NEWS RELEASE

Mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty

CONTACT: Jeanette Eleff, Public Information Officer, 301-360-3842

Bob Wilkinson, Division Chief, General Services, 301-846-2202

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 (2 pages)

MAYOR DOUGHERTY URGES HOMEOWNERS TO RECYCLE GRASS CLIPPINGS

Mayor Jennifer Dougherty is asking homeowners to help the City save money by recycling grass clippings.

“Yard waste accounts for 10% of the City’s waste,” stated Mayor Dougherty. “This equates to 2,200 tons annually with grass clippings alone comprising 1,400 tons. The City spent approximately $120,000 last year on fees and salaries associated with the collection and disposal of yard waste. Much of the salary cost is overtime in the spring and summer when yard work is at its peak.”

Bob Wilkinson, the City’s Division Chief of General Services offers additional reasons for recycling grass clippings. “Bags of grass are very heavy. In the past two weeks, two Waste Collection employees have received back injuries related to lifting bags of grass. On-the-job injuries like this increase the City’s Workers’ Compensations costs.”

“It is beneficial to the health of the lawn to leave grass clippings on the lawn. The clippings act as free fertilizer. If you do not have a mulching mower, you can replace your existing mower blade with a mulching blade. Mowing grass at a frequency adaptive to its growing rate rather than on a pre-set schedule and removing no more than one-third of the grass blade when mowing will also improve the health of the lawn,” said Wilkinson.

Residents have the option of recycling their yard waste at Frederick County’s Recycling Center on Reich’s Ford Road adjacent to the County’s Landfill. Mulch is produced from the yard waste and made available free-of-charge. Additional information can be obtained from the Recycling Center at 301-696-2960.

Presently, The City of Frederick does not have the means to collect yard waste separately from other wastes. The Department of Public Works is establishing a Residential Solid Waste Working Group to review the effectiveness of the City’s residential solid waste services. The collection of yard waste may be an addition to the City’s residential trash program. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 20 states have banned landfill disposal of yard trimmings, the second largest component of the solid waste stream.

A Yard Waste Composting fact sheet can be obtained by calling EPA at 800-424-9346.

Additional information on the City’s waste collection services can be received from Gerald Palm, Superintendent of Waste Collection and Disposal at 301-600-1377.

“I don’t bag my grass clippings and my yard looks great,” concluded Mayor Dougherty. “Please don’t rob your yard of necessary nutrients – leave your grass clippings on the lawn.”

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