OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Rules on when and how yard waste is collected could change for those who live in Kansas
About a year and a half ago, Johnson County began restricting how yard waste is collected. Before, the trash trucks would haul away bagged grass and leaves and bundled branches at anytime.
Now, there are restrictions. Grass must be put in paper bags and is only collected certain months of the year. There is also a limit on the number of bags that will be collected at a time.
A new Kansas law could change collection rules again.
The law states that one government cannot make laws regarding solid waste collection that affect the current laws of another local government.
The Johnson County Commissioners new solid waste law went into effect in January of 2012, and in response, every city passed its own laws that complied with the county’s demands.
The idea was to extend the life of the landfill, although some dispute whether separating yard waste will actually accomplish this.
Deffenbaugh’s landfill in Shawnee will inevitably fill up and the County says restricting and recycling yard waste will extend the landfill’s life.
Right now, Deffenbaugh puts most of the yard waste it collects in a separate 27-acre compost pile.
With the new law, each city will have the option of disregarding the county’s solid waste plan if it wants.
Wyandotte County officials say they will no longer force residents to separate their yard waste.
They were expected to comply with Johnson County lawmakers beginning July 1st, but this new law could put them off the hook and allow their residents to continue throwing grass clippings in with their normal trash.
