Submitted by Ed McGrath, Bedford’s Recycling Coordinator
The Bedford Compost Center at 108 Carlisle Road will open for the season on Saturday, April 9.
The Compost Center will be open on selected Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on selected Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Department of Public Works recently mailed each household the 2016 schedule for the Compost Center.
Yard waste is prohibited from regular trash. Residents may either compost yard waste on their own property or bring the yard waste to the Compost Center on Carlisle Road where it will be turned into loam products for Public Works projects.
Acceptable yard waste consists of leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, garden trimmings, weeds and tree material up to one inch (1”) in diameter. Tree limbs more than one inch (1”) in diameter can be placed in the brush pile. Only Kraft paper style biodegradable bags, available at a variety of stores, are allowed to be dropped off. Residents should empty plastic trash bags or containers of yard waste and bring them home for reuse.
“Yard waste is one of the materials banned from the trash by the state,” said Ed McGrath, Bedford’s Recycling Coordinator. “The options for disposing of leaves, grass clippings and other yard waste are to either bring it to the town’s compost center or start a compost pile in your yard.”
Compost bins are available on sale for $45 from the Department of Public Works at 314 Great Road, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
McGrath added that there will be a curbside collection of yard waste in the fall.