Summer temperatures and leftovers from the last barbecue party in the garbage are the best conditions for vermin. But you can easily prevent the maggots in your bio bin.
Summer came late this year, but started promisingly. Temperatures well over 30 degrees and weeks full of sunshine raised our hopes of a real record summer, but unfortunately it doesn’t look like this expectation can be fulfilled at the moment. Nevertheless, the Germans don’t miss one thing in the warm season, even when it rains: the barbecue season! Despite the bad weather, German households are currently barbecuing like crazy.
As is well known, this also produces a lot of waste, which is then disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner at best. But organic waste in particular can become a real challenge in the hot summer months. TikTok user @kathijunes, for example, recently documented a disgusting experience with the brown bin on her official account on the social network. In your Video thousands of small white maggots can be seen that have taken over the container and even completely cover the actual waste. The short social media clip clearly shows what can happen if you leave organic waste to itself in summer. Here you can find out how the maggots get into the bin and what you can do to prevent a vermin invasion.
Only certain items may be disposed of in organic waste
By far not every German household has a brown bin for organic waste. While some prefer to use their own compost heap, others don’t even think about separating waste. However, if you want to dispose of your organic waste properly, you have already found the right approach with the brown bin. However, many things are still thrown into the organic waste that actually do not belong there. For example, only waste of animal and plant origin may be disposed of in the organic waste bin. Food leftovers and leftovers from gardening are just as much a part of this as kitchen paper or coffee filters. Animal droppings, cigarette butts and liquids such as oil or milk should never end up in the brown bin. Plastic in particular should never be disposed of with organic waste, even if it is a so-called compostable garbage bag.
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How does maggot infestation actually come about in the bio bin?
Even people without in-depth knowledge of waste disposal know that waste attracts vermin. Above all, organic waste is a veritable feast for the little animals. Flies not only use the organic waste as an important source of food, but also lay their eggs in the kitchen waste. In this way, the maggots are supplied with sufficient food immediately after hatching. In particular, animal waste such as fish or meat leftovers are an excellent basis for the life of the white worms, which particularly like to feed on animal protein. In a real invasion, however, temperature also plays a role. While it is usually warmer in the organic bin than outside due to fermentation processes, the heat of the summer months creates a comfortably warm paradise for the little maggots. If the waste container is still full, the ravenous beasts can spread unchecked, which ultimately leads to a maggot infestation as seen in the TikTok video by @kathijunes. 3 million users have now seen the video and commented diligently:
- “😱 Omg awesome. But she doesn’t want to take that over the fence from the neighbor, does she? 😇”
- “The reason I don’t use organic waste bins 😂”
- “😳 Wow, everything makes me tingle 😂😂”
- “😳 Oh my god 🫣”
How can maggots in the compost bin be prevented?
Fortunately, maggots in organic waste can be prevented in a number of ways. First of all, you should have your brown bin emptied weekly in the summer, even if the waste bin is not yet full to the brim. Always keep the canister closed and in a cool, dry place. In order to reduce the fermentation processes to a minimum, you should line the bin with newspapers or kitchen paper, in which you can also wrap wet waste. Since fly maggots only thrive in damp environments, you should try to keep your organic waste as dry as possible. If an infestation does occur, you can spread rock flour, slaked lime or special bio-bin powder over the maggots, which will dry out and die. To prevent flies from laying their eggs in the first place, it is also worth attaching a piece of fabric or insect repellent to the bin and fastening it with an elastic band. And even if it’s annoying: Clean your organic waste bin thoroughly with water or vinegar-based cleaner after each emptying to remove even the last remaining eggs.
