LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Public Works is reminding residents that what goes in their yard waste bags matters — because one small mistake can cause a big problem down the line.
Officials said too much of what's being tossed out as yard waste is ending up in the wrong place, costing time, money and valuable resources. When people mix in trash, plastic or other debris, it can contaminate an entire load of material that could otherwise be recycled into mulch or compost.
Metro Public Works said those items definitely needs to be recycled, but yard waste is different.
Mary Ruscher makes yard maintenance part of her routine. She uses paper bags for her yard waste, a small step that helps keep the city's recycling stream clean.
"Today was get some leaves picked up and get my grass cut, because it's been a couple weeks," Ruscher said Monday. "And I need to get it cleaned up for the neighborhood to keep my yard nice."
But officials said not everyone follows the rules — and that's where the trouble starts. At Smith Creek, one of the facilities that processes Louisville's yard waste, employees see the problem firsthand.
"Plastic bags are a real challenge for us," said Laura Veldman, senior sourcing manager at Smith Creek. "Plastic of any kind truly is a problem. By the time it gets here, it's like a needle in a haystack."
Instead of breaking down into compost or mulch, the plastic and debris get tangled in equipment or spread throughout the piles of organic material.
"Ultimately, we want to maximize receiving as much as we can here," Veldman said. "Because we're able to make this material into viable landscape products."
Metro Public Works and Smith Creek partner to recycle leaves, grass clippings and small branches into usable landscaping material. But when the waste is contaminated, that process stops.
Karen Maynard, the city's solid waste education manager, said it's a growing concern.
"Using that service properly is actually what we want," Maynard said. "Sometimes, people are confused and think they can bag leaves into plastic bags — and that's actually not allowed in Louisville. That makes it trash, basically."
Maynard said residents should use paper yard waste bags, reusable containers, or bundles tied with twine. She added that Metro Public Works is offering free yard waste drop-off events through early December to make proper disposal easier.
"We just really want to make sure people are not mixing garbage with their yard waste," Maynard said.
For Ruscher, it's a simple way to help the neighborhood — and the environment.
"I just buy several packs of bags because I know I'm going to need them," she said.
To find a list of what's accepted — and where to drop off yard waste, click here.
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