Citizens Waste Management Advisory and City Response

Home

Ramsey County has further refined the term "yard waste" to include leaves, grass, clippings and other soft bodied plant material including waste from gardens, non-waady prunings, and pine needles. Yard waste do�s not include fallen fruit, brush and pine cones and other woody materials. Branches not exceeding 4".in diameter can be placed with other trash for collecti�n by waste haulers. 4. PAST PRACT�CES Prior to 1990, residents were free to dispose of yard wastes in any manner they preferred, except burning or il�egai dumping. Many residents bagged leaves, grass clippings and the like in plastic bags. The bags were left with household wastes for their waste hauler to transport ta the County resource recovery facility. Branches, tree trimmings, etc., were bundled and alsa left for the waste hauler to remove. Haulers set limits on the length and diameter of branches and bundles they would take, but normally the�e was no extra charge fo� this type waste. Other residents simply left grass clippings on the lawn. As part o� the City's leaf collection program some residents deposited piles of leaves at the curb for the City to collect. Pine needles were not to be included with leaves left at the curb. No dzrect charge was made for curbside leaf coilection. During City sponsored Clean Sweep days, residents took branches and tree trimmings to the Ramsey County site on Larpenteur Avenue east of Dale Street. There was a nominal charge for this disposal, depending upon load size. Ramsey County maintained eight sites, distributed throughout the County, for residents to dispose of grass clippings and leaves for composting. The sites were open and availabZe on a limited schedule. Residents used some or all of the above methods of managing their yard wastes. A handful of residents practiced backyard c4m-- posting. 4.1. RoseviZle Leaf Collection Program In 1969, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency passed stringent air pollution control rules, regulations, and air quality standards which banned the burning of yard wastes effective January l, 1971. In response, the City of Roseville began curb- side coilection of leaves in the spring and fall of 1971. The spring collectian was later discontinued.' The progra� allaws residents to rake leaves fram their property to the curb whexe City crews and equipment vacuum up the leaves according to a published schedule. Leaves are hauled to the Roseville �eaf compost site where they are compasted on a three year schedule. 3 �: