Clean Up Your Yards, Billings! City Has Green Bins to Help Out

Yeah I know, snow is still falling part of the day.  But soon that will give way to sunny, warmer days, and hopefully lots of rain!  It's also that time of the year for homeowners, to clean up the yard of dead plant material, sticks and branches, prune the shrubs.

Landfills have enough garbage already.  Think the natural waste should go somewhere else?  I agree, Billings city agrees, and they have a service for that.

The Yard Waste Collection Program

This will start on Monday, April 1st (no joke).  By just calling 406-657-8315, then option #3, you can request one or even two special green bins, specifically designated for organic yard stuff.  The city will happily drop one off for you.  You can fill it up to the rim, just enough so the lid will still close, and then leave the bin with the regular blue garbage bins.

The city will empty the green bin on the same day as the regular trash.  With a newly emptied bin, you can go back to work on the yard (...yippee...)

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What About the Heavy Branches?

While the bin is great for twigs and small branches, please don't stand up a 10-foot tree limb with branches and dead leaves upright in the bin.  The city pick-up may just drive on by.  Here's the official instruction on large limbs and the collection of those.  Please note, there is a small charge for the pickup of bundles:

Large limbs & branches can be collected for $5 per 3 bundles. Limit all pieces to 4 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter. Tie pieces in bundles and limit bundles to 75 pounds in weight and 2 feet in diameter. Please call 406-657-8315 option #3 to schedule a collection.

Here's the handy guide to what can and shouldn't be placed in the green bins.

So what happens with the stuff collected from the Green Bins?

Great question!  I'm happy to report that all that organic material will go through the Solid Waste division's composting process and become usable soil for good things to grow in the area.  Just helping Nature with the recycling.

Many Thanks to the city's Solid Waste division for this service, and Many Thanks to you for cleaning up your property and providing the raw components to a green Spring and Summer.