Since the 2010 outsourcing by City Council of the city’s composting program to WeCare Organics, a company based in New York, the per cubic yard price of compost has risen from $10-$12 to $18-$20 per cubic yard. The Charter Township of Ypsilanti Compost Site located at 2600 East Clark Road offers compost for $10 per cubic yard.
IF IT’S SPRING, it must be compost season. This year brings some important changes to the city’s curbside collection program.
The weekly curbside collection of residential compostables in the City of Ann Arbor resumes Monday, March 31, 2014, on regular curbside trash collection days. The compost program accepts yard trimmings such as leaves, plants, garden debris, twigs, and branches up to 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length.
Ann Arbor residents using optional compost carts may also place grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, branches under 6 inches, leaves, and food scraps (including meat and bones) inside the carts for municipal collection.
Participating residents should place compostables at the curb before 7 a.m. on their weekly garbage/recycling collection day. Collection goes most smoothly when residents allow at least three feet between each cart.
Ann Arbor’s composting program was expanded under the auspices of the recent Five-Year Solid Waste Plan approved by City Council to include food scraps. Cart owners are eligible for a free kitchen composter. Effective March 31, 2014, compost cart owners can begin placing all “plate scrapings” into the compost cart — including meat, bones and other leftovers. To help get plate scrapings from the kitchen to the cart, compost cart owners qualify for a free 1.9 gallon kitchen composter. Cart owners will receive a postcard in the mail with information on how to claim the new composter. This attractive unit — designed to fit on an average kitchen countertop —conveniently collects plate scrapings without having to take dishes to the cart. The unit is dishwasher safe, comes with an ergonomic handle, a vented lid, and has a locking lid designed to stay closed even if it falls from the counter.
If residents prefer to use composter bag liners in kitchen composters, only BPI-certified compostable bags may be used and are available for $2 per box at Larcom City Hall. They can also be purchased locally or online. Please do not use or place regular plastic bags in your kitchen composter or compost cart or your cart may be rejected.
The city sells authorized, municipal 96-, 64-, and 35-gallon compost carts for a one-time price of $25 each (same price for any size). Residents may purchase compost carts from the city’s Customer Service Center & Payment Center (734.994.7336 or 99-GREEN) during weekday business hours at 301 E. Huron. An online summary of the city’s compost, recycling and trash cart collection options is posted at www.a2gov.org/carts.
In addition to purchasing a city-approved compost cart, residents may use paper yard waste bags (available from local retailers). Brush and tree limbs (up to 6 inches in diameter) should be tied into bundles up to 18 inches in diameter. Bags or bundles of compostables can weigh no more than 50 pounds each.
Paper yard waste bags with food scraps or grass clippings are not allowed outside of a compost cart in order to avoid attracting wildlife, generating odors, or creating unsafe conditions from wet, overweight, or broken paper bags at the curb. The compost program does not accept plastic bags, trash, stones, dirt, sod, animal waste, or logs over 6 inches in diameter.
Purchasing Compost and Mulch
Bulk municipal compost and mulch are available for sale year round from the Ann Arbor Compost Center at 4150 Platt Road, Ann Arbor 48108, 734-489-4518, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Compost Center is also open on spring Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon during April, May and June.
Mechanically-loaded cured and screened municipal compost and mulch are sold for $18 per cubic yard (plus tax), minimum two cubic yards per visit, while supplies are available.
Effective April 1, 2013, compost and mulch prices were $20/cubic yard, plus sales tax for a total of $21.20/cubic yard. The current $18/cubic yard price is a 10 percent drop over last year’s prices. Since the 2010 outsourcing by City Council of the city’s composting program to WeCare Organics, a company based in New York, the per cubic yard price of compost has risen from $10-$12 to $18-$20 per cubic yard.
The Charter Township of Ypsilanti Compost Site located at 2600 East Clark Road offers compost for $10 per cubic yard.
Free compost or mulch for Ann Arbor residents, only, is available on Saturdays, April 5 through June 28, 2014, from 8 a.m. to noon, while supplies last.
Residents should drive to the scale house at 4150 Platt Road and provide proof of Ann Arbor city residency — a recent water bill or driver’s license. The scale house operator will then direct residents to the location of the free compost and mulch. Limit is 6 bushels (or 1 cubic yard) per household of compost, mulch, or any combination thereof per year. Residents must bring their own shovel and containers.
Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station (DOS) Bushel and Cubic Yard Sales:
Compost, woodchip, and mulch are sold by the bushel and cubic yard at the Drop-Off Station (DOS), 2950 E. Ellsworth Road, 734-971-7400. The DOS, managed by Recycle Ann Arbor, also provides for-fee delivery of compost, woodchip, and mulch.
Compost, which RAA purchases from the city at a discount for resale, is $20 per cubic yard plus tax. If mechanical loading is required there is a $3 loading charge, there are no additional fees for customers loading their own compost.
The Drop-Off Station (DOS) is open three days per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (non holidays). The $3 DOS entry fee is waived for customers only purchasing compost, woodchips or mulch.
For 24-hour information on the city’s compost operations, more details on the expanded fruit and vegetable materials accepted for seasonal collection, and compost cart sales, residents call phone 99.GREEN (734.994.7336) or visit the city’s website: http://www.a2gov.org/compost.