Ban on Yard Trimmings in Landfills

In addition to implementing yard waste reduction strategies, such as grasscycling, some jurisdictions have banned yard trimmings from landfills. Where such bans exist, public waste management authorities often provide residents the option of curbside collection if the yard debris is “source-separated” from other waste or public drop-off locations. Landfill bans, coupled with publicly provided alternatives and self-reliant sustainable landscape strategies, drastically reduce the total waste stream. Thanks to these efforts, the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management factsheet reported that yard trimmings had a recovery rate of 63% in 2018, or 22.3 million tons composted.