Scrap Recycling Forum

An easy way to protect the environment is to recycle leaves and grass. Not only your wallet stay in the green, but you will also have healthier lawn. There is many benefits in recycling the leaves and grasses.

Just know I am hearing about the grass and leaves recycling. And I don't have any idea about this. And I have a question that, Is it really possible? ,If so tell me how it is been recycled.

how would to you recycle grass and leaves? Can you give a detailed example.

i think she wanna to say about the bio gas project.isn't..
can we used leaves and grass in there too...?

Is it ... how can they be used... i guess as someone said over here for bio - gas is possible...

LEAVES AND GRASS

Leaves and grass are collected at the curb all year long. From March 1 to Dec. 24, the materials are recycled into compost at a privately-owned facility. From Dec. 25 to Feb. 28, since customers usually set out very limited quantities of grass and leaves, they are disposed of rather than recycled.
You can easily recycle leaves and grass at your home. It can be as simple as using a mulching lawn mower. You can also generate your own compost. Both of these methods improve soils and the environment by adding nutrients to the soil and preventing pollution. Go to our composting page to learn more about how easy it is to save yourself time, money, and effort while helping your garden and our environment.
BRUSH

Brush, including branches and twigs, is collected at the curb all year long. From March 1 to Dec. 24, it is collected separately and ground into mulch. From Dec. 25 to Feb. 28, brush is collected with trash and is not recycled. This is due to the small amount of brush generated at that time. (NOTE: Christmas trees are an exception to this rule and are collected during the first two weeks of January.) Material that is set out for collection must be small enough to fit into a truck and must be limited in weight so that it can be safely lifted into a truck.
Brush collected for recycling is sent to one of the county's two mulching facilities. These are located at the I-66 Transfer Station Complex on West Ox Road and the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton. The materials are chipped in industrial chippers and stored for future use. Some of the mulch is sent to the Park Authority for landscaping at county parks.
Free mulch is available on a seasonal basis. The only requirement is that you have to haul it away yourself. Call the Mulch Information Line at 703-324-5995, TTY 711 for the latest updates.

Trash and recycling collection companies do not collect debris (brush, woody materials, stumps, leaves or grass) from tree removal or land clearing activities as part of normal waste disposal. It is generally the responsibility of the resident to arrange for the removal of such debris separately. You can look in the phone directory under 'Rubbish' to find a hauler. Also, remember that waste wood or lumber (such as from a fence or deck) is not brush and will not be collected if set out with brush.

How to Set Out Yard Waste and Brush
For details about how to set out your yard waste and brush, contact your collector if you have private service or view the county customer information section if you are in a sanitary district.

LEAVES AND GRASS

If you can't use a mulching mower or compost at home, then the best way to recycle leaves and grass is to place them at the curb in a reusable container or a brown paper yard waste bag (also known as a Kraft bag). Both of these items are readily available in local stores. These collection methods are preferred because they do not add contaminants to the leaves and grass when composted.
Clear plastic bags should be used as a last option only because they cause significant processing problems at the composting facility. They are very difficult to remove during all phases of the composting process. Never use dark plastic bags. Yard waste in dark bags will likely be treated as trash and not recycled.
BRUSH

Brush should be set out much like leaves and grass. Reusable containers and brown paper bags are the best methods to collect brush at the curb for recycling. Small piles of brush may also be tied into bundles with twine.
Trash and recycling collection companies generally do not collect debris (brush, woody materials, stumps, leaves or grass) from tree removal or land clearing activities. It is the responsibility of the resident to arrange for the removal of such debris. You can look in the phone directory under 'Rubbish' to find a hauler. Also, remember that waste wood or lumber (such as from a fence or deck) is not brush and will not be collected if set out with brush.

Green waste recycling
Golf course superintendents often face environmental questions regarding their management practices. One such question is the disposal of green wastes such as grass clippings, leaves, brush and other vegetative trimmings. Many states have passed laws banning clipping disposal. GCSAA encourages superintendents to recycle green wastes generated on golf courses.

