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JUL t~ ,~u <br /> <br /> State of North Carolina <br /> Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources <br /> Division of Solid Waste Management <br /> 'P.O. Box 27687. Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7~87 <br /> <br />James O. Martin, Governor ¥,rflllam l Meyer <br />William W. Cobey, Jr., Secretary Dlrccl0r <br /> July 11, 1990 <br /> <br /> 14EMORANDUM <br /> <br /> TO: All interested parties <br /> <br /> FROM: J. Gordon Layton, Chief <br /> Solid waste Section <br /> <br /> SUBJECT: Yard Trash Composting <br /> <br /> As we enter the 1990's, communities are becoming aware of the problems <br /> created by a prevailing attitude of "out of site out of mind" in dealing <br /> with municipal solid waste. Through-out the United States, ambitious <br /> recycling legislation is being implemented to address a long overdue need. <br /> North'Carolina is one of thirty-eight states which has passed such <br /> recycling legislation, and the time has come for us to work together on <br /> alternatives which are beneficial to our communities. <br /> <br /> This paper addresses the issue of yard trash composting which local <br /> citizens can become involved with. It is imperative that residents, support <br /> local governments in upcoming decisions to choose appropriate measures for <br /> managing municipal solid waste. <br /> <br /> Yard trash composting is' an efficient, natural, biological process <br />which breaks down organic materials such as yard trash (leaves, grass <br />clippings, trees, tree stumps, shrub trimmings, and vegetative material <br />from landscaping maintenance) into an end product which is beneficial to <br />the soil and for growing plants. <br /> <br /> As per Senate Bill 111, Chapter 784 of the 1989 Session Laws, <br />effective October 1, 1989, entitled "An Act to Improve the Management of <br />Solid Waste", G.S. 130A-309.10(f)(3), "No person shall knowingly, dispose of <br />yard trash, after January 1, 1993, in landfills." Yard trash that is <br />source separated from solid waste may be accepted at a solid waste disposal <br />facility where the facility provides and maintains a separate yard trash <br />composting area. <br /> <br />As.local governments face the goal of recycling at least '25~ of 'the <br />municipal solid waste stream by January 1, 1993, communities are planning <br />programs to reach this goal. Leaves comprise between 5-20~ of the total <br />municipal waste stream (dependent upon community size). One-half of the <br /> <br /> <br />