Citizens Waste Management Advisory and City Response

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5.3. Fort Worth, Texas The Texas Agricultural Extension Service has introduced a p�ogram entitled "Don't Bag It." The program combines educational infor- mation with demonstration yards to show homeowners how to change €rom bagging their lawn clippings to letting them lie an the yard. Results were impressive. After the first season, the demonstrators were surveyed. They indicated that iawns were mowed 4.1 times a month before the program and increased to 5.4 times a month during the program. But it t�ok 38 percent less time each time the lawn was cut. When asked to rate their lawns against the previous year� ownezs claimed a 30 percent im�rovement since beginning "Don't Bag It." Ninety-eight percent affirmed they would continue "Don't Bag It, and wouJ.d recommend it to others. 5.4. Burlington, Vermont No state regulations require separation of yard waste fram the municipal waste stream. The City provided start up financing assistance to a local garden nursery to establish a compQSting facility. Peaple bring leaves in spring and fall and receive coupon for a certain amount of finished cotnpost fox their awn There �s n� organized leaf collection by the City. 5.5. Arlington County, Virginia and a use. The County uses a vacuuiu �or leaf pickup during an eight week period. Leaves are run through a tub grinder to shred and accelerate decomposition. For $35.00, any county resident can have a five cubic yard truckload of finished compast delivered. Demand for the compost exceeds the supply. 5.6. Wellesley, Massachusetts The City received a gxant to purchase a screen to separate rocks and ather debris to create a more marketable product to sell to residents and local landscapers. This pragram zs so successful landscapers are encouraged to durnp yard waste at the center far a reduced fee. The City is also considering collecting brush to make wood chips for sale. 5.7. Montgomery County, Maryland The County uses vacuums attached to snow plow trucks to calZect Ieaves twice in the fall and once in the spring. Notices of collection times are posted an te�ephane poles. The finished product is sold to local landscapers and nurseries for $7.50 a cubic yard. The total cost for collecting and composting leaves is $117 per ton. ' The County also has experimented with mixing one part grass clippings with two parts leaves and had no odor problems and had quicker compqst.ing rates. A"Hvw to CQmpost" brochure was sent to residents and composting workshops and backyard composting demonstration sites were established. 7 �'