Bokashi Bucket Composting FAQ's

It is a convenient and environmentally friendly way to compost your kitchen waste. The Bokashi Bin is perfect for homes and apartments without gardens, and even better for those homes that do. With the Bokashi Bin, you can compost almost all of the food waste that comes from your kitchen including fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, cooked and uncooked meats and fish, cheese, eggs, bread, coffee grinds, tea bags, wilted flowers and tissues.

How To Use The Bokashi Bucket:

The Bokashi Bucket is easy to use with a simple 5-step process:

1. Place your bin somewhere close to where your food is produced . This can either be in the kitchen, under the bench or somewhere that is convenient for you. Place the drain plate supplied with kit at the bottom of the bin. This allows excess liquid to drain in the bottom of the bin.

2. Sprinkle a small amount of Bokashi Mix onto the drain plate in the bottom of the bin. Add your food waste to the bin as your produce it. Anything you produce can be added – bread, citrus, dairy, vegetable scraps, coffee grinds, wilted flowers, tissues, egg shells, paper and even meat.

3. At the end of each day, compress the waste with a mashing utensil to remove any air pockets. Add a small sprinkle of Bokashi Mix so that the surface area of the waste is lightly covered. Reseal the lid airtight.

4. Once or twice a week, drain the liquid from the bin. Repeat the process until the bucket is full. For an average family, this will take about 3 to 4 weeks.

5. When the bucket is full empty the contents into a small hole or trench in your garden, or your compost bin. The waste material will be fermented, but not broken down. To break down, it needs to go into the soil. Rinse the bucket with water (no detergent or soap), drain and repeat the process.

The Bokashi Mix (EM Bokashi):

Bokashi Mix is a combination of wheat bran and rice husks that have been sprayed with beneficial and Effective Micro-Organisms, (EM). The dry ingredients are a food source and carrier for the micro-organisms. It is these micro-organisms that ferment the waste in the Bokashi Bucket and then accelerate the breakdown of the waste in the soil. The principal micro-organisms in EM are lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi.

All of the microbes have been organically certified by both NASAA and the BFA. The types of microbes used are those already found in many types of food, including cheeses, wines and yoghurts, and all produced right here in Australia. Have a look at our other certified organic products

Is my Bokashi working?

The only test on whether the system is working is the absence of the rotting odour. If there is no such odour, then the Bokashi is doing its job. Normally, the waste left in the bucket will go foul within a day or two, and if this is happening you are doing everything right! Also, if there is white mould growing inside the bucket, that is ok!! That means that it is working perfectly. If the mould is green or black, it is best off to empty the bin and start over again.

If your Bokashi begins to smell…

Check that the lid is being sealed tightly every time and that you have covered the entire surface area of the waste with the mix. You also need to make sure that the water is being drained from the tap regularly. Finally, make sure that the waste is being compacted down with a masher or something similar, to ensure that there are no air pockets. If the waste is too smelly, simply empty the waste into your garden, rinse the bucket in water (no detergent) and start again!

What you SHOULDN’T put in your bucket…

Do not put dog or cat faeces, bones or excessive liquid in the Bokashi Bucket. These would be best put in a Biodegradable Cornstarch Bag so they still have the opportunity to break down in the landfill.