In addition to offering curbside recycling, curbside yard waste collection is offered to all single family homes. In 2001, the City passed an ordinance prohibiting residents from placing yard waste in plastic bags in an effort to eliminate plastic bags from contaminating the finished compost. Since then the quality of the compost has vastly improved. The City collects yard waste in 30 gallon paper bags and also old trashcans with the words “yard waste” in big letters across the can.

Compost is produced in about four to six months and sold in bulk and bags throughout the year. To better market our compost, the City sends samples to a lab for a certification program developed by the Rodale Organic Gardeners Institute. The last four years worth of compost have been certified as Garden Compost. The compost is also screened to provide a quality product for our customers. In 2005, compost was made available to customers in 2 cubic foot bags. The response to this service was great, with 907 bags sold since the inception of the program.

Leaves and grass make up the most common material in our composting process. Trees are usually ground into a mulch product. In 2006, 4,436 tons of brush, 506 tons of grass, and 919 tons of leaves were dropped off at the Compost Facility. In addition 1,683 tons were collected through the curbside program.