Opinion of council supplied compost

I live in Evesham area. Our local council run recycling centre sells loose compost at £1 per 40litres. What experiences have members had with council compost? The price seems too cheap ( think b and q sell for around £7 per 80litre)
Thanks in advance
Mr Happy

 

I think you will find that it is composted green waste to PAS100. It would be sold as soil conditioner rather than a compost for use as a growing medium.Worked in to your soil
it is likely to be a good source of humus, excellent as a mulch and as a soil conditioner to break up clay and provide a habitat for soil organisms.As on a forest floor, it contains the building blocks of soil.
But, it contains little by way of nutrient*, may contain relics of plastic, melamine and, in my experience of Veiola Progrow, needs further time to break down completely.
It is a major basic ingredient in the peat-free growing media widely sold as compost.
At a price of £1 per 40 litres, you are basically paying just for the bag! and transport. I have a contact in landscaping who periodically gets to buy such for 60 pence per tonne but pays for the transport.
*ie it has no declared NPK analysis

 

I'd just buy some and see what its like at that price.
They charge us £50 to get the bins collected and then sell the result to farmers, so gardeners that provide the material dont even get a look in when it comes to using it.

I reckon they should be paying us for giving them the raw materials.

Bear in mind its not potting "compost" like you buy in B&Q.

 

They also sell soil improver by the bag , so there must be a difference .

 

I ve just checked on the council website - they call the loose stuff compost at the centre, but ‘loose soil improver’ on website. Looks as if it’s the same thing - just 2 options, bagged or loose .

 

I second @infradig
It is free here, and we use a lot of it in our clay soil.

 

Meant to mention that you may find you get plenty of fungi appear where you apply it to soil.I am convinced that these do not arrive in the material but that it creates the best conditions for existing spores to flourish. Not a problem, just diversity of life ! No weeds though.

 

What is the by-product and I think it is either Bunny Guinness or Anne Swinthinbank mention GQT, they have it delivered by the tonne and I think it maybe by-product from breweries, whatever it is it is meant to be excellent? Any ideas?

 

Brewery spent grains.
Round here they collect the "green" waste once a fortnight and charge you for that; or you can take a bootful to the recucling site.
This is then sold to a third party who take it to a site 50 odd miles away, where it is composted and processed. Some is bagged up and you can buy it (sometimes) from the local recycling site or you can drive to the processing site and buy it there, the third alternative is they will deliver a dumpy bag or a few tonnes (loose) for a substantial transport fee.
However you skin it, you are paying everystep of the way.

 

I used to collect spent hops from a local brewery for my allotment. The car would smell fabulous and quite heady if collected on a warm day. Made a very effective mulch