LANDSCAPE RECYCLING OPTIONS

COMPOSTING

MULCHING

GRASSCYCLING

Produced by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region IV Office of Solid Waste

In cooperation with

Dr. Gary L. Wade and

Dr. Wayne J. McLaurin Horticulture Department University of Georgia

and

Dr. Wayne H. Smith Center for Biomass Energy Systems

University of Florida

August 1992

ACRNOWLEDGlEMENTS

Much of the text and most of the slides for this slide show were provided by Dr. Gary L. Wade and Dr. Wayne J. McLaurin of the University of Georgia’s Horticulture Department and by Dr. Wayne H. Smith of the University of Florida’s Center for Biomass Energy Systems. Dr. Clark Gregory of Woodsend Research Laboratory was an important contributor to the information provided by Doctors Wade and McLaurin. Additional slides were provided by Recomp, Inc. show.

EPA gratefully acknowledges all contributions to this slide

DISCLAIMER

Mention of trade names or commercial products in this slide show does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

I. INTRODUCTION

Slide 1 - Landscape Recvclins Options: Grasscvclinq (text)

Compostins. Mulching,

Slide 2 - Landfill As available landfill space becomes scarce and the amount of solid waste being generated continues to increase, alternatives are being sought to landfilling.

Slide 3 - Landscape Trimmings Landscape trimmings, which include leaves, lawn clippings and trimmings, flowers, twigs, and vegetable plants, typically account for between 15% and 25% of a community’s average annual solid waste stream.

Slide 4 - Bagsed leaves at Curb During peak leaf drop in the Fall, bagged leaves may account for as much as 40% of the municipal waste sent to landfills.

11. COMPOSTING

Slide 5 - ComDostinq (text) One of the alternatives to landfilling this material is composting.

Slide 6 - GeorTia Governor Zell Miller Tending His Compost Pile Composting is the microbiological conversion of organic material into soil enriching humus. It is an age-old recycling technique practiced centuries ago in an effort to produce organic fertilizers to stimulate plant growth. Some composting programs are for landscape trimmings only, while others combine landscape trimmings with food scraps and other organic wastes.

Slide 7 - Food Scraps Food scraps include scraps from the home and scraps from food processing (fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood). Pictured here are crab scraps from seafood plants in coastal Florida.

Slide 8 - Pie Chart of Waste Stream Composting has the potential to decrease the tonnage going to landfills by 25% or more if all landscape trimmings and food scraps are composted.

Slide 9 - Elements Necessarv for Successful ComDostinq (text) Research and experience have shown that there are basic requirements for successful composting.

Oxygen - Composting is an aerobic process which means that oxygen is required for the decomposition to occur. content is needed.

A 5-15% oxygen

Temperature - Composting requires a warm environment. The optimum temperature range for decomposition is 90-140 degrees F. Below 90 degrees F, the composting process slows considerably, while above 140 degrees F most microorganisms will be killed.

Water - The microbes that decompose the materials in the compost pile require water to survive. Optimum moisture content is 50%.

pH - Decomposing plant materials cause the acidity of the compost pile to increase and the pH to decrease. activity, a pH of 6-8 should be maintained.

Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) - Composting requires the proper mixture of organic materials to supply a C:N ratio in the range of 30:l because the microorganisms in compost acquire their energy from the breakdown of carbonaceous materials and utilize nitrogen for building proteins and other growth substances. If the C:N ratio deviates greatly from this ratio, the microbial system will suffer.

For optimal microbial

Particle Size - Smaller particles compost faster since more surface area is available for the microbes to work on. However, if the particles are too small, circulation of air is inhibited.

Mixing - Mixing introduces fresh oxygen to the compost pile.

Pile Size - The pile must be large enough to retain heat and moisture, but not so large as to prevent oxygen from reaching the center of the pile.

Slide 10 - Finished Comrsost Finished compost is a useful, marketable material that can be used to enhance soil quality and plant growth. Composting can be carried out by individuals in their backyards or at the community level.

111. BACKYARD COMPOSTING

Slide 11 - Backyard Comrsostinq (text)

Slide 12 - Backyard Comrsost Pile Composting is an easy process you can perform in your own backyard. drained, and convenient site. reach of the water hose so you can add moisture easily when it becomes dry.

You should locate your compost pile in a sunny, well- You may want to put it within

Slide 13 - Home Comrsostins Structures There are numerous structures currently available on the market for backyard composting. composting bins or build their own structures. structure you choose, the minimum size should be 3 ' x 3 ' x 3'. The maximum dimension to allow air flow into the center of the pile is 5 ' x 5 ' x any length.

Slide 14 - Three Stase Comrsost Bin A three-stage compost bin for holding materials at different stages of decomposition is one commonly used structure. was built from rough lumber and chicken wire for about $40.

Homeowners can either purchase Whatever

This one

Slide 15 - Welded Wire Bin Wire hoop structures are one of the most economical, costing less than $10, and easiest bins to build.

Slide 16 - Constructins a Wire Bin The wire should be approximately 3' high and 10-12' long. After unrolling the wire, form a circular structure by attaching the ends of the wire.

Slide 17 - Turnins with a Wire Bin Pile The wire hoop bin also provides an easy mechanism for turning and aerating the pile. Simply undo the attached ends of the wire hoop, set it to the side and reattach the ends, and scoop the materials back into the hoop.

Slide 18 - Other Comr,ost Bins There are other types of home-made bins as well as a wide assortment of manufactured compost bins ranging in price from $50-$300. These are available from garden centers, home improvement centers, and mail-order catalogs.

Slide 19 - Comr,ost Hear, Although a compost bin helps hold the composting material in place, a structure is really not necessary for composting to occur. You may choose simply to make a compost heap in an out- of-sight location. The compost heap should measure about 5' wide and 3' high for best results.

Slide 20 - Placins Coarse Materials in Bottom Once you get your composting structure in place, you are ready to begin filling the bin. The first step is to insure good air circulation throughout the pile by placing about 12" of coarse material, such as twigs, branches, or coarse wood chips in the bottom of the pile.

Slide 21 - Addins Orsanic Materials Next start tossing in the organic materials. The type of materials, of course, is going to depend on the season of the year. A mixture of both llbrownll materials, such as leaves and straw, and llgreenll materials, such as fresh trimmings or grass clippings, is best.

Slide 22 - Carbon:Nitrogen Ratio (text) Generally, Ilbrownll materials have a high C:N ratio, while green plant parts have a low ratio. Listed here are C:N ratios of some of common organic waste materials you may want to compost.

Slide 23 - Best Decomr,osition Therefore, if we fill the compost pile with leaves in the fall which have a 60:l C:N ratio, we will need to add I1green1l materials to the pile, such as grass clipping which have a 19:l ratio, to help bring the pile to its most active state.

Slide 24 - Fertilizer Ouantities to Add (text) If l1greenlt materials are not available, you can add nitrogen via fertilizer. These are the recommended quantities of various fertilizers for every 3 bushels of leaves.

Slide 25 - Do Not Add Lime (text) Do not add lime to the compost pile because it will convert ammonium nitrogen to ammonium gas and will create an odor problem. Besides, the microorganisms that work on the organic materials during the initial stage of decomposition prefer an acid environment. As the compost matures, the pH will rise and be in the range of 6.0-8.0 by the time it is finished.

Slide 26 - Grindins Materials Grinding or shredding materials before placing them in the pile will speed their decomposition. Coarse, woody materials will decompose more slowly but will also help aerate the pile.

Slide 27 - Layering Effect As you continue to toss materials into the pile, it will take on a layering effect. Once the pile is about half full, add about 6-10 shovelfuls of garden soil, livestock manure (horse, cow, or chicken) or previously made compost. This will inoculate the pile with microorganisms.

