Composting program in the works

BY CINDY TOOPES COURIER STAFF WRITER

September 05, 2008 11:58 pm

— OTTUMWA — Do you want to try an alternative to burning yard waste?
If so, the city and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources might have just the program for you. It’s called composting.
Ottumwa Recycling Center Coordinator Janice Bain said composting reduces air pollution and provides homeowners with a no- or low-cost soil amendment.
This week, the Ottumwa City Council approved a composting grant contract between the city and the DNR.
The contract indicates the DNR will provide $5,625 to help purchase compost bins. The city’s required match is 50 percent of the total project cost, which is budgeted at $11,635.
Bain said the grant will be used to purchase up to 150 compost bins. Ottumwans can sign up to become part of the pilot program on a first-come, first-served basis. So far about 18 people have signed up for bins.
“But, we can’t order any bins until everything is 100 percent finalized,” she added.
The paperwork process is nearly done so Bain is collecting names, addresses and phone numbers of people who want to participate.
“After we get the bins in, we’ll hold a seminar and give away information on how to compost — what you can do and what you shouldn’t do,” she said.
Local master gardeners and the Wapello County Conservation Board have offered their support and are willing to assist with the composting program.
At the end of a year, the city will want a report on how much composting each resident did and whether they liked composting. If a resident doesn’t want to continue, Bain would like to have the bin back.
“If a person likes it and plans to do it, we won’t ask to have the bins back,” Bain said.
How do you compost yard stuff?
Bain said most lawn clippings, leaves, grass, egg shells, coffee grounds and a large amount of food waste can go in a compost bin. But, don’t put in meat, oil, grease or cat or dog manure.
“You can also put in wood, like branches or limbs, but it takes longer for it to break down,” Bain said.
After the items have decomposed, what’s left?
“Useful nutrients. You can add this compost to your garden, potted plants or flower beds,” she said. “You can save money because you don’t have to buy fertilizer and you don’t have to haul yard waste or have it picked up.”
Bain also pointed out composting can save “everyone’s health” because the resident isn’t burning anything or putting it into the groundwater. If enough people do composting, then workers won’t have to drive around and pick up yard waste bags.
“You can save yourself a trip to the landfill or the recycling center because you wouldn’t have to haul grass and leaves there to dump them,” she said.
Bain has composted before and used the nutrients on her sweet potatoes and coleus.
“I had sweet potatoes the size of footballs and canned more than 40 pints of them that year,” she said. “My coleus plants were nearly twice the usual size.”
Cindy Toopes can be reached at (641) 683-5376 or via e-mail at cindy@ottumwacourier.com.

For more information
To sign up for a bin or to request information, contact Bain at 683-0685 or e-mail: bainj@ci.ottumwa.ia.us.