some of today’s most complex environmental challenges.
At a time when global efforts to address climate change are often framed in technological or industrial terms, compost stands out for its accessibility and impact. According to Chris Rochfort, CEO of the Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE), composting is a practical way communities can build climate resilience without waiting for large-scale interventions.
“As a community we can all contribute to a healthy planet by keeping food scraps out of landfill, either by composting at home or using a council collection service,” Mr Rochfort said.
The benefits of compost are wide-ranging. Reducing organic waste in landfill helps cut methane emissions—an often overlooked factor in climate change. Methane is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential about 28 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. Composting prevents this release by allowing organic matter to break down aerobically.
Beyond emissions, compost enriches soil health. It improves drainage, retains moisture, enhances nutrient levels, and even suppresses plant diseases and pests. In urban areas, compost-amended soils can mitigate heat island effects, providing cooler environments during hot weather.
Perhaps most critically, Mr Rochfort said, compost builds resilience. “By returning compost back to the soil it improves plant health and promotes biodiversity,” he explained. “If we reduce and recycle organic materials such as garden and food organics, we not only lower greenhouse gas emissions but also make our environment better equipped to withstand droughts and extreme weather.”
The environmental dividends extend to waterways too. Proper compost use helps reduce contaminated run-off and sediment entering rivers and oceans—a crucial advantage as urban expansion strains natural ecosystems.
Mr Rochfort described compost as “one of nature’s essential building blocks” that can address a suite of environmental challenges. “There’s no other product that can fulfil as many functions as compost. It can even save you money on fertilisers and additional water.”
While it may not feature heavily in national climate strategies, composting is a grassroots solution available to every household. “Compost may not be the most conventional solution to combating climate change but it’s something that every household can do to utilise its full potential and stop our landfill pollution, save our soil and reduce our emissions,” Mr Rochfort said.
International Compost Awareness Week has been running in Australia for two decades, spearheaded by CORE, a public charity focused on organic research and education. Each year, ICAW encourages councils, schools, businesses and individuals to spread the message about compost’s environmental importance.
ICAW’s organisers have acknowledged the support of key sponsors for the 2025 event. Platinum sponsors include the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation and Penrith City Council. Gold sponsors are the NSW Environment Protection Authority and Celestino Developments Pty Ltd, while Ku-ring-gai Council has signed on as a Bronze sponsor.
As Australia faces another year of unpredictable weather patterns, the quiet work of composting offers a reminder that local actions can have far-reaching impacts—one handful of soil at a time.
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