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Did you know that Compost can…

• Suppress plant diseases & pests.
• Reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Promote higher yields of agricultural crops.
• Facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by amending contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
• Cost-effectively remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste.
• Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from storm water runoff.
• Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air.
• Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil, water, & air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable. - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

Why Not Put Yard Wastes in Landfills?

Since these materials are relatively clean and bio- degradable, disposal in landfills may be unnecessary and wastes space. In addition, as yard wastes decompose in landfills, they generate methane gas and acidic leachate. Methane is a colorless, explosive greenhouse gas that is released as bacteria decompose organic materials in landfills. If methane is not controlled at a landfill, it can seep underground and into nearby buildings, where it has the potential to ex- plode. Yard wastes also contribute acidity that can make other waste constituents more mobile and therefore more toxic. - EPA

Home Composting
...A practical method of turning leaves, grass, weeds, and other organic materials into a valuable soil amendment

The Composting Process

• Composting is a natural process that decom- poses yard waste into a rich humus. This humus returns usable “plant friendly” organic matter & nutrients to the soil.
• Compost improves the water holding capacity, drainage, and workability of existing soils.
• Composting involves micro-organisms, earthworms, small insects, and small soil organisms which eat (decompose) organic yard waste.
• The composting process requires carbon, nitrogen, water and oxygen to effectively work. (Organisms which break down raw materials need carbon for energy and nitrogen for protein and other nutrients.)

An organic carbon to nitrogen ratio best for composting is (25-30:1). Visually, this will look like you have twice as much brown material as green material.

Also, Do Not Compost any of the following kitchen wastes: meats, bones, dairy products, salad dressing, cooking oil, peanut butter, grease, and charcoal ashes. These items attract rodents and flies.

Note: If you have too much yard waste to effectively compost, take the excess to the Salt Lake Valley Landfill Compost Facility!

How to Start Composting

1. First choose a composting bin or pile at least 3 ft. by 3 ft. to maintain proper composting temperature. (anything bigger than 5 ft. by 5 ft. does not allow the proper flow of oxygen). (B.) Place (chopped or shredded) kitchen or yard wastes into the composting bin/pile.
2. Layer & mix the organic material with soil. Soil contains the micro-organisms & soil creatures “bugs” that do the work of turning organic matter into compost. (An inch to 1/2 inch layer of soil over the top of the compost will also keep the surface from drying out.)
3. Adjust the amount of water in your compost pile. Add dry straw , sawdust, or wood chips to a soggy pile...Add water to a pile that is too dry. That materials should be damp to the touch. (like a damp sponge.)
4. Allow the compost bin or pile to bake at 90º to 140ºF. (this temperature should be reached in five to seven days.)
5. Turn the compost to give it oxygen as it bakes to speed up the composting process.
6. If a bin or pile is turned every week with the proper moisture & mix of materials, the compost should be ready to use in 2-3 months. If the material in your bin or pile is not turned, the compost should be ready in 10 or more months.
7. (H.) Compost is ready to use when it is dark & crumbly with a clean earthy smell. The original organic matter should not be identifiable.

Common Composting Problems

Strong Odors

Cause: Not enough air
Solution:Turn the compost weekly

TooWet and Soggy

Cause: Too much water
Solution: Add dry grass or straw & turn the compost weekly

Wet and not Composting:

Cause: Not enough Nitrogen
Solution: Add grass clippings or Nitrogen

Dry and Not Composting

Cause: Not enough water
Solution: Add grass clippings or Nitrogen based fertilizer & turn compost weekly

Ammonia Smell

Cause: Too much Nitrogen
Solution: Add dry leaves, straw or sawdust & turn the compost weekly

Temperature of pile too high

Cause: Poor ventilation
Solution: Turn the pile

Temperature of pile too low

Cause: Pile too small
Solution: Make pile bigger or insulate the sides

For Additional Information call the
Salt Lake County Recycling Office: 385-468-6370