Slide 28 - Addins More Soil or Manure Add another 6-10 shovelfuls (1-2") of soil, manure, or compost when the bin is full. Avoid adding dog or cat feces and litter to the pile because it may harbor human diseases. compost starters or inoculators are not necessary because livestock manure and s o i l are teaming with microorganisms.

Commercial

Slide 29 - Addins Food Scram Vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, coffee filters, and paper towels from the kitchen can be added to the pile. However, to avoid attracting rodents, scoop out a hole in the center of the pile, toss in the scraps, and cover them back up.

Slide 30 - What Not to ComDost (text) There are a few items that you should generally not attempt to compost. Meat and fish scraps, bones, bread, cheeses, butter, and other dairy products, for instance, should be excluded since pests may be a problem.

Slide 31 - Watering the Pile Water is crucial for the composting process. Moisten the pile each time you add a generous portion of new material and again whenever the pile appears dry. However, avoid keeping it too wet. The materials should have the consistency of a damp sponge.

Slide 32 - Turning the Pile Aeration is important for decomposition to occur. Turning the pile with a pitch fork once a month will help aerate the pile and will accelerate decomposition. If you do not turn the pile, decomposition will still occur, but it will occur much more

slowly. During the initial stage of decomposition, the center of the pile will heat to around 140 degrees F and you'll see steam coming from the pile when it is turned.

Slide 33 - Troubleshootins Compost Problems (text) If composting is done properly, there should be no offensive odors. problems and possible solutions.

Listed here are some of the most common composting

Slide 34 - Harvesting Compost Compost should be ready for harvesting in about 6-12 months, depending on the type of materials composted and the speed of the composting process. The pile will have shrunk to about 1/3 its original size and cooled close to air temperature. of the original organics should be recognizable, and the finished product should have a dark, crumbly texture and an earthy odor. Avoid using compost before it is ready because it may deplete nitrogen in the soil and cause nutritional difficulties for plants.

Few, if any,

Slide 35 - Usins Compost Use compost to amend flower beds and other landscaped areas as well as the vegetable garden. It can also be used to topdress lawn areas. Compost improves the structure, texture, and drainage of clay soils and helps sandy soils hold onto valuable water and plant nutrients. phosphorous, sulfur, potassium, and micronutrients that will supplement your fertilization program.

It also contains nitrogen,

Slide 36 - Compost as Pottins Soil (text) Compost can also be used as a potting soil ingredient. Mix it 1/3, by volume, with other materials, such as vermiculite, coarse sand, and ground pine bark, to make a good growing media for potted plants. Avoid potting plants in pure compost because it contains a high level of organic salts that can injure roots. Also avoid using compost for seed germination because it may harbor damp-off disease that injures young seedlings.

IV. COMMUNITY COMPOSTING

Slide 37 - Communitv Compostinq (text)

Slide 38 - Communitv Compostinq (text) At the municipal level, composting is a modern science involving highly engineered equipment, careful monitoring, and specially trained operators.

Slide 39 - Sources of Compostable Materials (text) The first step in establishing a large-scale municipal composting facility is to identify the local sources of compostable' materials. In addition to landscape refuse, other compostable materials include vegetable scraps from restaurants or processing plants, animal manure, and paper products.

Slide 40 - Fruit Wastes from Processing Plant In some areas, fruit. .. Slide 41 - Potato Culls Beins - Comrsosted or vegetable processing plants can supply a steady year-round supply of compostable materials.

Slide 42 - Chicken Parts Beins ComDosted In Georgia, chicken parts are being composted ... Slide 43 - Crab Scrarss Beins Comrsosted while the abundance of seafood scraps in coastal Florida provide an excellent source of organic matter.

Slide 44 - Wood Chirs Bulkin9 Agent for Crab Scrax, Comrsostinq Wood chips may be added to increase free air space and facilitate air movement.

