The Department of Public Works

Waste Collection and Disposal

Gerald T. Palm, Superintendent

111 Airport Drive East w Frederick, MD 21701 w (301) 600-1377 w  Gerald@cityoffrederick.com

 

TRASH SERVICE SUGGESTION

(YARD WASTE DIVERSION)

 

We have noticed that a large portion of your trash contains yard waste material (e.g., grass clippings, leaves, or brush).  Combining your yard waste with general household waste is economically and environmentally unsound.  We would like for you to consider some alternative disposal methods.

 

ALTERNATIVE YARD WASTE DISPOSAL OPTIONS –

 

GRASS CLIPPINGS:

1)      Mulching – Mulching mowers are the most effective means of handling grass clippings.  Grass clippings are a good source of free fertilizer and can provide up to one-half of the nitrogen required by your lawn.  If you rake up your grass clippings, you are robbing the remaining grass of the food that you will then have to replace in the form of supplemental fertilizer.  For example, golf courses only bag the clippings on the greens for appearance purposes; while the clippings are left on the fairways and roughs.  Many believe that grass clippings contribute to thatch.  Research has disproved this.  Thatch is a layer of organic material comprised of grass roots, not the grass blade that was mowed.  Grass roots contain lignin, a substance that is very slow to decompose and causes thatch.  Clippings, which are up to 90% water and contain little lignin, begin to decompose almost immediately after cutting.  Within a week of cutting, the nitrogen from the clippings begins to show up in new grass growth.

2)      Composting – The Frederick County Landfill accepts loads of yard waste free-of-charge.  The County processes the yard waste and then offers the byproducts back to residents for their use. 

 

LEAVES:

1)      Special Leaf Collections - The City collects leaves during its “Annual Leaf Campaign” which is held in the Fall from early November through the first week in December.  For scheduling information and other details, please consult local newspapers, Cable Channel 99, the Internet (www.cityoffrederick.com), or contact the Department of Public Works.  Residents are asked to rake their leaves into the street gutter for collection by the City.  The City recycles these leaves.  Please participate in this effort and do not set leaves out with your household garbage.

2)      Composting - Leaves may be taken to the Frederick County Landfill at any time, free-of-charge.

 

BRUSH PRUNINGS/TREE TRIMMINGS:

1)      Composting – Prunings and trimmings may be taken to the Frederick County Landfill at any time, free-of-charge.

 

CONTINUED Ę

 

 

ADVANTAGES TO ALTERNATIVE DISPOSAL OPTIONS -

 

ECONOMICS:

§          The City spends up to $100,000 annually to collect and dispose of grass clippings that are buried in the Frederick County Landfill.  This is a costly and environmentally unsound practice.

§          Industrial studies estimate that at least 80% of the seasonal variation in residential solid waste generation can be attributed to yard waste.  By eliminating the grass clippings we can better stabilize labor requirements during the entire year and reduce labor costs (especially overtime).

§          The Frederick County Landfill is a very expensive asset that is funded by every County resident.  Disposing of yard waste in the landfill consumes space that can be better used for other types of garbage.  Yard waste does not have to be buried – and it is a waste to do so.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT:

§          Yard waste is the second largest component of the waste stream; second only to paper-related waste.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that yard waste makes up 18% of the nation’s municipal solid waste.   Since yard waste material is relatively clean and biodegradable, disposal in landfills is an unnecessary waste of landfill space.  In addition, as yard waste decomposes in landfills, they generate methane gas and acidic leachate.  Many states have banned the landfill disposal of yard wastes.

§          The State of Maryland bans the landfilling of “clean” loads of yard waste.  The City collects yard waste in combination with other waste and therefore its loads are “dirty”.  The City does not have the means to collect yard waste separately.

 

JOB SAFETY:

§          The elimination of grass clippings in our waste stream will increase job safety.  The grass clippings are a very dense material and it poses a lifting hazard to City trash collection crews.  Sometimes two men are required to lift a single bag of grass clippings.  Also, grass clippings are typically set out in bags which are susceptible to splitting under the heavy load.  This condition results in time-consuming clean ups for collection crews and our customers.

§          The City is not staffed or equipped to pick up large quantities of yard waste from each resident.  Doing so increases our costs and leads to conditions which are prone to accidents and injuries.

 

CITY CODE:

§          Most customers who set out large quantities of grass clippings are in violation of the City Code of Laws.  A residential customer is allowed 90-gallons of collection capacity per collection.  This quanitity is twice the national average (i.e., a single family home that recycles will generate up to 90-gallons of waste per week; we allow 180-gallons per week).  The plastic garbage bags used for yard waste are normally a 30-gallon capacity.  Therefore, a customer setting out only 3 bags of grass clippings has reached his/her limit before setting out any other household waste.  During the summer it is not uncommon for some single family homes to set out over 10 bags of grass clippings in one collection.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION –

 

Waste Collection and Disposal              The City of Frederick               (301) 600-1377

Leaf Collection                                     The City of Frederick               (301) 600-1173

Yard Waste Drop-Off/Composting                   Frederick County Recycling      (301) 600-2960