You must start separating yard waste from trash in April, Lincoln officials say

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincolnites must soon separate yard waste from household trash, city officials said Tuesday.

State law requires that people separate grass and leaves from their household trash between April 1 and Nov. 30.

But residents can still throw away tree trimmings, garden waste and weeds in the garbage.

“Lincoln residents are playing an important role in the community’s sustainability when they separate their yard waste,” said Willa DiCostanzo, waste diversion coordinator for the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department.

Lincolnites can discard leaves and grass in paper yard waste bags, 32-gallon containers with tight-fitting lids or 95-gallon containers provided by garbage collectors.

The city turns the yard waste into compost, called EarthFuel, DiCostanzo said.

She reminded people to remove to pick up their yard before raking up their leaves and grass.

“It’s amazing how many tennis balls, dog toys, and litter that gets screened out of our compost,” DiCostanzo said.

If garbage is found mixed in with yard waste, collectors may charge customers additional fees, the city said.

More information on composting at home can be found at lincoln.ne.gov/compost.