Slide 45 - Amerecvcle, MSW Comrsostins Site in Sumrster Countv, FL Once the sources of compostable materials have been identified, a site must be located for the composting operation. operations, like landfills, are not always well-perceived by the public. Providing a buffer area to minimize noise, dust, odor, and visual impact can help minimize negative perceptions. Buffers can be achieved by earthen berms shaped on all sides of the facility or by planting indigenous hedge plants.

The composting site itself should be large enough to receive the projected quantity of organic materials. generated through documentation of local landfill volumes or surveys. On the average, you can expect the composting process to reduce the weight of organic materials by 30-50% and the volume by 50-80%. the size of the area needed to store finished compost.

Composting

This information can be

This reduction is important when estimating

Slide 46 - Comrsostins Site The site chosen should be nearly level, preferably with a 2-3% grade. water available for wetting the compost as necessary. Contact your state environmental agency to determine state-specific requirements for composting facilities, including any necessary permits.

It should be readily accessible to large vehicles, with

Slide 47 - Yard Waste at Curb Local solid waste officials will need to determine how materials are to be transported to the composting site. communities, individual households or businesses may need to take the materials to the composting site or central collection area. In others, curbside pickup may be provided.

In some

Slide 48 - Stasins Area Incoming material is delivered to a staging area. yard waste is being delivered to Wood Resource Recovery in Alachua County, FL. Initial processing of materials occurs in the staging area.

In this slide,

Slide 49 - Refuse Ready for Grindins/Shreddinq Materials often need to be ground or shredded.

Slide 50 - Small Tub Grinder Several different types of chippers and grinders are currently available. Pictured is a small tub grinder. The price range for chippers is from $10,000-$40,000 and from $60,000-$140,000 for tub grinders.

Slide 51 - Large Tub Grinder For large volumes of materials, a tub grinder can be used. A front-end loader is used to load material into a rotating drum. At the bottom of the drum are hammermills that shred the material. Then it is conveyed via an elevator belt to a standing pile. The shredded material can then be composted or used as mulch. The advantage of tub grinders over chippers is that larger volumes of materials can be processed more efficiently with less labor cost.

Slide 52 - Mixins Materials Once bulky materials have been ground, you may need to mix the materials to achieve more efficient composting.

Slide 53 - Windrow There are several methods to choose when establishing your compost process. One of the most frequently chosen options is windrowing. Windrowing involves placing the organic materials in long rows 6-8’ high and 10-15’ wide. The types of materials received may vary throughout the year according to supply, but each row should be built with some advanced planning and the ideal 30:l C:N ratio in mind. In other words, don’t dump a load of grass clippings all in one area, but mix it uniformly along the row. Once a row is completed with a satisfactory mixture, start another row for new incoming materials and do not add new materials to the first row. As a result, each row will be at a different stage of composting. On average, a windrow facility requires approximately one acre for each 3,500 cubic yards of incoming material.

Slide 54 - Hay If the C:N ratio is too low, hay can be added to the windrow to increase the carbon content. Hay has a C:N ratio of 80:l.

Slide 55 - Windrowins Poultry Scram When food processing scraps, such as these poultry by-products, are used as part of the compost, they should be placed directly within the pile and covered immediately to prevent attracting flies, rodents, and domestic animals and to minimize odor.

Slide 56 - Steaming Crab Scrap ComDost Windrow Best decomposition will occur when the internal temperature is between 90 and 140 degrees F. By turning the compost whenever the temperature is above or below the desirable range, the temperature within the pile can be controlled. As the temperature increases, steam can be seen rising from the pile.

Slide 57 - Monitorins TemDerature Within the Windrow Temperature gauges on long probes placed at several locations along the windrow are used to monitor the decomposition process. As the microorganisms feed on the organic material, their metabolic activity will raise the temperature within the windrow. The heating period may take a few days to several weeks depending on the material being composted. The compost will then begin to cool. Once the internal temperature of the pile cools to around 70 degrees F, the composting process is nearly complete. These temperature gauges cost about $50 each.

