About 30-40 percent of garbage collected at the Ada County landfill in the spring and summer is yard waste. That’s according to Catherine Chertudi, Boise’s solid waste programs manger. But come July 1, that percentage could change.
“There’s a demand and an interest to divert materials from the landfill, re-purpose them," says Chertudi. "And through some pretty innovative thinking, Republic Services has identified business that is interested in taking grass and using it to create ensilage for cattle feed.”
Chertudi says the pilot program would work like curbside trash pickups. People who use the service would put clippings in a rented cart.
Republic Services – the disposal company that collects trash in the Treasure Valley – would pick up the clippings and turn them into packed down feed for cattle. Chertudi says the company has found a rancher in the area who wants to take part.
Boise's city council and mayor still need to approve the service. Chertudi says they hope to bring the proposal to the council in the next few weeks, and launch the program mid-summer.
The optional service as it stands now would cost $7.95 per month . That's about $95 for the year and the cost would show up on your City of Boise utility bill.
Copyright 2013 Boise State Public Radio
