OTTUMWA — City residents use more chemicals on their lawns than farmers do on their fields.

Janice Bain, the city’s recycling coordinator, prefers the “Leave It Lay” program, which promotes letting cut grass lay on the lawn.

Bain spoke of the Leave It Lay program while discussing some items added to the proposed Ottumwa/Wapello County Solid Waste Comprehensive Plan Update 2009.

“I think bagging grass originally started when people thought the grass clippings would promote thatch,” she said Wednesday. “But what the grass does is fertilize your lawn.”

Hauling off the cut grass “puts strain on your back and wastes time.

“I don’t want my yard to look bad but I don’t want chemicals sprayed on there, either,” Bain said. “I don’t like the smell.”

At a recent Ottumwa City Council meeting, members approved a resolution of support for the solid-waste plan. Bain said all the cities and counties in the solid waste comprehensive planning area are required to provide a resolution of support.

Bain said she still needs two more resolutions — one from Blakesburg and one from Chillicothe — and then she can submit the comprehensive plan to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources by Nov. 1.

The solid-waste plan update also includes extending the landfill ban on corrugated cardboard to include multi-family apartments and developing a pilot program to implement or increase recycling in multi-family housing in smaller cities in the planning area.

Bain also wants more promotion for taking household hazardous materials to the Regional Collection Center, which opened July 15 on the west side of the Recycling Center, 2415 Emma St.

“There’s no reason for residents to pour things on the ground or down the drain, which contaminates the soil and groundwater,” Bain said. “It’s important to educate citizens on the importance of keeping themselves healthy and safe. They should use less toxic alternatives and read every label.”

To deliver household hazardous materials, citizens need to make an appointment by calling the recycling center in advance.

Composting is also in the solid-waste plan, and Bain hopes to promote the program by encouraging others to compost. She said ways to accomplish that goal are spreading the word via radio programs, speaking to various interested groups, distributing printed materials and preparing public service announcements for broadcast media.

“The last thing we thought about was a citizen questionnaire,” Bain said. “But, we haven’t finished developing it so we won’t worry about it until the DNR approves the plan.”

Bain has to turn in the plan by Nov. 1. She said DNR has a staggered schedule for all the solid waste programs so they don’t have all the plans in hand at one time.