FAQ's

Do I Have Enough Waste For a HOTBIN?

HOTBIN Mk1-MK2 and & Mini, compost aerobically and at temperatures between 104-140°F. Hot composting is 32 times faster than traditional cold composting. Additionally, it allows you to compost a wider variety of waste such as cooked food, bones, weeds and destroys pathogens and weeds seeds. How can you achieve hot composting temperatures? To maintain temperatures of 104-140°F you will need to feed the HOTBIN a minimum amount of waste each week, depending on which model of HOTBIN you are operating. For the 52 Gal. Mk1 or MK2 bin you require approx. 11 pounds of waste (1 large garbage bag or 2 small kitchen bags) per week. For the 26 Gal. MINI Mini you require approx. 5.5 pounds of waste (1/2 large garbage bag or 1 small kitchen bags) per week. This volume can be made up of both kitchen and garden waste. The better the mix of waste the more effectively the HOTBIN will work. NOTE: Don't wait until you have a full bag of waste before you feed you HOTBIN, feed you bin whatever waste you have available every couple of days. What happens if I have less waste? The HOTBIN will only stay hot (between 104-140°F) with regular feeding of the minimum amount of waste. If you have less waste... The waste will take longer to breakdown. It will not will be able to compost certain wastes (cooked food, weeds, bones etc) as there will not be enough heat  to destroy the pathogens. Does it matter if the temperature falls below 40°C? The temperature will always fluctuate, but HOTBIN works efficiently with internal temperatures at 104-140°F. There will be occasions where the temperature will drop lower than 40°C, for instance when you go on holiday. Follow our guidelines on how to deal with your bin before and after your holiday here. How much food and waste does a typical household produce? Every household is different in terms of the food and garden waste they produce. In the table below we use a simple scale of small, medium or large to act as a guide.