02-23-15 Agenda, Packet & Committee Meeting Notice

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• Composting can save the homeowner time, energy, money (i.e. on fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and can reduce the amount of waste going to our landfills. • Composting is convenient. It's easier to compost yard trimmings than to bag and drag them to the trash can, curb or landfill. • Composting turns yard trimmings into a resource. Good compost is expensive to buy, but free for the making. Money does grow on trees with home composting. You could also save money on garbage collection and recycling fees. • Composting benefits soil and plants. Using compost helps your plants grow healthier and faster by keeping the soil loose and well drained. • Grass clippings contain valuable nutrients that can generate up to 25 % of your lawn's total fertilizer needs. One - hundred (100) pounds of grass clippings can generate and recycle as much as three (3) to four (4) pounds of nitrogen, one -half to one (1) pound of phosphorus, and two (2) to three (3) pounds of potassium back to the lawn. These are the three (3) most important nutrients needed by lawns, and are commonly supplied in lawn fertilizers. Also, grass clippings do not contribute to thatch (an organic debris layer between the soil and live grass) since grass clippings are 75 -85 % water and decompose readily. • Compost used as a soil amendment should be applied and incorporated into the soil before planting crops, grasses, plants, etc. Apply 1 -3 inches of compost to the soil surface and work it in to the soil to a depth of about 3-4 inches. • In summary, by composting at home, you can help protect the environment, save money and improve your soil at the same time. More Information: • For more information on backyard composting, please visit IDEM's Web site at http://www.recycle.IN.gov/. • For questions and concerns, feel free to call IDEM's Office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance at (800) 988 -7901. Filed in . ` r Office IDEM Office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance