Yard Waste Composting as a Viable Cost Reduction Process

Abstract

Yard waste consist of garden waste, generated by public parks and private gardens routine maintenance such as grass clippings, leaves from deciduous trees, flowers, fallen fruits, branches, twigs and logs and its composition vary greatly depending on the original location due to climate and other environmental conditions. Yard waste may represent a problem to Municipal Solid Waste Management Programs due to its large volume thus, it is necessary to incentivize local composting programs. In this study we show a brief disposal cost estimation from different cities from United States of America and Canada and we discuss how this biowaste can be managed in order to reduce costs with storage, transportation and disposal fees, encouraging the utilization of the final product as a soil amendment, stimulating and reinforcing the circular economy concept. The composted yard waste may not substitute the use of commercial products but it can reduce the cost of acquisition of this soil conditioner as well costs waste management. Update in environmental public policies is essential to foment sustainable economy in this context.