BALLYMEADE

Info on New Yard Waste Ban - All of New Castle County

Mandatory, January 24, 2008

From Delaware Solid Waste Authority's website (see link under LINKS on Ballymeade home page), or copy/paste this into your browser:  http://www.dswa.com/programs_yard.asp

 Also see Links section of Ballymeade home page for more info and link to sticker purchase web site.

YARD WASTE RECYCLING

DSWA's new and improved Pay As You Throw (PAYT) yard waste program is available to residents in the state of Delaware!

Starting on January 1, 2008, all residents in the State of Delaware will have the opportunity to participate in DSWA's new and improved Pay As You Throw (PAYT) yard waste collection program.  (Mandate starts January 24, 2008.)

Our pay-as-you-throw program offers pick-up of your yard waste at your curb. Weekly pick-up will occur during the months April 1-December 31 and every other week during the months of January 1-March 31.

Yard Waste is defined as plant material resulting from lawn maintenance and other horticultural gardening and landscaping activities. It can be specifically described as grass clippings, leaves pruning, brush, shrubs, garden material and branches.

Customers will be able to purchase stickers from DSWA to be placed on bags of yard waste. Stickers will cost $1 each and are purchased in increments of 10. For example, you may purchase 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 stickers at one time. Stickers will be available to order through DSWA's website Yard Waste Stickers online or by calling DSWA's Citizens' Response Line 1-800-404-7080 beginning December 15, 2007. There is a few simple rules to follow when preparing yard waste for pick up: Place yard waste in bags (provided by customer). Customers can purchase bags at their local grocery, home improvement, or other retail outlet. Bags cannot exceed a maximum size of 39 gallons and be no less than 1 mil. in thickness.

Sticks and small branches must be bundled rather than put into bags. Bundles must be no longer then 4 feet in length, 2 feet in width, and 2 feet in height. Bundles must be tied together with rope or twine, and the sticker placed around the rope or twine. Bundled branches and limbs will not be picked up unless a sticker is placed on the rope.

Place fluorescent pink yard waste sticker onto the bag and place at your curb for pick-up.

DSWA will accept an unlimited number of yard waste bags or bundles having stickers on your designated collection day.  

This new program will replace our existing yard waste recycling program. Therefore, effective January 1, 2008 it will no longer be necessary to sign-up for our materials curbside recycling program to participate in the new yard waste recycling program. Customers who subscribe to the existing DSWA yard waste program will receive a refund of any monies owed. Refunds will only apply to customers who have paid past December 31, 2007.

For more information on the new and improved yard waste program, please call the DSWA Citizens' Response Line at 1-800-404-7080.

To learn more about yard waste recycling options click below to view a Power Point presentation in a PDF format. This Power Point presentation was created by The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) on October 9, 2007.

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The New Castle County Yard Waste Ban will take effect on January 24, 2008.  New Castle County Residents will no longer be permitted to have yard waste landfilled with other household garbage.  The Cherry Island Landfill will accept loads of yard waste for recycling at the normal tipping fee.  Residents may also sign-up for DSWA's  Improved Yard Waste Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) collection program. Residents will purchase stickers for a $1 a bag and place yard waste at the curb for pick-up by DSWA.  For more information on the yard waste ban or to sign up for DSWA's yard waste PAYT program,  please call the Citizens' Response Line at 1-800-404-7080.

Q. Why will there be a yard waste ban in New Castle County?

A) Restricting yard waste from the Cherry Island Landfill remains a permit condition- see Page 6 of the permit -that DNREC issued to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority. Current estimates based on DSWA's recent statewide waste characterization study place yard waste at approximately 16.4% of residential waste at the Cherry Island Landfill. By diverting yard waste from the landfill, the life expectancy of the landfill will be extended.

Q. If I cannot put yard waste in my regular trash, what can I do with it?

A) Here are several options available for the disposal of yard waste: Check with your trash hauler to see if they will be offering any special pick-ups of yard waste.

