Put yard waste in its place!
Where you put yard waste has big impacts

(Port Orchard) Cleaning up the yard next weekend? After you mow the lawn and trim the bushes and trees, what do you do with the waste created? That choice has impact to your family, and to your community. Let’s look at some different ways residents make that decision, and the impact it creates.

For many of us out of sight is out of mind. Throwing yard waste and woody debris in roadside ditches, or placing it on slopes, is dangerous and can have disastrous results. Debris dumped in ditches can end up blocking culverts and other drainage structures, causing erosion and damage to the road and to your and your neighbor’s property. Debris dumped on slopes allows rainwater to accumulate behind it and becomes extremely heavy. This can cause mudslides and weakens the slope by causing natural vegetation to slide off the face. This causes additional erosion, and often blocks ditches and runoff routes causing flooding and other damage.

Many residents in burn ban areas are taking advantage of curbside pick-up for yard waste. It is convenient and you can recycle 90 gallons of yard debris at curbside for less than it costs to dispose of 32 gallons of garbage. Why not let someone else haul away your branches and woody debris for recycling? Call your hauler to see if curbside yard waste collection is available in your neighborhood.

Other residents are finding the benefits that backyard composting yard waste offers. Composting converts dead leaves and grass clippings into healthy food for your landscape, rather than pollution that fouls the air. Composting is a convenient and affordable way to manage yard waste, and it creates a nutrient-rich mulch that improves your soil and the health of your plants. Get more information at www.kitsapgov.com/sw/compost.htm.

If you don’t have room for a compost project, there are many drop-off locations in Kitsap County that accept yard waste. Visit www.kitsapgov.com/sw and choose “What Do I Do With It” to find drop-off sites for stumps, woody debris, and yard debris.

Have you considered chipping tree branches and other woody debris? The bonus is a great mulch for your yard. You can rent or purchase chippers in a range of sizes for different yard and garden applications - or you can enlist professionals to do the work for you. Visit www.kitsapgov.com/sw and choose “What Do I Do With It?” to find onsite chipping services. If you choose to purchase your own, check out the variety of chippers available from home improvement stores, mass retailers and many online marketplaces. Or consult your local yellow pages for a listing of professional chipping services and companies that rent chipping equipment.

Some choose to burn yard waste. To burn yard waste you must be outside the urban burn-ban area. To find out, check out the map at www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/gis/maps/BurnBan/index.html. It’s also critical to call your local Fire Department prior to burning to see if there is a permit required, and to ensure no other restrictions are in place. When you burn yard waste you must consider the health effects of breathing smoke from burning yard debris. In addition to the health impact, burning yard waste contributes to air pollution.

This summer make the right choice when it comes to disposing yard waste and other yard debris. For locations that accept yard waste, and more information about compost, please visit our website or call The Open Line at 360-337-5777.

RELATED LINKS

Kitsap County Solid Waste Division

Kitsap County Outdoor Burning Information

Kitsap County Public Works
The Open Line
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
openline@co.kitsap.wa.us