What Happens to Yard Waste?

Composting

• Compost facilities continue to grow in number, and more communities are using this practice to get rid of yard waste materials. Composting consists of using leftover organic material to improve the quality of soil. Compost offers benefits such as controlling pests that damage crops, reducing diseases from the soil and reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizers. Yard wastes are typically combined with other types of organic materials to create products such as mulch and animal feed.

Grasscycling and Mulch

• Grass clippings that remain in the grass after mowing will decompose and return nutrients back into the soil. The EPA endorses this process, called Grasscycling, which helps keep grass healthy and reduces mowing time for lawns. During the fall, leaves make up the bulk of yard waste; the EPA recommends turning them into mulch to prevent the growth of weeds, regulate soil temperature and add nutrients back into the soil. You can also use grass clippings as mulch.

GreenScape

• GreenScape is an EPA program that encourages residents, businesses, government organizations and industries to use environmentally friendly practices. GreenScape also endorses composting for the purpose of preserving natural resources and preventing waste and pollution. The program encourages homeowners to recycle yard waste into free fertilizer and mulch, as well as to compost their lawns to improve soil quality.

Yard Waste Management

• States such as California use yard waste as a part of composting demonstration projects. These projects use various forms of composted yard waste and other organic materials on agricultural crops. State government also informs members of the farming and agricultural communities about the different compost products they possess that would beneficial for their agricultural fields.