Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District Encourages Backyard Composting to Reduce Landfill Waste
The Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District is encouraging residents to adopt backyard composting practices to reduce the amount of waste sent to the county landfill. Mike Hall of the District highlighted that food waste constitutes approximately 22% of the total volume at the county-owned landfill. While the average Crawford County resident generates about 4 pounds of trash daily, which is below the Ohio state average of over 5.3 pounds, diverting kitchen scraps like vegetable peelings can significantly extend the landfill's lifespan. A basic 3-by-3-foot enclosure made from wooden pallets, placed in a high, dry area with partial sun, can transform yard waste and produce scraps into nutrient-rich soil within four to five months, even functioning through winter. Residents are advised to exclude meat, dairy, grease, and oils from compost piles. The District offers guidance, site visits, and resources for setting up composting systems.