Sign-up for DSWA's Improved Yard Waste collection program. This new program is a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system. Residents will purchase stickers for a $1 a bag and place yard waste at the curb for pick-up by DSWA. Stickers must be bought in $10 increments.

Take yard waste to one of the 3 free drop-off facilities operated by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). For more information on these sites, please click here

Look into starting a compost pile in your yard. DSWA and the University of Delaware Extension Offices are both selling backyard composting bins for $10.00. The bin can be expanded to 3 feet in diameter.

Bring your yard waste to the Cherry Island Land fill where it will be recycled into mulch or compost for a cost of $61.50/ton.

Q. What is DSWA's new yard waste program?

A. Our pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) program offers weekly pick-up of your yard waste at your curb. Customers can purchase stickers from DSWA to be placed on bags of yard waste. Stickers will cost $1 each and are purchased in increments of 10.

Q. Do I have to sign-up for curbside recycling to participate in the yard waste program?

A. No, unlike DSWA's former yard waste collection program, this new program can be subscribed to alone or in addition to the curbside recycling program.

Q. What exactly is yard waste?

A. Yard Waste is defined as plant material resulting from lawn maintenance and other horticultural, gardening, and landscaping activities. It can be specifically described as grass clippings, leaves, pruning, brush, shrubs, garden material, and branches.

Q. What type of bags can I use for the yard waste program?

A. Bags will be provided by the resident and should not exceed a maximum size of 39 gallons and preferably at least 1 mil. in thickness. A mil is one-thousandth of an inch and should be labeled by the bag maker. DSWA will also continue to accept the tan yard waste bags that were provided with the previous yard waste collection program. There will be no need to place a yard waste sticker on these tan bags.

Q. What about sticks and branches that don't fit into bags?

A. Sticks and small branches must be bundled rather then put into bags. Bundles should be no longer then 4 feet in length, 2 feet in width, and 2 feet in height. Bundles should be tied together with rope or twine, and the sticker placed around the rope or twine.

Q. When will yard waste pick-up occur?

A. Weekly pick-up will occur during the months of April through December and every other week during the months of January through March.

Q. I have already paid for curbside recycling plus yard waste pick-up through February. What will happen to the money I have paid?

A. Existing customers who subscribe to the DSWA yard waste program will be refunded any monies owed. Refunds will only apply to customers who have paid past December 31, 2007. Customers will need to contact DSWA by December 31, 2007 to receive the refund.

Q. Who exactly is affected by this yard waste ban?

A. Residents of New Castle County whose waste is taken to the Cherry Island Landfill. Generally, if you live in northern New Castle County you will be affected. To find out for sure whether you will be affected by the ban, you must call whoever handles your trash.

Q. What can I do with my Christmas tree?

A. DSWA will collect Christmas trees once they are cut down to 4 ft in length and buddle together. Please buddle the pieces together with twine or string and place a yard waste sticker around the twine or string.

Q. I have a lot of "monkey balls" (fruit from Sweetgum trees) and walnuts that fall in my yard do those falls under the yard waste ban?

A. Yes, because things like monkey balls and walnuts are plant material that result from yard maintenance therefore they fall under the yard waste ban.

Q. I have holiday greens with ribbons and bows, how should I dispose of these?

A. Floral arrangements such as holiday decorations that are mixed with wire, ribbon, etc. should be considered household garbage. Wires and ribbon would contaminate the yard waste composting process.

Q. How can I order yard waste stickers for the bags?

A. You can order the yard waste stickers from the DSWA website by clicking here, or call the Citizens' Response Line at 1-800-404-7080, or visit the DSWA Administrative Office located on South Bradford Street in Dover, Delaware.

Q. I still have more questions about yard waste, who can I talk to?

A. DSWA has a Citizens' Response Line available Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm to answer any questions you may have about yard waste or any other DSWA program, please call 1-800-404-7080.

For more information on any of DSWA's programs please call DSWA's CITIZENS' RESPONSE LINE at 1-800-404-7080.