Politics & Government

From Yard Waste to Yard Food: Prince George's County Composting

See what your yard debris becomes after the county picks it up from the curb.

Ever wonder what happens to the yard debris and grass clippings you place out on the curb for weekly county pickup?

They turn it into compost. A lot of compost—60,000 tons of compost a year, according to Marilyn Rybak, section manager for the county Department of Environmental Resources Recycling Section. That compost is then packaged and sold regionally as a product called Leafgro, proceeds of which are reinvested into the county.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, the county will no longer accept yard waste in plastic bags as part of an effort to reduce plastic use in the county. Yard debris should be placed in brown bags or loose in trash cans, Rybak said.


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