Charges for disposal of yard waste:

Compact Pickup

  • Level with bed $5.00
  • Bed to cab high load $6.00

Pickup (6 &8 ft bed)

  • Level with bed $7.00
  • Bed to cab high load $9.00

Trailers will be charged as separate vehicles

  • 1 ton truck $16.00

Commercial Rate for larger than 1 Ton $10 minimum

  • Loose Yards$1.50/cu yd
  • Compacted$3.25/cu yd

CONTAMINATION FEE: $45.00

Cost to purchase Compost:

  • ½ Yard$15.00
  • 1-10 yards $25.00
  • 10+ yards$20.00

Call 1st for availability 624-3529

Acceptable Items:

  • Include grass clippings, leaves, weeds, tree & bush prunings, scrap wood (non-paintedor non-treated, nails areokay) and pallets (broken down)

Unacceptable Items:

  • No palm trees, palm fronds, bamboo, pampas grass, plywood, particle board, painted or treated lumber, sod, dirt, concrete, rock, asphalt, food waste, manure or animal waste.

4441 Cohasset Rd

Chico, CA

Operation Hours:

Tues-Sat 8am-4pm

Ph# 530-624-3529

North Valley Waste Management has operated the City of Chico composting facility since 1996. The State of California permits it as a Green waste composting facility. Our feedstock comes from a variety of sources but the major contributions are from the City curbside yard waste Program (also operated by North Valley Waste Management) and the fall leaf collection provided by the city. Landscapers, property management companies and homeowners also bring materials to our facility.

As material arrives at the facility and attendant at the gate collects the appropriate charge and determines where the load belongs. Heavy brush and wood are directed to the brush pile, to be ground up and used as cogeneration fuel (see info @ Wheelabrator Technologies, WM site) Lighter materials, including leaves, grass and light brush are directed to the pre-compost area. Here the feedstock is processed through a 3” trammel screen to remove any large woody material that is then placed in the brush pile. Material smaller than 3” is moved into the active composting rows. These windrows are closely monitored to maintain the correct oxygen and moisture levels to keep the compost active (above 122 Fahrenheit.). While the material is in these active rows it is put through a pathogen reduction period, which requires that, we maintain row temperatures above 132 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen days and turn the material five times during that period. This ensures that all materials are exposed to temperatures high enough to kill any disease carrying bacteria. Typically during this period temperatures exceed 140 degrees Fahrenheit at which time most weed seeds are also killed. After 60 to 90 days in the active rows the compost is allowed to “cure” until it reaches proper maturity at which time it is screened into a fine soil amendment.

Each batch of 5000 cubic yards of processed compost must, according to state regulations, be tested for the presence of heavy metals and oviform bacteria in amounts that exceed state specifications. In addition we utilize the Solvita Compost Maturity test system on batches of 400 to 500 cubic yards, as they become ready to screen to insure a product of consistent quality.

WHEELABRATOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.

a waste management company

Wheelabrator Shasta Energy Company is one of northern California's most modern, independent wood-fired power plants. The facility has a generating capacity of 58 MW and processes 750,000 tons of mill waste and forest residues from ShastaCounty and surrounding areas. Un-merchantable waste wood from Shasta-Trinity and LassenNational Forests, as well as from private lands, are selectively removed and processed in the plant to improve remaining standing timber. The plant produces over 375 million kWh of electricity per year for sale to a local utility. The plant design includes three independent wood-burning units, comprised of state-of-the-art wood-fired traveling grate furnaces with utility-type high pressure boilers. The highly automated wood yard design includes capabilities to accept mill wastes, chips, and un-merchantable whole logs (culls) up to six feet in diameter that are chipped on site for fuel. The plant design also includes modern air quality control units, condensing turbines, and multi-cell wet cooling towers.

HOW TO USE COMPOST:

SOIL AMENDMENT

Compost can be turned into the soil as a soil amendment. As much as six inches of compost can be added to your soil each year. When used as a soil amendment, compost reacts with soil to slowly release both plant nutrients and essential trace elements. Compost can be turned into the soil in the spring in preparation for planting. It can also be spread on soil at the end of the gardening season and allowed to leach into the soil. If only a small amount of compost is available, it can be incorporated in the seed furrow, or a handful can be added to each transplant hole of annuals, perennials, or vegetables. Large amounts of compost can be used to plant trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens, or to repair or replace lawn areas.

MULCHING

Compost is not mulch, yet it can be applied in the same ways that mulches are used. Compost is a stable product that will not deprive your soil of nitrogen. Spread compost two to six inches thick around plants, trees, shrubs, and exposed slopes. This will deter weeds, prevent crusting, curtail erosion, attract earthworms, and conserve water.

POTTING MIX

Compost can be combined with equal parts of sand and soil to create an excellent potting mix.