Home Compost Subsidies and Rebates

City of Cockburn residents are eligible for subsidies on worm farms, compost bins and bokashi bins. Different home waste compost systems are suitable for different types of households and waste needs.

About the home waste compost subsidy

The City of Cockburn offers a home waste compost subsidy that part funds the cost of worm farms, compost bins and bokashi bins. Please read through the table below to decide which home waste compost subsidy is best for you.

Features of different home waste compost systems

	Bokashi bin $50 subsidised rate	EnsoPet pet waste composter $30 subsidised rate	Compost bin $50 rebate	Worm farm $95 subsidised rate
Dwelling suitability	House, apartment, office, no garden	Houses, schools, anywhere with gardens	Houses, schools,  anywhere with gardens	House, apartment, office, no garden
Location	Anywhere, indoor or outdoor	Outside	Ideally outside, away from  house in a sunny area	Indoor or out, ideally outside and in shade
Efficiency	Efficient break down into liquid, though dry scraps take longer and need to be buried in soil	In-ground composter efficiently breaks down pet waste using EnsoPet Starter	Variable. Dependent on carbon/ nitrate ratio and aeration. Fast process if well maintained	Dependent on worms but generally fast in process
Odour levels	No odour if bin is kept sealed in air-tight container	EnsoPet starter eliminates odour	Dependant on carbon/nitrate ratios. Nil if well maintained	No odour if worm farm is well maintained and scraps are being digested
Maintenance costs	Around $13 per bokashi mix bag	Around $14 per EnsoPet starter mix bag	No cost once set up	No cost once set up
Fertiliser	Liquid	Solid	Solid	Liquid and solid
How to obtain Rebate or Subsidy (Cockburn residents only)	Collect and pay by cash, credit card or cheque at City of Cockburn Administration Building. Proof of residency required.	Collect and pay by cash, credit card or cheque at City of Cockburn Administration Building. Proof of residency required.	Purchase your own compost bin that suits your needs and receive a $50 rebate via online application form. Proof of purchase (receipt) and residence required.	Only available at Cockburn Worm Farming workshops. Registration essential, bring $95 cash for purchase at workshop.

Waste accepted in different home waste compost systems

	Bokashi Bin	EnsoPet Composter	Compost Bin	Worm Farm
Veggie scraps	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Citrus and onions	Yes	No	Yes	Small amounts
Meat scraps and bones	Yes	No	No	No
Dairy	Yes	No	Yes	No
Coffee grounds and tea bags	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Egg shells	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Garden waste	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Pet poo	No	Yes	Only vegetarian pets	Yes, but best in separate worm farm for meat eating pets
Paper and cardboard	Small amounts	No	Small amounts	Small amounts, shredded

Worm farm subsidy - $95

Worm farms are a great way of using kitchen scraps to produce fertiliser for your garden. The worm farm subsidy includes:

• 4-tiered unit
• 20kg of castings
• 1kg of worms
• Instruction manual and tailored workshop. 

Residents are required to attend a workshop and learn how to set-up and use worm farm units. The workshops are run in partnership with The Worm Shed therefore only Worm Shed worm farms are included in this subsidy. Find out when the next workshop is on.

Cost: $95. Payment options are explained during the workshop. 

Bokashi bin subsidy - $50

Bokashi bins opens in a new window are designed for odour-free composting in the kitchen and are great for those with smaller gardens. Visit the City’s Administration Building and purchase your 20L Bokashi Bin. You must provide proof of residency. This includes a bag of Bokashi Dust (lasts an average household 3-4 weeks) and instructions. Maximum two bins per household.

Cost: $50

EnsoPet pet waste composter subsidy - $30 

 EnsoPet contains everything you need to easily and hygienically compost pet waste. Keep your yard clean and reduce landfill while enriching the soil. Visit the City's Administration building and purchase your EnsoPet. You must provide proof of residency. This includes a bag of EnsoPet Starter and instructions. Maximum one per household. 

Cost: $30

Compost bin rebate - $50 

Compost bins are great for households with a medium to large garden and can be used to transform kitchen and garden waste into a valuable soil additive. 
Buy a compost bin of your choice and receive a $50 rebate upon proof of purchase and residence. Please complete the compost bin rebate online application form below. Please note your rebate will be processed within 8 weeks. Maximum one bin per household.

Compost Bin Rebate Application Form
 

Compost caddy - free 

Compost caddies are suitable for collecting food scraps in the kitchen and transferring them straight into a worm farm or compost bin. The caddies are free and are available from the City’s Administration Building. Maximum one caddy per household.

More information and contact

Please contact the City’s Waste Education Team for more information on 08 9411 3444 or at [email protected]