COMPOSTING

According to MDE, compostable materials such as food scraps and yard trimmings make up nearly 30% of all municipal solid waste generated in the U.S. Instead of disposing of this material in landfills and incinerators, composting uses organic material to create a valuable product with environmental and economic benefits.

The EPA cites the following as some benefits of composting:

  • Composting is a resourceful way to recycle the food scraps and yard trim you generate at home and manage your waste more sustainably.
  • You reduce the volume of materials that might otherwise be disposed of in landfills or trash incinerators – leaves, grass clippings, yard trim, and food scraps – and prevent powerful greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere.
  • Composting involves minimal effort, equipment, expense, and expertise and can be fun. 
  • You save money by producing a free, high-quality soil amendment – compost – which reduces your use of fertilizer and pesticides.
  • You can use your compost to build healthier soil, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and improve plant growth in your garden and yard.

Check out our Composting Guide for detailed instructions.

If composting isn't an option for you, don't forget yard waste can be taken to the Northern Landfill, free of charge, for recycling. 

Composter and Rain Barrel Sale

Once a year (typically in early Spring), the Carroll County Office of Recycling hosts a discounted composter and rain barrel sale. The sale is a great way to get the tools you need to start composting and harvesting rainwater at home. We post details about the sale on our website and our Facebook page. Get notified about the composter and rain barrel sale event notifications by email or SMS/text message by subscribing to Carroll Connect (this will subscribe you to all county-related news).

Grasscycling

Grasscycling is the simple practice of letting grass clipping decompose on the lawn after mowing. Once cut, grass clippings dehydrate, then decompose, quickly disappearing from view. During the summer, grass clippings can account for more than 50% of all residential trash! In addition to reducing the volume of waste entering landfills, according to the University of Maryland Extension, grasscycling provides these benefits:

  • Encourages a healthier lawn by returning both macronutrients and micronutrients to the soil in a slow-release form. Can reduce fertilizer use by 25%, saving time, and money and decreasing the amount of runoff into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
  • Eliminates the need to bag or rake grass clippings.
  • Does not contribute to thatch buildup or increase turf diseases. Grass clippings are largely composed of water and decompose rapidly.
  • Grass clippings keep the temperature of the soil cooler and help maintain soil moisture; they also improve soil structure.

Best of all, grasscycling requires only basic lawn care!

  • Mow frequently, each time cutting about ½ inch to 1 inch and never cutting the lawn shorter than 2 to 2 ½ inches in height.
  • Keep mower blades sharp to avoid injuring the grass and to minimize the length of the grass clippings.
  • Use a mulching mower or one that discharges grass clippings evenly.
  • Do not water excessively. During the driest period of summer, lawns only require about 1 inch of water every five to six days.
  • Do not over fertilize; grasscycling reduces the amount of fertilizer needed.
  • Aerate your lawn. Aeration permits greater movement of water, fertilizer, and air by increasing the speed of decomposition of grass clippings and enhancing deep root growth.
  • Avoid grasscycling if your lawn is too tall or conditions are too wet.
  • Avoid mulching grass clippings that have been treated with herbicide.

Check out our Grasscycling Guide for more information.