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recycling goal may be met with yard trash, white goods, construction and demolition debris, and tires that are removed from the solid waste stream and recycled. Composting of yard trash is highly encouraged by the North Carolina Solid Waste Section for several reasons: 1. Economically, it is a viable process which will cost less than other options after initial cost of separation/collection. 2. Landfill space will be conserved for disposal of non-recyclables, non-compostables, and non-waste-to-energy components, therefore extending the lifetime of municipal solid waste facilities of which costs are ever increasing. 3. 'The permit/registration process (dependent upon the size of the operation) will be more expeditious than conventional permit applications due to the fact that composting of yard trash is an understood, safe, and relatively simple process. Yard trash is a resource rather than a waste. 4. Composting promotes an image for communities to build upon which may encourage other recycling programs to grow more ~ rapidly. More over, it is an integral part of a community program for diverting solid waste from landfills. 5. Usage of yard trash compost is beneficial, easy to find, and unrestricted as compared to municipal solid waste compost. Yard trash compost can be used for park land, athletic fields, homeowner's gardens, and as a soil amendment. A question which most local governments are asking is, "What are the req%zirements to obtain a compost permit/registration and what guidelines are to be followed?" The following information addresses this question and pertains to composting of yard trash only. A position paper on co-composting of municipal solid waste is forthcoming. Backyard composting, normal farming operations where any compost is produced and re-used on the owner's property, and the production of other usable materials such as mulch from yard trash is not regulated by the Solid Waste Section. Facilities which compost yard trash or yard trash and agricultural/silviculture waste will not be required to apply for a solid waste permit if the facility does not process more than 3,000 cubic yards of material per year. 3,000 cubic yards of material can be composted on approximately one acre of land. These facilities, however, will be required to register with the Section as to owner, operator, location, contact person, intended usage of product, and cubic yards of compost produced per year. The owner must also agree to operate in accordance with operational requirements for a yard trash facility, other state or local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, or orders. If a smaller scale facility fails to operate under these conditions, it may be deemed necessary by the Solid Waste Section to apply for a solid waste permit.