Although the Duncansville site is a research and demonstration facility designed to partner with municipalities, farmers and businesses; the County of Blair attempts to offer the community service as a benefit to all residents and the environment.
Leaves, grass clippings and yard waste are free of charge and can be dropped off in paper leaf bags or emptied from plastic bags or pickup trucks. Truckloads of brush and chippable branches will be accepted, but a fee of $4 for small truckloads, $5 for large pickup trucks and $10 for dump-bed trucks will be charged.
For residents with municipal leaf collection, the Duncansville site continues to be open to all municipalities. Several municipalities are offering some form of yard waste pickup for their residents.
n Hollidaysburg Borough is offering curb-side pick up of yard waste, with collections scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays from Oct. 1 to Dec. 4.
n The City of Altoona will be collecting leaves, vegetable and bedding plants from Oct. 30 to Nov. 22. Brush will be collected the week of Oct. 23-26. For the exact day of pickup in the Altoona area or for more information, contact the Altoona Highway Department at 949-2212 or visit www.altoonapa.gov.
n Logan Township will provide collections from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30.
n Tyrone Borough will offer collections every Monday from Oct. 1 to Dec. 3.
This form of pickup encourages recycling of organic wastes and reduces material deposited in landfills. Once composted, the material becomes a valuable soil amendment which is a stable form of organic material. Residents are reminded to use recyclable bags and simply fold the top of the bag over, do not staple or tape it closed. Contact your local municipal office for more information. Other municipalities may release yard waste pickup schedules soon, with collections beginning in October.
The Duncansville site is permitted as a research and demonstration facility. They continue to accept limited amounts of manure from residents who simply need a method of disposal and from farmers who want to learn how to compost their material. Anyone wishing to make arrangements for manure drop-off should contact the Blair County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling at 696-4620.
In addition to manure waste, BCDSWR in partnership with the Blair County Conservation District is exploring other organic waste streams suitable for composting with municipal yard waste. Restaurants or supermarkets who would be interested in recycling their pre-consumer produce may be able to utilize the facility.
Any Blair County business interested in decreasing their landfill volume of organic waste is invited to contact BCDSWR to investigate the possibility of “going green’’ with their organic waste.
