Southwest Solid Waste Authority at 318 S. Ridge Road is now diverting leaves from the landfill for composting. Bags of leaves can be dropped off at a separate location at the landfill and used to begin a local project to help divert yard waste from the landfill. When you rake up your leaves put them in a trash bag and take them to the landfill and the scale house attendant will direct you to the drop-off site. Please don't put anything besides leaves in the bag. Don't put any trash in the bag it will make it harder for the composting. The leaves should be in a bag because otherwise they would blow away.
Leaves are a great addition to a compost pile since they are full of minerals and nutrients that are better to return to plants in the form of compost than to end up as trash in the landfill. Southwest Solid Waste and the Silver City Recycling Advisory Committee are working to divert organic materials from the landfill. According to several estimates around half of waste that goes into the landfill could be turned into compost. Diverting the organic waste to compost will extend the life of the landfill. Please donate your leaves.