Slide 58 - Monitorins Oxvsen Levels Durins Comnostinq It is important to make sure that the windrow contains sufficient oxygen to enable the aerobic process of decomposition to occur. Without enough oxygen, decomposition will cease.

Slide 59 - ComDost Turnins with Windrower To accelerate the composting process, the windrow should be turned and mixed regularly (once every 7-10 days and more often during rainy weather) to assure good aeration. For small operations, the turning can be done with a front-end loader. However, as a facility grows in size, a windrower, or compost turner, is a necessary piece of equipment. These are available in a wide variety of sizes and price ranges. municipal facility, a side-mounted unit powered by a tractor or front-end loader may be all that is necessary. units range from $10,000-$60,000.

For a small

The price of such

Slide 60 - Scarab Windrow Turner Large self-contained units may cost $100,000-$185,000.

Slide 61 - Static Pile The static pile is another composting option. windrow with a base of porous material such as wood chips. perforated plastic pipe is also placed in the base of the pile. Air is forced through the pipe using an air blower to aerate the pile. Wood chips or other porous material are frequently added to the remainder of the pile to facilitate aeration. Temperature is monitored and air flow is adjusted to prevent the pile from getting too hot.

A static pile is a A

The pile is turned infrequently or not at all.

Slide 62 - Self-contained Unit In addition to static pile and windrow composting, several other large-scale methods for composting exist. One of these methods is the self-contained unit. Some of these units have the capability to turn up to 4,000 cubic yards of compost per hour. Pictured is the In-Bin Compostamatic System which has a length of 200’. galvanized pipe in front allows water to be added as needed.

Slide 63 - Bedminster Bioconversion System In-vessel systems are another option for large-scale composting operations. Bellingham, WA, that uses the patented Bedminster Bioconversion system. This facility is set up to receive and sort the entire

A programmed turner aerates the yard waste and a

Pictured here is an aerial view of a facility in

municipal waste stream. Collection trucks unload waste directly onto a receiving floor located inside an enclosed building. Unacceptable, non-compostable items, such as scrap metal, glass, and plastic, are sorted and pushed into a transfer trailer. of these are recycled through other means.

Most

Slide 64 - Disester Tubes for the Bedminster Bioconversion System The bulk of the solid waste, including paper, cardboard, and landscape refuse, is loaded into long digester tubes. In some cases, municipal sewage sludge is added to the digester tubes as well. The material is slowly moved down the tubes while new material is being loaded. The digester tubes rotate during operation. The two digesters shown here are 120' long and 12' in diameter. Together they have a 100+ ton per day capacity. After three days, the rough compost is discharged from the digester and taken for screening and curing.

Slide 65 - Screening ComDost Some composting facilities screen the compost to refine it and to produce different product grades for various markets. There are a wide variety of screening devices available. A rotating trommel screen is shown here. The rotating action of the screen separates the fines from the coarse material while removing sticks, stones, metal, and other debris. Screening may be essential if the market demands a uniform product. Screens cost $35,000-$170,000.

Slide 66 - Curins Area The finished compost is transferred to a holding or curing area where it is stockpiled and held for a minimum of one month before it is sold. The curing process stabilizes the compost and assures a uniform product. If compost is used too soon and not allowed to cure properly, plant growth can suffer as the microorganisms utilize nitrogen to break down the organic material.

Slide 67 - Marketing Strategies (text) Marketing the finished compost is an important element of a community-wide operation. Some of the potential marketing strategies for compost may involve: (1) requiring compost use by government entities, (2) promoting its use by landscape contractors, and ( 3 ) direct retail sale or free distribution. Compost may be sold or distributed free by the truck-load or in small quantities on site, bagged on site or at special distribution centers, or to wholesalers for processing in bulk or bags to retailers.

