The Penn State Cooperative Extension Service and Department of Environmental Protection will again sponsor backyard composting workshops across Pennsylvania beginning this month.

Almost 12 percent of the trash heading for landfills is food scraps and another 12 percent is yard waste, according to waste composition studies. Those are wastes that could be kept out of landfills by composting them instead. That would increase the useable life of landfills by almost 25 percent.

By composting, residents can also help their local government keep waste disposal costs down, too. During the summer, grass clippings can comprise up to 50 percent of municipal waste. Leaf waste can account for as much as 60-80 percent in the fall.

This large, seasonal volume of yard wastes puts a strain on municipal garbage collection systems, requiring extra equipment that is not needed year-round and increasing personnel expenses.

Finished compost can also be a boon to backyard gardeners and landscapers. Compost not only adds organic material to the soil, it also helps soil retain water during periods of drought.

Participants in the workshops will receive free composting bins.

To find a Backyard Compost Workshop in your county, visit the Penn State Extension website. Visit DEP’s “Compost-It’s Mulch Better” webpage for more information on composting.

4/14/2006