Renovating your garden and lawns certainly makes your house and neighborhood look more attractive.
However, it comes at the cost of heaps of garbage and wreckage that gets piled outside your home before it can be discarded.
Do you want to get rid of your yard waste but don’t know how? Don’t worry; we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about yard waste disposal.
What is Yard Waste?
Yard Waste is the collective debris that is formed due to any outdoor activity or home renovation job.
Yard waste is organic and comprises all types of waste such as weeds, bushes, fallen leaves, clippings, branches or plants, etc.
Can Yard Waste be Harmful?
Any kind of waste which is organic in nature is usually loaded with an excess of natural fertilizer.
Fertilizer is highly soluble in water, and if this waste comes into contact with water, they dissolve and harm any animals or humans that come into contact with them.
This debris can also get into drains, waterways, or pipes and block them, ultimately causing flooding.
This is why your yard waste should be quickly disposed of in a healthy and eco-friendly way. It is imperative to a clean community.
Things You Should Know About Disposing Of Yard Waste
Now that you have decided to dispose of your yard waste in an eco-friendly manner, you will need to start looking for supplies.
Yard waste can be toxic, so you must plan accordingly and prepare supplies and equipment in advance to prevent any accidents from occurring at the time of disposal.
List of Supplies and Equipment Required
Here is a list of the supplies and other equipment required for the disposal of yard waste.
- Safety Gloves
- Garden rakes
- Spades
- Hand trowels
- Dustbin
- Dustpan and broom
- Lawnmower
- Pruning shears
- Leaf blowers
Separation of Waste
Since you have decided to get rid of the waste in an eco-friendly manner, you will have to separate them first.
Not all waste is compostable or recyclable, so you will have to know which is which first.
If you didn’t know what green and browns are before, here is a general list to help you:
Green Yard Waste
- Flowers
- Vegetables
- Plants
- Leaves
- Fruit peels
- Eggshells
- Coffee grounds
- Tea leaves or tea bags
Brown Yard Waste
- Dried leaves or plant cuttings
- Coffee filter
- Bark or branches
- Straw
- Napkins
- Paper towels
- Brown paper bags
- Cardboard
- Sawdust
Which Garden Waste Is Not Decomposable?
The concept that all garden waste is compostable is wrong and misleading!
Not all garden waste can be decomposed, and you will need to make sure you don’t mix any decomposable waste with non-decomposable waste.
Here is a list of items that are non-decomposable. Make sure they are not added to your compost bin.
- Any kind of cooked food, meat, or bones
- Fatty items
- Dairy products
- Toxic and chemical waste
- Pet waste
- Charcoal
Different Ways of Disposing of Yard Waste
There are a few methods of disposing of yard waste, and we will walk you through them and their advantages and disadvantages.
1. Renting a Roll Off Dumpster
A roll-off dumpster is one of the most convenient ways of disposing of yard waste.
You can rent a dumpster by calling them and scheduling a pick-up time and place that is convenient for you.
Once the dumpster arrives, you can keep putting the trash in it as you work around the lawn.
You can look for different rental companies that offer additional services.
Some dumpster services offer flexible operational hours so you can work and clean at your own pace without any added stress.
Advantages
- You can fill the dumpster and leave it as it is for the servicemen to pick it up.
- You can keep the dumpster for whatever time you require.
- You can negotiate the rates beforehand.
- Your waste is guaranteed to be dropped off at the scheduled time.
Disadvantages
- The trash will have to be put in the dumpster by yourself.
- You will need to check which items are not allowed to be put in the dumpster and dispose of them somewhere else.
2. Local Trash Collection Service
Your community may have a local weekly or daily trash collection service, which is a decent way of getting your yard waste picked.
If you put the yard waste in proper bags and leave them by the curb, the chances are that your local trash collectors will automatically pick them.
Advantages
- You will not have to pay for having your yard waste removed.
- If there is less amount of waste, this is a very convenient option.
Disadvantages
- Local trash collection service is not available in all areas.
- Yard waste will be picked and packaged by you in bags.