Slide 68 - Factors to Consider (text) When planning a large-scale composting operation, numerous factors need to be considered, including capital costs, operating costs, and potential revenue from the sale of the finished product. When calculating costs, decision makers should also consider the savings realized by avoiding disposal costs or Ittipping fees" at landfills. For example, in Athens, GA, Public Works Director Dothel Edwards estimates that a $123,000 tub

grinder purchased recently will pay for itself in about 2 1/2 years through savings in tipping fees. Contracting with a private firm that provides composting services or short-term leasing of some of the necessary equipment, such as a tub grinder, from a nearby municipality are potential options. Entering into an equipment sharing agreement with one or more neighboring municipalities is also an attractive option, especially for smaller communities.

Slide 69 - Personnel (text) The number of man hours required to maintain the facility depends on the size of the operation. A small facility can be managed by one part-time employee who monitors deliveries, turns the windrows, moves the raw materials and products through the various stages, and maintains records. It may be possible to borrow personnel from other local or county departments such as public works, highway maintenance, parks and recreation, or prison detail. It is suggested, however, that one reliable, well-trained person be responsible for the facility. knowledgeable operator can be the difference between success and disaster.

A

V. BENEFITS OF COMPOST

Slide 70 - Benefits of ComDost (text)

Slide 71 - Immzovins the Soil with ComDost Compost can be used as a nutrient source and soil supplement. Nutrients contained in compost include nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and micronutrients. Compost alone may not provide a sufficient supply of nutrients. determine what additional nutrients need to be added. Compost can improve soil aeration and structure. used to help hold water and nutrients. and aeration of tight clay soils. materials such as sand, bark, perlite, vermiculite, and peat to make suitable potting soil for bedding plants in containers and house plants.

A soil test can be performed to

In sandy soil it can be Compost improves drainage

It can be mixed with other

Slide 72 - University of Florida Research / CraDe-Myrtle The University of Florida (UF) has been conducting a variety of research projects to determine the impact that composted yard trimmings have on growth, weed germination, and disease suppression. To examine growth, Crape-myrtle was grown in various mixtures of compost yard trimmings with standard potting mix. The ratios of compost to potting mix were 0:1, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1, and 1:O. For Crape-myrtle, the greater the percentage of compost the better the growth (100% yard waste compost on the left and 0% on the right).

Slide 73 - Weed Seeds Research has also shown that high temperatures and phytotoxins produced during the composting process inhibit weed seed germination. Pictured here is the insertion of weed seeds in

preparation for weed seed destruction experiments. 60 degrees Celsius or 3 hours at 50 degrees Celsius showed significant decreases in weed seed germination.

One hour at

Slide 74 - Germination and TemDerature Studies were conducted on a number of nuisance plants, including Brazilian pepper, an exotic pest species spreading throughout South Florida. inhibited by phytotoxins and increased temperature.

As depicted in this chart, seed germination was

Slide 75 - Disease Sumression Initial results of disease suppression research suggest that when compost is added to potting media and pathogens are present, plant mortality decreases. have been obtained and research continues in this area. addition, research indicates that compost does not seem to decrease the number of plants with root systems infected by the disease even though it decreases plant mortality.

However, some conflicting results In

Slide 76 - Orsanic Gardening Research and Education Park At the Organic Gardening Research and Education Park at UF, the effects of compost on vegetable production is being studied. Their research shows that compost improves water holding capacity and nutrient retention capability, and also contributes to increased microorganism activity. Because compost has a high C:N ratio, it will tie up nitrogen; therefore, supplemental nitrogen may need to be added if compost is added to the soil shortly before planting. advance of planting (3-4 months) less supplemental nitrogen will be needed.

When compost is added to the soil well in

V I . MULCHING

Slide 77 - Mulching (text) Mulching is an alternative, and often more convenient, use for landscape trimmings.

