9-27-84 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 2 - ci al facilit • a muni .p y Ramsey County has dedicated itself to composting as one way to tackle the solid waste dilemma. On April 18, 1983 the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved a proposal to initiate a network of centralized yard waste composting sites . Staff of the County Public Health Department cooperated with community organizers and city officials to find locations for the projects , and to coordinate publicity. Six sites were found in 1983; these were in St. Paul Planning District 1, 5, 11, and 16, Mounds View, and Arden Hills . Two new sites were found in 1984; these were in Shoreview and Maplewood . The County provided funds to develop the site, to hire a monitor for each site, for signs, for publicity, and for maintenance of the sites . There are two common ways to get yard wastes to the centralized facilities . Waste haulers can make a separate collection of the wastes , or residents can bring their material directly to the site. Once at the site the wastes will be pushed into long piles called windrows . The windrows will be moistened, and left to decompose. Four times during the year the pile will be turned over; this provides oxygen to the organisms that do the work . No other maintenance is required, nature does it all. In about a year and a half the waste will have become humus, a rich, crumbly, dark material that looks like soil . The municipalities 4111 will then dispense of this excellent soil amendment to citizens, businesses, schools , parks , and anyone else who can use it. Compost is a soil conditioner; it helps build soil structure. Compost increases the organic content of the soil and the ability of the soil to retain water, and reduces surface crusting and erosion. Compost from yard waste is not a fertilizer, as it has low concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Compost is applied to mulch or is incorporated into the soil by tilling. Ramsey County sites will be open this fall on Wednesdays (noon to 4 :30 p.m. ) , Saturdays (10 : 00 a.m. to 4 :30 p.m. ) and Sundays (noon to 4 : 30 p.m. ) from October 17 to November 11. At all sites residents may dispose of their leaves; they will be asked to empty any bags or cans and take their containers home with them. No brush or other refuse will be accepted . The sites are located as follows : St. Paul Planning District 1: Access to the site is located at the south end of Winthrop Street just off Londin Lane, between Highwood School/Recreation Center and Afton View Apartments .