- Only small amounts of trash can be picked. You will need to dispose of bigger waste (such as stumps) somewhere else as it is often not allowed.
- Your local townsmen will decide what trash is acceptable to be collected or at what time the trash will be collected.
3. Hiring a Junk Removal Company
There are many junk removal companies available that will haul all of your garbage from your designated location.
The company will send out their servicemen beforehand to have a look at your debris. They will then negotiate the way and cost of hauling your waste.
You will need to be at the location to guide them through the trash while they inspect it.
Advantages
- All types of waste, big or small, will be hauled by the truck.
- You will be told a fixed schedule at which your trash will be removed entirely.
- You don’t have to collect the waste yourself.
Disadvantages
- The rates for junk hauling trucks are often much higher.
- You must be present at the location while the junk is being picked.
4. Burning Your Yard Waste
Burning all of your yard waste is the easiest and most time-saving way of disposing of yard waste.
If it is easy, safe, and legal for you to do in your area, you should opt for this method.
Collect all your debris and put it in a safe fire pit.
Check with your local authority once, but generally, the fire pit must be a minimum of 150 feet away from your nearest house and a minimum of 50 feet from your own.
Practice all safety measures before attempting this. Choose a windless day and take someone’s help to stay alert and hose down the fire in case of any complications.
Advantages
- It will require a significantly lesser cost.
- It requires less effort from your side.
Disadvantages
- You will need to check with your local authority if burning is legal in your area.
- Burning and smoke causes pollution.
- Fires are hazardous and can get out of hand, so you must monitor them carefully.
Recycling Yard Waste – How to Make Compost?
Composting is the easiest and most environmentally friendly way of recycling your yard waste.
If you want to recycle your yard waste for composting, you must go through the steps and understand them properly.
Composting gives off smelly fumes if not done correctly and can be adverse to your health.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to recycle your yard waste for composting:
Step 1: Select your Compost Bin
Selecting your compost bin depends on how much waste you have and how you decide to dispose of it.
Composting can be done in a compost bin or an open pile.
We would suggest using a compost bin as it will keep the trash in one place. It is also a safer and cleaner option. You can also get a compost bin of a specific size made according to the amount of waste you have.
Step 2: Selecting the Right Location for Composting
This is where the hard part starts. Composting requires a lot of things that should all be ticked.
A sunny and dry location is best for composting. The place should also be convenient for you to add or remove any materials or ingredients whenever you require.
The compost bin should preferably be placed in the soil of your garden.
This will ensure that the microorganisms present in the ground that decompose the materials will have access to the compost bin and expedite the process of decomposition.
Moreover, this is a natural way of decomposition that provides the optimum amount of aeration and drainage required for it.
If you do not have any soil available, you can also place the bin on any flat, concrete surface. Make sure to place a layer of paper beneath the bin. Spread some twigs on the paper.
Step 3: Adding Ingredients to the Bin
Adding the right materials to the compost bin is imperative. Most kinds of kitchen and garden waste can be added to the compost.
Step 4: Layering the Waste in the Compost Bin
For proper and effective decomposition, the ingredients should be added to the compost in layers.
Proper aeration is the first step. This is why the first layer should be composed of twigs and leaves that offer satisfactory drainage and aeration.
All other nitrogen and carbon-rich materials should be added to the second layer. This is the actual matter that decomposes.
For best results, a mixture of half and half brown and greens should be layered and added alternately.
Adding browns to your waste makes it dry and decay much faster. If you forget to add this layer, your compost will decompose very slowly.
Step 5: Patience Is the Key
Composting is a very slow process, and you can quickly lose motivation and patience during the course of action.
This might take almost a year to be ready, so you must maintain patience.
Just keep adding waste regularly, and the manure will be prepared before you know it.
Step 6: Harvesting your Compost
The fruit of your labor is finally here! Your compost will now look like dark brown, crumbly manure that has a wet and earthy smell.
That means it is now ready to be used!
The Bottom Line
We hope that this detailed guide on ‘How to dispose of yard waste’ was a valuable read for you.
The next time you have to clean your yard, don’t forget to come back to this blog for all the information that you need. Good Luck!
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