Slide 78 - Truck Haulinq Yard Trimmings Yard trimmings include wood waste and other bulky materials from land clearing operations. landfill, it can be used for landscape chips or mulch.

Rather than sending this material to a

Slide 79 - Puttins Out Mulch Mulching is one of the most beneficial of all gardening practices and one of the easiest recycling options for most homeowners. Like composting, mulching can also be done at the community level.

Slide 80 - Benefits of Mulch (text) Mulch helps to reduce water l o s s from the soil, prevent s o i l temperatures from becoming too hot or cold, control weeds and soil-borne diseases, protect sloping ground from soil erosion, prevent soil from becoming packed too hard from driving rain, prevent crusting of the soil surface, add nutrients to the soil

as it decomposes, and provide an ideal environment for earthworms and other soil organisms that are necessary for a healthy soil.

Slide 81 - Lawn Mower Running Over Leaves You can make mulch in your own backyard by racking your leaves, then running over them once or twice with your lawn mower adjusted to the highest cutting height. Larger twigs and branches require a chipper which can be rented or borrowed from a neighbor.

Slide 82 - Tub Grinder It may not be practical for some homeowners to grind their own woody brush; therefore, a growing number of communities are collecting this material and grinding it for mulch. operation requires larger equipment, such as this tub grinder.

Slide 83 - Research Plot of Mulches The University of Florida is currently using a demonstration site at the Alachua County Extension office to evaluate 15 commercial and yard waste mulch materials. (These materials include cypress mulch, pine bark nuggets, pine straw, grass clippings, landscape chips, ground yard trash, oak leaves covered with cypress, oak leaves covered with landscape chips, oak leaves covered with ground yard trash, ground yard trash covered with cypress, ground yard trash covered with landscape chips, oak leaves, chipped branches, Pinellas mulch, and Tampa mulch.) For each type of mulch, the soil pH is being measured every 3 months to monitor any changes. Weed dry weight is also being recorded for each mulch plot. This demonstration site is open to visitors.

Slide 84 - Cmress Mulch Many of the standard mulches, such as this cypress mulch, tend to be expensive.

Slide 85 - Ground Yard Trimminss Covered With Cvx,ress Mulch To reduce the costs of using cypress or other commercial mulch, ground yard trimmings can be used as a mulch and covered with a layer of commercial mulch. at a lower cost and yard trimmings are used in a beneficial manner.

This

Thus the same appearance is achieved

Slide 86 - Wood Chix, Mulch Wood chips made from landscape trimmings are another alternative to the more expensive mulches.

VII. GRASSCYCLING

Slide 87 - Grasscycling (text) Still another option for recycling landscape materials is grasscycling. lawn when mowing instead of bagging them. that grass clippings do not produce thatch in lawns. they add valuable nutrients back to the grass.

It involves simply leaving grass clippings on the Research has shown

In fact,

Slide 88 - Adjustins the Mower Heisht No special equipment is needed, but one of the important keys to successful grasscycling is to mow often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the leaf tissue is removed with each cutting.

VI11 .CONCLUSION

Slide 89 - Hands Holdins ComDost and Mulch Being a good steward of the environment and conserving our valuable landfill space through waste reduction is what landscape recycling is all about. Remember. ..its not waste until it’s wasted, so don’t throw out what you can recycle. trash into treasure that will benefit your home and your community.

It’s up to all of us to do our part.

Begin today by turning your landscape

Slide 90 - Other Sources of Information on ComDosting Additional information is available from your state solid waste agency, cooperative extension service, and regional EPA office.

Slide 91 - Acknowledsements EPA gratefully acknowledges the following for their contributions to this slide show:

Dr. Gary L. Wade and Dr. Wayne J. McLaurin University of Georgia, Horticulture Department

Dr. Wayne H. Smith University of Florida, Center for Biomass Energy Systems

Dr. Clark Gregory Woodsend Research Laboratory

Recomp, Inc.