HOW TO DISPOSE OF GRASS CLIPPINGS

Now that summer is in full swing, it seems like you’re constantly needing to whip out the lawnmower. If you have a large property, the amount of grass clippings that you produce can seem daunting, as you will be tasked with the large job of disposing of them. So, how do you dispose of grass clippings? Is there an ideal way to do so, or can you simply leave them in a garbage bag by the curb, for your local waste facility to collect? In this article, we take a look at how to correctly dispose of grass clippings, so you can feel confident that you’re doing what’s best for the environment.

Put Them in a Yard Waste Container

First, we need to establish what you cannot do – and that’s putting your grass clippings in your trash bin. And while some areas will not allow you to put your grass clippings in a yard waste container (check with your municipality’s rules and guidelines), others are happy to take them. 

Wiggly Wisdom tells us more about disposing of your grass clippings in your yard waste container:

“If your local collection company allows it, a great option for disposing of grass clippings is to put them in your yard waste container. Note that your yard waste container is not the same thing as your normal trash bin and might be an extra service you have to pay for. Do not put grass clippings in your normal trash bin, as this is not typically allowed and contributes to our growing landfills.”

Leave the Clippings on Your Lawn

Conveniently, leaving your grass clippings right on your lawn is one of the best ways to recycle them. If you’ve ever heard of the term “grasscycling”, then you know that allowing grass clippings to remain on your lawn has many benefits to your remaining grass.

SF Gate explains why you should consider grasscycling over the disposal of your grass clippings:

“Leave the grass clippings on your lawn, which is often referred to as “grasscycling.” Instead of raking the grass clippings into lawn waste bags, let them settle back onto your lawn. They will provide valuable nutrients to your grass and will also help the soil retain moisture. Mow your grass when it is dry and only cut off about one-third of the total blade length at a time to make grasscycling the most effective.”

Compost Clippings

Grass clippings can be put right into your compost bin, being a convenient method of disposal for those who only have to manage minimal amounts of clippings. However, some rules go along with correctly composting your grass clippings.

University of Minnesota’s Yard and Garden Extension tells us more on how to successfully compost your grass clippings:

“Composting involves mixing grass clippings and other plant materials with a small amount of soil containing microorganisms that decompose organic matter. Grass clippings are excellent additions to a compost pile because of their high nitrogen content. Grass clippings should not be the only compost material. As with mulches, a thick layer of grass clippings in a compost pile will lead to bad odors from anaerobic decomposition. Mix them with dry materials such as leaves or straw.”

We offer a wide variety of waste disposal options, including how to correctly dispose of your grass clippings, with services readily available online. Reach out to us to see what we can offer you.