International Compost Awareness Week

3-9 May, 2026

Did you know, an estimated 300,000 tonnes of food scraps is produced annually in NZ, most of which still go to landfill?

This International Composting Awareness Week, we are encouraging households and communities to explore the benefits of composting and start your composting journey! Instead of viewing food scraps and organic materials (such as lawn and garden clippings) as waste, we should view it as a resource. Composting empowers communities to manage their own waste, create job opportunities and support healthy soils with locally made compost.

ICAW2026 ran from May 3-9 with the 2026 theme, “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us”, highlighting this essential cycle. When we apply high quality compost, we are investing in the health of our soil, ensuring it continues to provide the food, clean water, and resilience that all life depends on. This theme ties directly to UN SDG 15: Life on Land, reinforcing that protecting and restoring soil is a global priority and one of the most impactful ways we can care for the planet.

ICAW2027 will be celebrated on 2-8 May 2027.