Options offered for leaf composting
Several municipalities throughout Butler County offer services for residents to dispose of leaves in the autumn, but there are several ways people can get rid of their fall coverings safely and cost-effectively.
Sami Laurence, manager of the Macoskey Center for Sustainability Education & Research at Slippery Rock University, said ultimately, leaves can be left alone because they degrade relatively quickly on their own.
“Leaves act as natural fertilizer for your yard. That's how a forest floor is regenerated, is the fallen leaves,” Laurence said.
Butler Township offers curbside collection of bagged leaves for four weeks in the fall, and residents can put them in biodegradable paper bags and placed at the curb on trash collection days Mondays Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Nov. 14 and Nov. 28.
Butler city also offers a leaf disposal option at Butler Memorial Park, at an existing compost area that users are directed to at the park. The area is scheduled to be open through the first week of December, according to the city’s website. There is also curbside collection service provided by the streets department, which residents can call when all their leaves have fallen.
Laurence said some municipalities use composting to dispose of organic waste, but some people opt for other methods of removal. Some options, like burning leaves, she said can be harmful not only to the environment, but also to an person’s health, according to a research article from Purdue University.
“Smoke from burning leaves contains bad particles that can go into your lungs and stay there for years. It can increase risk of respiratory infections,” Laurence said. “It releases hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, so basically, beyond it not being great for the environment, it's also not good for you.”
The Macoskey Center offers leaf and organic waste composting, which is available for free to Slippery Rock residents. She said people who want to take their organic waste to the center need to call ahead for infomation, so the staff can review what they want to compost to ensure they can be composted.
The center is actually seeking more compostable materials this fall and winter to prepare for spring.
“We need compostable materials so our windrows can turn in the spring,” Laurence said.
Laurence recommended composting for anyone looking to reduce their environmental impact, because organic materials can be more useful recycled than they are trashed.
“In garden beds, leaves can be good mulch for winterizing your garden,” Laurence said as an example. “There are so many uses.”
For information on composting at the Macoskey Center, call 724-738-4050.
