August 5, 2005
Contact: Sue Baker
For Immediate Release
738-2000
Compost facility to be closed temporarily to landscape contractors
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today that effective October 31, private landscape contractors will be temporarily unable to use the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) compost facility to dispose of yard waste, in order to give DPW time to reduce the amount of composting material and upgrade the facility to bring it back into compliance with Department of Environmental Management (DEM) regulations.
Since 1993, the city has been one of only a few communities in Rhode Island to offer landscapers who live in Warwick, or those whose businesses are based here, an affordable and convenient way to dispose of yard waste. For a comparatively minimal annual fee of $1500, the city processes this material and transports it to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation facilities in Johnston.
However, due to the increasing popularity of the municipal composting program – which takes in over 12,000 tons of waste yearly – there is such a volume of waste that processing time and size restraints have resulted in a backlog of material, and the city is in violation of DEM rules. By limiting the amount of material, the city will be able to process existing waste and make necessary upgrades to the facility. This should also help to minimize odors that occasionally emanate from the composting materials.
A letter will be sent in the next few weeks to affected individuals, informing them that at the end of October, the city will not renew permits for the 2005-2006 season, Avedisian said.