Whenever possible, grass clippings are not collected. Clippings allowed to fall to the soil will return nutrients and organic matter. This practice is sometimes limited by the aesthetics and playability demanded on certain areas of the golf course, such as tees and greens. And under the right conditions, clipping return may encourage the spread of turf diseases at certain times of the season. For these reasons, returning clippings to the turf may be limited to roughs and fairways and the time of season. Mowing frequently to keep clippings short is a method of enhancing the appearance of the turf because it encourages rapid clipping degradation on the playing surface.


The dropping of leaves in the fall presents challenging management options for their removal. One option is to mulch the leaves with mowers directly on the turf. Similar to grass clippings, leaves provide nutrients and organic matter for the soil. Also similar to clipping return, mulching leaves is limited to fairways and roughs because of playability constraints. Many superintendents blow leaves off fine turf areas into roughs and then proceed with mulching. Mulching mowers can expedite the exercise of grinding the leaves into fine particles.


Brush can be shredded for use as landscape mulch. When processed through grinding and shredding equipment, woody brush and trimmings make an excellent landscape mulch for use around plantings and walkways. Mulch conserves soil moisture, prevents weeds and adds valuable organic matter to the soil.


Green wastes can be composted on the golf course. If clippings, leaves and brush cannot be directly added back to the course because of operational constraints, they can be composted in a compost pile. Such materials readily degrade to rich organic composts to use as soil amendments when a few key management techniques are used. These include grinding all coarse material, blending green fleshy material with woody materials, frequently turning the pile and providing adequate moisture. Detailed composting information is available from most state agriculture extension agents or universities.

Leaves, Grass & Small Branches
Place your grass, leaves and small branches at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your recycling and yard trimmings collection day. Please keep about five feet of space between your yard trimmings, your recycling and your garbage cart, if they are collected on the same day.

Small branches (less than 5 ft. long and 3" in diameter)
Tie small branches in bundles with string or twine. The bundles must be small enough for one person to pick up. If you put them in small, reusable containers, please make sure they don't protrude by more than a foot.

Grass Clippings and Leaves
Place grass clippings and leaves in brown, kraft paper yard bags or in small, reusable containers. The paper yard bags are available from most hardware and garden stores. Do not use plastic bags or you will be charged for the collection of extra garbage.

The easiest way to dispose of grass clippings is not to bag them in the first place. The clippings will return nutrients to the soil and make your lawn healthier.

Leaves can be recycled at home by adding them to your compost pile. They're a great carbon source.

Thorny Branches
Wrap cactus, rose branches and other thorny vegetation in cardboard or several layers of newspaper before placing them in a reusable container or paper yard waste bags.

Restrictions on Yard Trimmings
Reusable containers must be 34 gallons or less and weigh less than 50 pounds.
Do not include dirt, rocks, logs, garden implements, or broken flower pots with your yard trimmings.
Do not use wire to tie bundles up. Wire cannot be composted.
Do not place yard trimmings in plastic bags. The plastic bags cannot be composted. Instead, they will be taken to a landfill and you will be charged for extra garbage.
It is illegal to sweep leaves into the street. They clog storm drains, pollute the creeks, and increase the likelihood of flooding on your street.

for more
City of Austin - Recycling Leaves, Grass & Small Branches

Grass clippings and finely chopped leaves add vital nutrients and organic matter to the lawn, thus improving the health of the lawn.
Grass and leaf clippings can replace up to 25 percent of costly fertilizer.
Over-fertilizing does not make a healthier lawn, it just makes more lawn to mow.
It isn’t necessary to use a mulching mower; just mow one inch when grass reaches four inches tall. The clipping won’t be noticed and will break down within a week.

As an alternative to the banning of yardwaste in landfills, some progressive municipalities have adopted technology to deal with clippings and yard waste. Some yardwaste management facilities use grass clippings so they can more effectively compost other yard wastes. However, this process is not without problems. If collected clippings are not handled correctly, they can emit foul odors when decomposing. It is time consuming to empty plastic bags of stored clippings at the composting site, and a special curbside pickup is required to keep clippings separate from other garbage. Even with the use of recyclable paper bags, bagging is an additional expense for municipalities