MOUNT VERNON — The Board of Knox County Commissioners announced that the Knox County Yard Waste and Compost area on Thayer Road is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., through the end of October. This is the second year that Wednesday service is available at the facility.
Items accepted for “recycling” are organic items such as grass clippings, leaves, shrubs and brush, Christmas trees (without any holiday ornaments) and tree limbs up to 10 inches in diameter. All items should be removed from plastic bags and emptied in the center area. Items not accepted at the facility include tree limbs over 10 inches in diameter, tree trunks, food waste, treated and/or painted lumber.
The Knox County Yard Waste and Compost area is a cooperation between three parties: Knox County, the city of Mount Vernon and the DKMM Solid Waste District. According to the commissioners, DKMM funds the operation of the facility on Saturdays, and the county and the city jointly fund the operation of the site for another day every week (Wednesday). Commissioner Allen Stockberger said that DKMM funds the chipping of trees and also provides signs for the site. A wood chipper is brought to the site about once every year to grind up larger tree limbs and branches.
Mulch and compost are available for free at the area, however, all items must be hand-loaded as mechanical loaders are not permitted at the site.
The Knox County Yard Waste and Compost area is approximately a half-mile from U.S. 36/Ohio 3 south of Mount Vernon. Any questions regarding the facility should be directed to recycling coordinator Linda Montgomery in the Knox County Commissioners Office at 393-6704.
