NSP: Proper yard waste disposal is important

The Neponset Stormwater Partnership is encouraging residents to rake up their leaves this fall to reduce water pollution and prevent flooding.

According to the NSP, the problem isn’t the leaves themselves; it’s what people do with their leaves and the way the stormwater infrastructure works.

Freshly fallen leaves contain a natural fertilizer called phosphorous. When it gets added to streams, ponds and wetlands, it encourages lush growth of pond weeds and algae in the spring that can interfere with swimming, reduce the amount of oxygen in the water needed to sustain fish and aquatic life, and in severe cases, contribute to the growth of cyanobacteria “blooms” that can be toxic to people and animals.

When leaves fall in the autumn, they quickly begin to decompose, and rain washes the natural fertilizers out of them. When leaves fall in a forest or on your lawn, these fertilizers get recycled into the soil and trapped there, helping plants grow in the spring. But when leaves, grass clippings or other organic materials get dumped into wetlands, waterways or ponds, those natural fertilizers go right into the water system and cause problems.

Similarly, when leaves or other yard waste are left on paved areas, rain washes those natural fertilizers into storm drains that lead right to local waterways without first going to a treatment plant. Dumping of leaves can also cause blockages in storm drains and waterways that can cause flooding.

Help keep the ponds and waterways in your community clean and healthy this fall with a few simple steps:

* Never dump leaves in wetlands or waterways (it’s harmful and illegal).

* Collect leaves in paper bags for disposal by your town.

* Compost your yard waste at home in an area away from wetlands and storm drains.

* Keep paved areas and storm drains clear of leaves.

* Make sure your lawn service is properly disposing of all your waste.

* Mow your leaves with a mulching mower and let them stay on the lawn as a natural fertilizer.

Canton residents may dispose of their yard waste at the Yard Waste Recycling Facility at 99 Pine Street, which is currently open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents must display a yard waste sticker on their vehicle, which can be purchased either at the facility or at the DPW office at Town Hall. For more information, visit town.canton.ma.us/488/Yard-Waste or yourcleanwater.org/yard-waste-disposal.

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Posted by Guest on Oct 22 2021. Filed under Featured Content. Both comments and pings are currently closed.