[Text] Why should residents not compost?
[Text] Nick Secomb, Manager, Plane Health Operations, PIRSA
[Nick] So in managing fruit at home, we have to think about what the fruit fly like. And if we don't manage our fruit, fruit fly lay their eggs in fruit, and you might be able to see a little blemish on the outside of the skin that shows that fruit fly might have laid its eggs in the fruit. If we don't do anything, that fruit will drop onto the soil and inside the fruit, the fruit flow will continue to develop into larvae. And then they'll actually hatch out and turn into pupae – little cocoon type arrangements, and they'll go into the soil and that's what they like. And if we don't do anything, they'll burrow into the soil and complete their life cycle. At home, if we compost, we're actually encouraging that cycle because we're putting the fruit exactly where the fruit flow wants to be. So instead of doing that, put your fruit into your green bin, the council will pick it up and it'll be handled through a commercial process where we know it's treated properly and it'll kill the fruit fly.
[Text] Why should I use the green bin?
[Nick] So if you're in a red or yellow area, dispose of your fruit by putting it into your green bin. The council will pick that up and it goes to a certified accredited organic composter. We've done lots of tests at the composting sites to know that compost gets really hot under those commercial arrangements. Certainly hot enough to kill fruit fly and break the life cycle.
[Text] What can I compost?
[Nick] So if composting at home, make sure you don't use fruit and vegetables that fruit fly like. There's lots of other material that's available. Check the fruit fly website to be sure, but things like leafy greens, celery, carrots, potatoes are all available for you to compost at home, and be sure that you can also add leaf litter and other things – just don't use those fruit and vegetables that fruit fly like.
[Text] Find out how to protect SA from fruit fly: fruitfly.sa.gov.au