Howard County to stop yard waste pickups using plastic bags

   Howard County is going away from accepting yard waste in plastic bags.  Here is the information:

     "Starting Monday, September 14, 2015 and continuing through the end of 2015, Howard County's Department of Public Works will phase out the collection of yard trim (leaves, grass and brush) from plastic bags. As you may be aware, collected yard trim is taken to compost and mulch facilities. At these locations, plastic bags foul machinery and reduce the quality of finished compost and mulch products. Small plastic fragments also become air- and water-borne litter. Due to these factors, regional processors, including the County's contracted yard trim processor, will no longer accept material in regular plastic bags.
     Depending on your collection route, the change may occur as early as September 14, 2015. Look up your transition day and keep an eye on your mailbox for a letter announcing the change in your neighborhood.  As of January 1, 2016 every household receiving County provided yard trim collection will have made the transition to prohibit plastic bags.   As the County phases in this new program, residents will be able to pickup paper bags from the Alpha Ridge Landfill (10 per family, per day, while supplies last)."

    The County has some some free plastic composting bins available to make the transition to composting yard waste.  Here is their info on getting a bin:
    "FREE compost bins (while supplies last) are available at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 514 or Alpha Ridge Landfill at 2350 Marriottsville Road. Compost bins are made from 100% recycled plastic and are available to Howard County residents only."

    Better yet buy a few pieces of wood at a local lumber yard and build a sturdier one like pictured above.
     Howard County also provides this information on how to compost:

     "Select the materials to be composted. In general, leaves, grass clippings, brush and vegetable waste all work well. Shred or chop materials to accelerate composting. Mix layers of plant materials high in nitrogen with those high in carbon. As a rule of thumb, green materials such as grass clippings are higher in nitrogen and brown materials such as leaves are higher in carbon. By alternating layers of green and brown materials, nitrogen becomes more readily available for microbial action.  When nitrogen rich plant materials are not available, spread about a cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer with each cubic yard of compressed plant material. Build your pile to maximum of 4 feet high by 4 feet wide. Piles higher or wider may lack the necessary oxygen to decompose quickly."

#hocomd