Yard Debris

What can be recycled?

Trimmings and leaves, Christmas trees, small brush, grass clippings, weeds

Why it wants to be recycled

Yard debris currently make up over 13% of waste sent to landfills. Composting turns yard trimmings into nourishment for the soil and can be used as mulch. That keeps materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

How to recycle it

Yard debris can be composted right at home. Add them to a compost pile outdoors along with food scraps. Some communities collect larger brush or have collection points and then turn these yard trimmings into mulch that is offered to residents.

What do recycled yard trimmings become?

Grass clippings that are left onsite will decompose and return nutrients to the soil. Leaves can be used as mulch around trees and shrubs to retain moisture. Yard trimmings can be added to your outdoor compost pile. Recovered wood can be used for mulch, fuel, compost, animal bedding, and even in manufactured products such as particle board.

Mythbuster

MYTH: It is important to bag your grass clippings and dispose of them in a compost pile after mowing your lawn.

FACT: An alternative to bagging your grass clippings is to mow your lawn so that the grass clippings are never more than two or three inches tall — then you can leave clippings where they fall to decompose and enrich the soil.