Vegetative waste management and yard waste composting
The Vegetative waste management and yard waste composting regulations allow composting of leaves, grass, brush and other collected material, but not composting of land-clearing debris. All applicants for solid waste permits must obtain certification of conformity with local ordinances and zoning before an application is considered complete. Private applicants also must furnish financial assurance that their facilities can be closed and cared for properly.
Contents
What is composting?
Composting is the process of collecting and assembling biodegradable organic materials in order to convert them through decomposition into usable, rich topsoil. This process mimics what physically also occurs in nature through the decomposition of plant and animal byproducts by microorganisms.
How to Compost:
Mulching
Mulching can be performed in a variety of ways. First and most simply, you can begin mulching by taking the grass clippings collector off of your lawnmower. By leaving the clippings on the ground, they will decompose and add nutrients to the soil, improving the quality of your yard. Typically, it is best to follow this procedure when the lawn is not overly wet. Usually, you should wait until the grass level is about 1/3 higher than the level of the mower blade. This process will allow you to reduce the amount of fertilizer that you use on your lawn, since the grass clippings contain similar nutrients.
Mulching can also made possible through the use of leaves. By gathering leaves and spreading them evenly on soil-exposed areas, you can produce rich topsoil. Using a lawnmower to shred the leaves helps to speed up their decomposition. If leaves are collected and placed in a pile, make sure to moisten several layers of the pile to help them decompose more quickly.
Passive Composting:
Passive composting involves taking yard waste and clippings and dumping it into a large pile. This pile can be left open or placed into a bin. It is then left to sit as the organic matter begins to rot. Over time (around 1 to 3 years), the material will have decomposed into a rich compost material that is great for use as topsoil. Make sure not to disturb the pile much during this time, as it will release an odorous smell.
Active Composting
Active composting follows the same process as passive composting except that this process is accelerated through more active participation. It falls into two different categories: backyard composting and vermicomposting.
Backyard Composting:
Backyard composting begins with the purchase or construction of a bin. This bin serves as storage for the material and helps to heat the material to a higher level than the surrounding area so that decomposition is accelerated.
The material inside the bin is essential to the productivity of the process (Please refer to yes and no materials). The 50:50 combination is a general rule of thumb to follow. This rule means that about half of the bin should be composed of "greens" while the other half should be composed of "browns." "Greens" are nitrogen rich, fresh, moist materials such as vegetables and grass clippings. "Browns" are dry, carbon rich materials such as wood chips and dried leaves.
Mixing the materials is important to preserve the decomposition process. It ensures that the materials are evenly distributed and sufficiently aerated. Aeration, the exposure to air, helps increase the number of aerobic microbes that break up the compost material.
The type of materials will also determine how much aeration occurs. Materials such as grass clippings tend to layer themselves while wood chips for example allow for more breaks between surfaces. So, make sure that you provide for a diverse mixture of materials.
In addition to aerating the compost, you must also make sure to add a damp layer of water to help with the process. Make sure that the pile maintains a moist layer. Do not douse the pile with water and do not leave it excessively dry. The correct amount of water will provide a suitable living environment for the microbes thus improving the rate of decomposition.
Vermicomposting:
Vermicomposting follows many of the same procedures except that the decomposers involved are earthworms, usually nightcrawlers. They feed on the organic waste and convert it into humus-like material that serves as excellent topsoil.
What is compost-able?
"Yes" materials
- fruits and vegetables
- grass clippings
- shrub and tree waste
- coffee grounds
- paper
- leaves
- tea bags
- corn husks
"No" Materials
- human feces
- animal feces
- meat
- bones
- chemically treated wood products
- diseased plants
Benefits of Composting:
- Cost savings from waste and disposal services
- Good for the environment
- Reduces the amount of waste sent to the landfill (25% landfill waste is organic)
- Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
- Eliminates the transportation involved in hauling organic waste to landfills
Links about composting:
- Earth 911
- Composters.com
- Composting dead bird
- Composting Animal Mortalities
- Composting Catastrophic Event Poultry Mortalities (video available)
- EPA Municipal Solid Waste Composting
- EPA Composting
- Guidelines for In-house Composting of Catastrophic Poultry Mortality
- How to Compost.org
- Mastercomposter.com
- Mid Atlantic Composting Association
- US Composting Council