Spring Cleaning means sprucing up those yards for the warmer months. Fortunately, the Green Team ERG is here to help provide tips and resources on Yard Waste.
1. Curbside Pick-up
Most Columbus addresses have yard waste curbside pickup. This is probably the most convenient form of disposal. Use the Collection Day Lookup to see if and when your address is eligible for curbside yard waste pickup.
The City of Columbus also provides information on yard waste collection such as what is accepted, what is not accepted and how to prepare your yard waste for collection.
Be sure to avoid plastic bags, food waste, rocks and dirt.
2. Yard Waste Drop-Off
Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) subsidizes the cost for Franklin County residents to be able to drop off their yard waste materials for FREE at processors who turn yard waste materials into compost and mulch. Visit swaco.org/yardwaste for a list of those drop-off locations as well as a list of the materials accepted and hours of operations.
3. Food Waste and Compost
Only stems, roots and leaves can be collected for the above mentioned collections, so what to do if you have food waste such as fallen fruit? The most sustainable solution is to compost. Compost bins can also include many particles that are also seen in yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and sticks.
- Compost at home. See SWACO’s Backyard Composting 101 video. Or read OHIOLine’s Composting at Home Fact Sheet.
- Donate Compost Materials. Bring compost materials to work and school! Ohio State has several compost drop off sites on campus! Read more here.
- Or drop off compost in your neighborhood. Check out Columbus’s food waste drop off program.
Want to learn more or become more active in Sustainability? Check out OSUMC’s Green Team ERG.
Or sign up to be a member!