Are you starting to dread the piles of leaves soon to come? Want to save money on yard waste bags and stickers?

Then now’s the time to consider home composting. There is no time like the present, and Kane County Recycles is here to help you get started.

Soil Saver Compost Bins will be sold for the low cost of $50 each at a one-day event being hosted by Kane County Recycles and the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners.

This is a seriously good deal — in some cases less than half the price of what you’ll find if you buy retail and $15 off the regular price offered by the U of I Extension.

“Compost bins help keep the compost pile contained, and it is a more attractive and productive way to compost,” said Jennifer Jarland, Kane County Recycling program coordinator.

Made with recycled plastic, Soil Saver compost bins are built to last 25 years or more. They have a capacity of 11.5 cubic feet, are easy to transport and simple to assemble. Their efficient square design enables great access for stirring and aerating the compost, and they have a lock on lid to prohibit raccoons and other critters from getting in.

Soil Saver Compost Bin Sale!

• Location: University of Illinois Extension, 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174
• Date: Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017
• Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Cost: $50 each. (Retail price is $90-$100, regular price at UIE is $65)

Learning Opportunity

The Sept. 19 event in St. Charles is also a good time to learn how to get started on your own home-composting efforts.

“Our intent is to help as many people as possible to recycle food scraps and landscape waste at home,” said Jarland “Backyard composting keeps food scraps out of the landfill, thereby reducing methane release from landfills, and converts the scraps into a nutrient-rich soil amendment, which can be applied to your garden beds to help your veggies and flowers flourish.”

Master Gardeners will be available to talk to attendees and share “how-to” advice.

“This is a great learning opportunity,” Jarland said.

Why Is Composting Important?

• It’s earth-friendly: Food scraps and yard waste make up the largest portion of the waste stream. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills, where they take up precious space and release methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere.
• It benefits your yard: Compost improves soil structure and texture, increases the soil’s ability to hold both water and air, improves soil fertility, and stimulates healthy root development in plants.
• It’s easy: You can start with just leaves and grass, then work your way toward composting your food scraps.
• It saves money: Adding compost to your garden can reduce or eliminate the need to buy chemical fertilizers or compost. If you pay for yard waste collection bags or stickers, composting will cut your costs.

Getting There

University of Illinois Extension is located at 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, which is on the west side of Randall Road, just north of Route 38 and south of Route 64, in front of the Kane County fairgrounds. If you are traveling north, there is a left-hand turn lane into the parking lot.

More Info

Please go to: www.countyofkane.org/recycling for more information, or contact Jennifer Jarland, Kane County’s Recycling program coordinator at recycle@countyofkane.org or 630-208-3841 with any questions.

Read More

• Get Half Off The Retail Price at Sept. 19 Compost Bin Sale!
• VIDEO: 4 Good Reasons to Compost in Kane County
• Recycling Tip: How To Recycle Food Scraps! (It’s Changing in Illinois)
• Why Mill Creek Residents Are Composting Food Scraps Better Than You Are
• Countdown to Earth Day: Where to Buy Rain Barrels and Composters for Spring