|
     |
|
|
|
|
|
Your guide to green living in Montgomery County, MD |
Montgomery County, Maryland requires the use of a rodent-proof compost bin, with a tight-fitting lid, to compost food scraps in backyards. The yard trim compost bins currently provided by the County are designed for composting yard trim materials (including leaves, grass, garden trimmings), because these bins are completely open on the top and the bottom and have aerating holes all around the sides. Adding food scraps in an open compost pile or in a c
ompost bin that is not enclosed, is problematic because these actions attract rodents and other pests. Composting food scraps, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, requires more care, steps and monitoring, to reduce odors and the risk of pests.
Over the last two-years with the help of 1,000 resident volunteers, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has evaluated two types of compost bins for food scraps composting to ensure that the bins successfully deter rodents and aid in the decomposition of food scraps. The vast majority of participants have been able to compost food scraps in their backyard without experiencing any issues by using these bins and following our Best Practices recommendations.
DEP is coordinating a bulk discount sale of the successfully evaluated Earth Machine and the Hotfrog Dual Chamber Tumbler. By facilitating a bulk discount sale, we are providing residents with the opportunity to purchase these compost bins at a reduced cost – the Earth Machine (a $100 value) for $59.95 and the Hotfrog Dual Chamber Composter (a $130 value) for $109.95. An outside vendor will handle all sales. You must purchase your compost bin in advance online prior to pick-up. Compost bins will not be offered for sale at pickup locations.
The Food Scraps Compost Bin Bulk Discount Sale pickups will occur at the following dates and locations:
Learn more about Montgomery County’s Backyard Food Scraps Compost Bin Bulk Discount Sale, visit MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/FoodScraps.
|
|
© 2011 - 2024 My Green Montgomery |
Thank you – but we in MoCo should be able to have compostable material picked up weekly with our trash! Research suggests that focusing on composting efforts is way more viable than the $$ we are putting into the poor response with recycling single use plastics!!!
I agree Dr. Lisa Jordan, RN – that weekly pick-up of a ‘filled’ household Compost bucket County-wide could create one of the ‘greenest’ local government initiatives to greatly reduces landfill or incinerator polluting impact of not-separating organic matter from other trash collected weekly by local government contractors. Composting services can turn kitchen organic food ‘leavings’ into of reusable product, i.e. Compost soil. Currently a few small COMPOST Companies sell this service to voluntary monthly/weekly subscription customers like ourselves at reduced neighborhood-based costs of slightly over $22/month, with pick-ups on same day each week as Montgomery County Trash/Recycling truck pick-ups. They have amply demonstrated how systematic Compost Bin weekly collection and transformation into tons of nutrient-rich garden soil sold to consumers at-cost or for-profit quantitatively reduces emissions and prevents air/soil pollution cost-effectively, Other jurisdictions in D.C. region already offer or mandate this Composting service to all households. Montgomery County government needs to step up to it!
Sounds like a nice idea, in theory.
Voluntary? Fine.
However, I would not want another MoCo liberal requirement thrust upon our households.