Fruit Heights sets green waste fee

FRUIT HEIGHTS — Fruit Heights residents who didn't opt out of a pilot program for green-waste recycling can expect to see green cans at their homes starting in July.

The Fruit Heights City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to establish a $6 monthly fee for residents who receive the cans.

The pilot program, the first green-waste collection program in Davis County, will begin in August and is aimed at reducing grass clippings, yard waste and leaves that end up in the Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District's incinerator in Layton.

Green waste is one of few wastes the facility isn't designed to handle, said Nathan Rich, the district's executive director and chief executive officer. When green waste enters the incinerator, it reduces its temperature and efficiency, he said. Fourteen cities in Davis County belong to the district, which operates the incinerator and the Layton landfill.

Wasatch Integrated also owns a green-waste processing site, located at the landfill, where green waste is composted and sold to the public.

Fruit Heights was chosen as the city to run the pilot program because 55 percent of homes there have a second garbage can. And the theory is that most of those homes have a second can for yard waste.

Each year from March to October, Fruit Heights residents are to use the green cans for green waste only. But from November to February, they can use them as a second garbage can, said city manager Brandon Green. The city plans to inform residents in advance of the changes.

"It will take a lot of educating on our part," Green said.

Residents who don't adhere to the rules could have their green can taken away, because regular garbage would contaminate the green waste.

By having the cans on the ground this fall, it will give the district a full year to learn what it can about running a green-waste collection program in Davis County.

Rich said if the program works out, he would work to make green-waste collection an option throughout the district, which includes Morgan County.

"If cities want to implement it, we'll work with cities to get the program on," he said.

E-MAIL: jdougherty@desnews.com

TWITTER: desnewsdavis