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RANDOLPH – Randolph is cultivating a new way to recycle and the fruits of its labor may be available for its residents to enjoy soon.
The city’s first batch of compost is nearly ready for distribution this spring, said John Dickes, Randolph’s Public Works supervisor.
About three or four yards has been produced in its first compost batch started last fall.
“It’s only going to be for residents,” Dickes said, especially since there’s not much to go around in this first batch.
A distribution process to those interested in receiving compost for their gardens has yet to be determined, he said.
This first batch was started last fall with grass clippings, leaves, and remnants of garden harvest including tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins and watermelon.
City crews selected the best looking materials from the dump for its compost, making sure it was free of any garbage, Dickes said.
“It’s decent compost. The better the foliage we have, we can make an easier and faster compost,” Dickes said.
The composting bays were constructed using recycled, plastic lumber near the city sewer plant last fall. City crews have aerated the mixture about three times since and added water as needed.
Dickes plans to move the composting bays to a designated area near the recycling trailers at the city dump later this spring.
Recycling processes for the public won’t change with residents still able to drop off recyclables at the city’s recycling center.
“We will bring grass and leaves over that we know are good,” Dickes said. “The public wouldn’t put anything in it (compost pile).”
The Nebraska Recycling Council awarded the City of Randolph more than $16,000 to start the composting program, the first municipality to do so in the area. The city’s share of costs for the project was about $4,000.
