Michigan's Composting Law

Prior to the 1995 law banning yard clippingsfrom Michigan's landfills and incinerators,leaves and grass comprised over 30% of allhousehold solid waste generated. Not only isthat a lot of space being filled by a cleanresource, but yard clippings in landfills maycontribute to methane gas and leachateproduction which pollute the air and localwater supplies. The moisture in yard wastecauses it to burn poorly in incinerators,raising pollution levels, and operating costs.Because of the many problems caused byyard clippings in landfills, starting in 1995,yard clippings were banned from Michigan

landfills. Yard clippings are defined asleaves, grass clippings, vegetable or othergarden debris, shrubbery, or brush or treetrimmings, less than 4 feet in length and2 inches in diameter, that can be convertedto compost humus.

A Burning Issue

Another popular method of leaf and brushdisposal—backyard burning—pollutes theair, creates a fire hazard, and is a nuisanceto neighbors. Since 1995, Michigan's solidwaste regulations have prohibited the openburning of grass clippings and leaves inmunicipalities having a population of 7,500or more, unless the local governing body hasspecifically enacted an ordinance authoriz-ing it. For a cleaner, safer alternative toburning your yard waste, try composting!

Why Compost?

The best method forgetting rid of yardwaste is also theeasiest. Composting isnature’s way of turningyour yard “waste”into a valuable soilconditioner.

Composting:

Saves you moneyby reducing theneed for expensivebags and commercial soil additives.

Helps your garden and lawn by improv-ing the fertility and health of your soil.

Saves water by helping the soil holdmoisture and reducing water runoff.

Benefits the environment by recyclingvaluable organic resources and extendingthe lives of our landfills.

Troubleshooting Home Composting

Reap a Heap of Benefits

Michigan Departmentof EnvironmentalQuality

What Can You Compost?

Do Compost• grass clippings• leaves• weeds & garden

debris• small brush, twigs• clean wood ash• sawdust & wood

chips• egg shells• coffee grounds

Do Not Compost• whole branches, logs• pet or human waste• charcoal briquette ash• sawdust from treated

wood

Contact your local community recycling staff foradditional information about backyardcomposting and to find out about what can andcannot be composted in your community.

Symptoms Problems Solutions

Bad odor. Not enough Mix the pile, orair, or too add in moremuch green brown material.material.

Composts Not enough Moisten andtoo slowly. water. mix the pile.

Pile is damp Pile is too Collect moreand warm small. material and mixonly in it into the pile.center.

Pile is damp Lack of Mix in moreand sweet- green green materialsmelling material. like fresh grassbut no heat. clippings, yard

trimmings, andweeds.

Other Resources

For more information on composting orMichigan yard waste regulations, contactyour local municipal recycling staff, acounty extension agent, or an MDEQcomposting specialist.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Office of Waste Management and Radiological ProtectionP.O. Box 30241Lansing, MI 48933

Special thanks to the Alameda County HomeComposting Education Program for providing materialused in this brochure. Illustrations: Joal Morris

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will notdiscriminate against any individual or group on the basis of race, sex,religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability, or politicalbeliefs. Questions or concerns should be directed to the MDEQ Office of

Personnel Services, PO Box 30473, Lansing, Michigan 48909.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality www.michigan.gov/deq

Fast Compost

Ingredients:Green and brown yard waste,water as needed.

Directions:• Mix one part

green yard wastewith two partsbrown to form apile (an average

size is 4’x4’x4'). For fast composting, chop itup first with a hoe or lawn mower.• Mix in one inch of soil.• Keep the pile as moist as a wrung-outsponge.• Turn the pile every week to let air in.• Finished compost will take between fourweeks and one year, depending on how oftenyou turn it and how well you maintain themoisture of the pile.

Composting Recipes

Shopping List:Green yard waste: grass clippings, green yardtrimmings, and weeds.Brown yard waste: leaves, small brush and twigs(1/2" diameter or less), woody plant prunings,sawdust.

Uses For Finished Compost

Compost is ready toharvest when it isreduced to a crumbly,sweet smellingmaterial calledhumus. If somepieces are notdecomposed,you can siftthose out and use them to start a new batch.

Compost improves soil structure, holds inmoisture and plant nutrients, and promotesstrong, healthy root systems for plantgrowth. Here are the most common ways touse compost:

Mix It Into Soil• Mix 3 - 6 inches ofcompost into lawn soilbefore seeding for grass.

• Mix 3 - 6 inches ofcompost into garden soilbefore planting.

• Mix compostinto the soil ofexposed slopingareas to help fighterosion.

Use It As A MulchAdd compost as amulch around flowers,shrubs, and trees todiscourage weeds, helpsoil retain moisture,and protect roots fromalternate freezing andthawing during wintermonths.

Lazy Person’s Compost

Ingredients:Green andbrown yardwaste, water asneeded.

Directions:• In a heap orbin, layer youryard waste as itaccumulates. For faster composting, chop it upfirst with a hoe or lawn mower.• Water so compost is kept as moist as awrung-out sponge.• In a year to 18 months, the material at thebottom and center of the pile will be dark,crumbly compost. Sift, and use theuncomposted material to start a new batch.

Composting Bins

Here are three simple ways to make compost bins:

Snow Fence BinBuy a length ofprefabricated snowfence and fastentwo - by - fours toeach corner to forma square. (For a4’x4’x4' compostpile, purchase 16feet of snow fencing.)

Woven Wire BinPurchase a length ofwoven wire and fasten theends with several smallchain snaps (available atany hardware store) tomake a circle. To calcu-late the length of wireneeded, lay a piece ofstring around the outsideof the pile and measure it.(For a 4’x4’x4' compostpile, purchase 16 feet ofwoven wire.)

Block or Brick BinPile up bricks,cement blocks,or rocks to formthree sides of asquare con-tainer. Lay theblocks withoutmortar, leavingspaces between to letair circulate.

Composting Made Simple

Composting is a loteasier than you

may think.Organic mate-

rial breaksdown aroundus in nature

all the time.Composting isjust a methodof speeding upthe process!

Most compostbin designs are so simple they can be builtin a few hours. Once you gather your yardwaste and form it into a pile, the only timeyou’ll spend is for occasional maintenance.Then sit back and let nature do the rest!

Composting Equipment

ToolsAll you need are some basicgardening tools, like a pitchfork,a rake, and a shovel.

MaterialsCompost bins can be built withinexpensive materials like snowfencing, woven wire, or usedcinder blocks and lumber.

SoilYou don’t need store-bought “soilactivators” or potting soil tocompost. One inch of soil fromyour yard or garden has all theingredients needed to start the

composting process.

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