In the fall, leaf waste can account for as much as 80 percent of our municipal waste stream. Composting is easy, and it's something we can all do to help keep natural materials from taking up valuable landfill space. All you need is a small area in your yard, some leaves, grass clippings or kitchen scraps, and a little information. Composting is an accelerated version of the natural decaying process.
Leaves normally take up to two years to decay.
In addition to leaves and grass, certain kitchen scraps such as eggshells and coffee grounds also are recyclable through composting. Best of all, backyard composting provides organic material that you can use in your garden and flower beds in the spring. Shredding leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps speeds up decay. The pile should be located in a convenient area, protected from overexposure. Nitrogen accelerates composting.