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<br /> Municipalities with a leaf collection program �+fi% w 3z c r � r , i.3 ,, i, ,c.?1.
<br /> and a few acres of land have initiated
<br /> successful composting projects. A bulldozer forms leaves into windrows in Tenafly. N.J. program.
<br /> LEAF COMPOSTING IS being sue- Webster Groves, Missouri about 500 cubic yards daily, and is
<br /> essfully used by a number of munici- A suburb of St. Louis, Webster powered by a 100-horsepower diesel
<br /> palities with population size ranging Groves (po has about 100 engine.
<br /> from 15,000 to 75,000. Most communi- miles of streets in its heavily-wooded As has been found in other munici-
<br /> ties with leaf collection programs have community. As explained by Louis G. pal programs, once composted leaves
<br /> four disposal/reuse options: landfill/ Brenner,Jr., landscape planner on the are available, they arc greatly de-
<br /> incineration; local farmers, nursery- city's Dept. of Public Works staff, manded by citizens, landscapers and
<br /> men and residents; modified corn- Webster Groves is divided into six other municipal agencies: Here are
<br /> posting and composting. According to leaf-removal areas—each serviced by some examples:
<br /> an Ohio EPA report titled "Local a 65-horsepower trailer-mounted vac- The city applies 3,500 cubic yards to
<br /> Government's Guide To Leaf Collec- uum leaf-loader. its parklands, using a truck-mounted
<br /> tion And Composting," many corn- From October 15 to December 15 manure spreader to apply about a
<br /> munitics arc turning to composting as each year, residents move the leaves one-half inch layer to turf areas.
<br /> the most economically and envi- from their property into windrows at Citizens annually pick up more than
<br /> ronmelttaliy acrrntahlr mrthn`,, f the curbline. During November's peak 1,200 cubic yards from stockpiles
<br /> handling large quantities of leaves. collection time, some 500 cubic yards maintained in several municipal parks.
<br /> In order10Vhave a successful leaf of leaves are collected in a single day. The Missouri Botanical Gardens
<br /> compostin ro ram,it is necessary to For the year, the total reaches about used about 1,500 cubic yards of shred-
<br /> ave a well-or anized leaf collection 13,500 cubic yards at a cost of ap- ded leaves to develop its Japanese
<br /> pro ram. With some municipalities, proximately $5 per yard. Gardens,and regularly uses 500 cubic
<br /> establ'sling and then enforcing ordi- According to Brenner, Webster yards each year.
<br /> nances to regulate leaf collection has Groves is particularly pleased that Some 1,200 cubic yards made their
<br /> proven much more difficult than the none of the leaves must go to the land- way to improve soil for plantings at the
<br /> actual corn osting! In addition, the fill. "We have a good program work- St. Louis riverfront's Gateway Arch,
<br /> costs for purchasing equipment for able in many communities," says and the University of Missouri uses
<br /> collection are high initially, but ac- Brenner. leaves in its research projects.
<br /> cording to John Van Vorst who is in Seven years ago,the city purchased The city has gotten excellent coop-
<br /> charge of Tenafly, New Jersey's corn- a hammermill shredder from the eration from citizens, who keep leaf
<br /> posting project, "by utili7inz existutg Gruendler Crusher and Pulverizer piles free of sticks, trash and shrub
<br /> suipmen,t,e.g.putting a plywood box Company that reduces leaves to be- cuttings. Obviously the people of
<br /> n an existing dump truck and attach- tween one-half to three-quarters inch. Webster Groves appreciate not having
<br /> ing a tag-a-long vacuum which dis- Shredding cost is less than half the cost to buy and stuff the ever-present plas-
<br /> charges the leaves into the box—hosts of hauling leaves to a landfill. The tic bags,as well as the accessibility to a
<br /> co}hl he kept down." shredder is capable of processing valuable soil conditioner. Little won-
<br /> 32 Compost Science/Land Utilization
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