Earth Care Update - All About Composting

Composting, the conversion of plant material to organic material through aerobic (with oxygen) decomposition, can be carried out by individuals, municipalities, businesses, etc. It’s a bit amazing that the process can take a variety of plant material (flowers, leaves, stems, grass) and produce a friable brown material that’s so beneficial.

Thanks to those who provided photos of their set-ups to handle the process. Perhaps those photos will convince those who do not currently do composting to give it a try. The photo providers will answer questions you have about their particular composting method.

It's not difficult to find “how to do composting” information through a Google search. One very informative site is cuyahogarecycles.org.composting. Another source (found in the publication “Wayne County Recycling Guide”) can be done following these steps:

Visit timetorecycle.org At the top of the page are three small parallel lines. Click on it to get to the page which shows “Resources”.

Navigate to the compost guide by clicking on “Resources” at the top of the page and select “District Reports & Publications”

Download the free guide entitled “STW Recycling Compost Guide”, which is eight pages long.

Kimble does not collect yard waste separately. According to the information Kimble provided when it first was contracted, yard waste is to be placed in brown paper bags (can be purchased at Lowe’s). There is a $5 charge per bag. Unfortunately, the bags are just part of the trash that goes to the landfill. Reminder: recycling collection is now every other week.

If you have a large amount of yard waste (many bushes trimmed, a small tree taken down, etc., too much to compost), Paradise Composting on 4300 Mechanicsburg Road, Wooster accepts such materials. I have taken material (in my daughter’s pick-up truck) there; the cost ranged from $5 to $10. The road to the facility is very bumpy! Call (330-669-3141) to make sure the facility is open.