The Lucas County Solid Waste Management District contracts for two yard waste recycling facilities to provide drop-off collection services for single family* residential yard waste. Residents with proof of Lucas County residency may deliver their materials to these facilities free of charge. Through this District Program, these facilities recycled more than 64,000 yards of residential yard waste materials in 2005. The District is also developing satellite programs with municipalities for implementation.

Yard Waste Materials comprise more than 15% of all waste disposed. Composting is a natural way to recycle, creating a usable, fertile soil and landscape mulch. Recognizing this recovery and reuse application, the State of Ohio encacted a law in 1993 prohibiting the disposal of yard waste in landfills.

*Commercial businesses, rental properties, haulers, lawn and landscape companies are welcome to use the facilities but will be charged a fee for their materials.

The Lucas County Solid Waste Management District Yard Waste Collection Centers are located at:

Clean Wood Recycling 6505 W. Bancroft St. Toledo, Ohio 43615 419-843-9663
Clean Wood Recycling 5330 Stickney Avenue Toledo, Ohio 43612 419-727-9668

Materials Acceptable

• shrubbery
• wood chips
• grass clippings
• leaves
• Christmas trees
• tree trunks 10” in diameter or under
• branches and limbs less than 6’ in length
• pallets

The Essentials of Composting

	Biology The compost pile is really a teeming microbial farm. Bacteria start the process of decaying organic matter. They are the first to break down plant tissue and also the most numerous and effective composters. Fungi and protozoans join the bacteria and, somewhat later in the cycle, helpful insects and worms do their part.
	Materials Anything growing in your yard is potential food for your compost pile. For best results combine brown materials, (leaves, woodchips, small amounts of wood ashes, pine needles) and green materials, (grass clippings, vegetable and fruit waste, garden residue). Mix two parts green materials with one part brown materials. Layering can be useful in arriving at these proportions.
	Surface Area The more surface area the micro-organisms have to work on, the faster the materials are decomposed. It’s like a block of ice in the sun-slow to melt when it’s large, but melting very fast when broken into smaller pieces. Chopping your garden waste with a shovel, machete, lawnmower or shredding machine will speed the composting process.
	Volume A large compost pile will insulate itself and hold the heat of microbial activity. Its center will be warmer than its edges. Piles smaller than 3 feet cubed (27 cu. ft.) will have trouble holding this heat, while piles larger than 5 feet cubed (125 cu. ft.) don’t allow enough air to reach the microbes at the center. These proportions are of importance only if your goal is a fast, hot compost.
	Moisture and Aeration All life on earth needs a certain amount of water and air to sustain itself. The microbes in the compost pile are no different. They function best when the compost materials are about as moist as a wrung-out sponge and are provided with many passages. Extremes of sun or rain can adversely affect this moisture balance in your pile.
	Time and Temperature The faster the composting, the hotter the pile. If you use materials with a proper green/brown material ratio, provide a large amount of surface area and a big enough volume and see that moisture and aeration are adequate, you will have a hot, fast compost, and will probably want to use the turning unit. If you just want to deal with your yard wastes in an inexpensive, easy non-polluting way, a holding unit will serve you well.