UPDATE: yard waste drop off site

[Melanie Flanders Kinser]

Thanks to all of you who have responded to my inquiry about where to take large compost items.  I've cut and pasted several responses below with different ideas and resources.

Cheers!

Melanie
 

******************

If you want the nutrients in the wood but don't want to compost it the normal way...burn it.  takes 30 min is fun and you can cook dinner too.  great way to be outdoors and after just apply the ash to garden or compost, great carbon.  Its called the Slash and Burn method if youd like more info!

***************
You might try the site on Smith Road that has tree trimmings. I forgot 
if it is Denver Solid Waste or Trees or ?, but it is where compost, 
mulch and Christmas trees used to be dropped off or picked up.

*******************

Melanie,

 

Thank you for your efforts to compost as much as possible.  Here are the yard waste drop sites that I am aware of.  I'm afraid none of them are in Denver. 

 

Jensen Sales Co.
8080 S. Santa Fe Dr.
Littleton, CO
303-791-4250
Notes:
Wholesale landscape supplier of bark, mulch, ground covers and soil amendments made from yard and construction waste. Accepts for a fee soil, sod, grass, tree branches, unpainted wood scraps, and sawdust. Drop-off only. Open to the public.

Oxford Recycling
2400 W. Oxford Ave.
Sheridan, CO
303-762-1160
Web Address: www.oxfordrecycling.com
Notes:
Recycles, asphalt, concrete, tree branches and unpainted wood. Call for fees.

Renewable Fiber
2600 W. Oxford Ave.
Sheridan, CO
303-798-1292
Notes:
Accepts grass, trees and shrubs for recycling. Resells items plus sells landscaping materials. Drop-off only.

********************
I think denver County will pick up yard waste in those brown paper yard 
waste bags (you can get from Home Depot), or what we did is buy a 
chipper on sale at Harbor Freight for 99.00 and chip it up ourselves. I 
think if its smaller like that it will eventually dissolve in your 
compost, or you can make home-made mulch.

On Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 18:15, Melanie Flanders Kinser <melanie...@mac.com> wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone know where I could drop off some yard waste near the Park Hill area of Denver that is too large for our compost pile ?  It's mostly tree branches we've trimmed.

thanks!

Melanie

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[Goyton, Becky - PW Solid Waste]

Melanie,

 

Thanks for sharing this information with the group.  Since there were several references below to City & County of Denver programs, I thought I would take this opportunity to clarify a few points:

 

1. Please do not take any yard debris (including trees) to the Havana Nursery on Smith Road.  This is not a public drop site.  The City does hold our annual mulch giveaway there once a year but it is not meant as as drop site for yard debris.

 

2. The City currently does not operate a yard debris collection program, so please do not set your yard debris out in brown yard bags for us to collect.  We are running a small compost collection pilot program (~3,000 homes) with green collection carts but that program requires that all material be placed inside the green cart in order to be collected. 

 

I hope that helps clarify. 

 

Thanks!

 

Becky Goyton
Recycling Program Administrator
Denver Recycles, Solid Waste Management
720-865-6843
becky....@denvergov.org

Lose the Bag . . . and Leave the Grass Clippings on the Lawn!
Learn more about the natural way to recycle your grass clippings…

 

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From: denverurb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:denverurb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Melanie Flanders Kinser
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 10:04 AM
To: Denver Urban Gardens
Subject: [DUG Listserv] UPDATE: yard waste drop off site

Thanks to all of you who have responded to my inquiry about where to take large compost items.  I've cut and pasted several responses below with different ideas and resources.

Cheers!

Melanie
 

******************

If you want the nutrients in the wood but don't want to compost it the normal way...burn it.  takes 30 min is fun and you can cook dinner too.  great way to be outdoors and after just apply the ash to garden or compost, great carbon.  Its called the Slash and Burn method if youd like more info!

***************
You might try the site on Smith Road that has tree trimmings. I forgot 
if it is Denver Solid Waste or Trees or ?, but it is where compost, 
mulch and Christmas trees used to be dropped off or pi  

*******************

[CHERYL BORGEN]

Becky,
 
What is the Denver homeowner to do with their clipping/yard waste?  Will the trash collection pick it up in the dumpsters since you say below not to put it in bags?  We have 'adopted' an 80 y.o. man in Denver and have been putting yard debris into the dumpster at his direction.  What is the proper method of disposal if one is not in the pilot program?
 
Cheryl
 

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Subject: RE: [DUG Listserv] UPDATE: yard waste drop off site
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:45:39 -0600
From: Becky....@denvergov.org
To: melanie...@mac.com; denverurb...@googlegroups.com

[Goyton, Becky - PW Solid Waste]

Cheryl,

 

To clarify; the City does not operate a city-wide collection program specifically for yard debris to be composted. So residents shouldn't set yard debris out in paper lawn bags with the expectation that it will be collected and composted. 

 

If you would like to put yard debris (with the exception of tree branches) in brown bags and put it in your trash container (dumpster, city-issued trash barrel, or you own container, depending on what service you have), then you may do so. For service guidelines for each of our trash collection types, visit: http://www.denvergov.org/SolidWasteManagement/AllTrashCollectionTypes/tabid/423603/Default.aspx

 

Tree branches should be bundled and set out as instructed depending on your type of trash service.  For instructions, visit:  http://www.denvergov.org/SolidWasteManagement/BranchesTreeBranches/tabid/423612/Default.aspx

 

If you don't want to put yard debris in the trash and can't compost/mulch them at home, then here are a few resources for composting yard debris:

 

1. Grasscycling: Grass clippings in a landfill decompose aerobically and create methane, which is a greenhouse gas 21x more potent in its warming capabilities than carbon dioxide.  On the other hand, GrassCycling is the practice of leaving grass clippings on your lawn when mowing, instead of bagging them. It’s the natural way to recycle grass clippings and provide your lawn with the valuable nutrients and water that it needs.  If you'd like to learn more about this easy way to reduce trash, conserve water and create a healthy lawn, then visit: http://www.denvergov.org/recoth/Grasscycle/tabid/425972/Default.aspx

 

2. LeafDrop: In the fall on 3 consecutive Sundays (usually end of October/early November), Denver Recycles/SWM operate 5 drop sites where residents can bring us their leaves which we then take to a compost facility.  There are also 2 weekday sites that open in early October and close in early December.  I will post a LeafDrop announcement on the DUG listserv in October.

 

3. Private Drop Sites: There are a few private drop sites in the area that will accept some yard debris for mulching or composting, but they usually charge a fee.  To learn more about these sites, visit our Recycling Directory at http://www.denvergov.org/Recycle/tabid/425783/Default.aspx and use the drop down menu to search by "Yard Waste/Debris"

 

4. Treecycle: Each year, Denver Recycles/SWM provides Christmas tree collection during the first two weeks in January.  The trees that are collected are turned into mulch and the mulch is given away at our annual Mulch Giveaway and Compost Sale in May . I'll send an announcement to the DUG listserv in December.

 

Thank you,

 

Becky Goyton
Recycling Program Administrator
Denver Recycles, Solid Waste Management
720-865-6843
becky....@denvergov.org

Lose the Bag . . . and Leave the Grass Clippings on the Lawn!
Learn more about the natural way to recycle your grass clippings…

 

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From: CHERYL BORGEN [mailto:pric...@q.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:28 PM
To: Denver Urban Gardens listserv
Cc: Goyton, Becky - PW Solid Waste