Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 26, 2001
Contact: Mike Heideman, 785-296-5795
Less than a decade ago composting was a rare activity in Kansas. Some master gardeners and health food enthusiasts may have had backyard composting projects because they knew that plants grow better when supported by rich, dark compost produced by the controlled
bio-degradation of grass, leaves, and other household organic wastes.
In the mid-1990s, composting took off in Kansas and it hasn’t slowed yet. Today, Kansas has about 100 community composting programs which are producing thousands of tons of usable compost every year -- and conserving valuable landfill space.
The week of April 29 to May 5th is International Composting Awareness Week. The theme of this promotional effort is "Make a Difference....Compost." Composting does make a difference and is an integral part of the statewide "Kansas Don’t Spoil It" public education initiative sponsored by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
"The composting of yard waste is probably the single best way to reduce our municipal solid waste stream," said Bill Bider, director of KDHE’s Bureau of Waste Management. "Yard waste comprises 10 to 15 percent of the waste stream over the entire year, but it can be as high as 30 percent in certain seasons. By establishing backyard projects or participating in community programs, major waste reduction can be accomplished." Recognizing this opportunity many communities have implemented local programs which divert yard waste from their landfill or waste transfer station, Bider said.
KDHE has helped stimulate composting by providing public education, technical training, and financial assistance to purchase the equipment needed to operate large central composting facilities. Waste reduction grants, funded by a $1 per ton landfill fee, have helped cities and counties purchase dozens of compost turners and wood grinding equipment. The annual Recycling and Composting Work! Conference has been held since 1995 to teach local officials how to implement composting programs.
"Every Kansan benefits when we reduce the amount of solid waste which must be landfilled, and composting is a way that individuals can make a difference," commented KDHE Secretary Clyde Graeber. "If your community has a composting program, be a part of it. If it doesn’t, consider starting a backyard program or converting to a mulching mower."
If you would like more information about composting, contact the Bureau of Waste Management at 1-800-282-9790 or kpowell@kdheks.gov.