Pennsylvania, like many otros estados, has regulations that prohibit yard trimmings in landfills. The state has prohibited yard trimmings in landfills since 1990. However, because the applicability of the law banning green waste from landfills does not extend to grass clippings, Pennsylvania’s ban is less encompassing than other states’, including Massachusetts y Minnesota, which ban yard trimmings in landfills regardless of their source of origin. Below is a list of the sections of Pennsylvania’s Code pertaining to the leaf waste disposal ban.
Chapter 271.1 — Definition of “leaf waste”
Section 272.422 — Municipal ordinance requiring separation of leaf waste at residential, commercial, municipal, or institutional establishments
Section 273.201 (j) — Loads composed primarily of leaf waste may not be disposed at a municipal waste landfill
Section 277.201 (j) — Loads composed primarily of leaf waste may not be disposed at a construction/demolition waste landfill
Section 283.201 (g) — On and after September 26, 1990, loads composed primarily of leaf waste may not be processed at a municipal waste processing facility [which includes resource recovery facilities and incinerators but not transfer, composting facilities nor incinerators operating under permit-by-rule] except for purposes of composting.
On-Farm and Small-Scale Composting Permit
Pennsylvania has a General Permit (WMGM017) that covers both on-farm and non-farm small-scale composting facilities. This WMGM017 permit allows the composting, vermicomposting, and hermetiacomposting (using black soldier flies) of a variety of source-separated materials. Approved uses for finished compost include marketing or distribution as soil substitute, soil conditioner, soil amendment, fertilizer, or mulch.
Para poder optar a un permiso general, la planta de compostaje debe cumplir los siguientes criterios:
– “No exceda los cinco (5) acres para el compostaje en granjas, o dos (2) acres para el compostaje a pequeña escala fuera de granjas.
– “No almacena más de 500 toneladas o 1000 yardas cúbicas al año de residuos alimenticios separados en origen.
– “No almacena más de 3,000 yardas cúbicas por acre de materiales totales en ningún momento”.”
Read ILSR’s writeup on this permit here.
MORE INFORMATION
- Regulaciones sobre instalaciones de compostaje de Pensilvania (Código Administrativo de Pensilvania, capítulo 281)
- Departamento de Protección Ambiental de Pensilvania – Recursos e información sobre compostaje
- Departamento de Protección Ambiental de Pensilvania – Leaf & Yard Waste Reduction
—————————————
Publicación original del 30 de julio de 2012.
Actualizado el 8 de julio de 2021