The Bill Would:

• Have Dire Economic and Environmental Consequences

Allowing the return of yard trimmings back to landfills would be devastating to small businesses engaged in composting/mulching and recycling programs. The landscaping industry has already suffered significant job losses as a result of the economy and the drought. More jobs would be lost and others would not be created if the state reverses its decision on the ban.

Compost infrastructure is beginning to grow in Georgia as the US EPA has placed food scrap recovery along with yard trimmings at front and center of its Resource Conservation Challenge. Yard trimmings are the essential carbon source required to be mixed with scraps in the composting process. Countless small business jobs are expected to be created as the Department of Natural Resources is in the process of developing new rules to streamline the permitting process. According to the institute for local self reliance composting alone creates four (4) jobs to each one (1) created via land filling or incineration.

Water, Water, Water…In the face of a tri-state water war Georgia will be compelled to be even more aggressive in the use of  management practices that protect the state’s natural resources most important of which is that of soil and water.  Yard trimmings are currently being used as a valuable organic resource to restore and build soil structure and vegetative landscapes for storm water management, erosion and sediment control and water conservation.

Read more at the Original Post www.southeastgreen.com