Did you know the Harpswell Recycling Center & Transfer Station has rules about where to dump yard waste? In fact, there are two places for yard waste: one spot is for general brush and tree trimmings; the other location is for invasive plant waste.
If you’re wondering why there are two places and why you should care, here’s the reason: For general brush and tree trimmings, it’s pretty simple. You go up the hill, stop on the scale with your vehicle packed and branches possibly sticking out the rear windows and the skylight. Veer left at the top of the hill, and there it is!—a pile of others’ yard trimmings which eventually becomes mulch. Add yours to the pile and then you’re free to go back to the scale to pay the weight fee, then home.
But, for invasive plants, it wouldn’t make sense to pile them onto brush that becomes mulch or compost. You’ve gone through the trouble of trying to get rid of your invasives, so surely you wouldn’t want to them to sprout or reseed all over in the form of compost or mulch. That’s why you have to plan ahead. Invasives have to be cut in sizes that fit into construction grade plastic bags and tied up. For soft invasives, this is easy. For hardwood invasives, it requires more effort to stuff the branches, seeds, berries, and flowers into bags. Drive these bags onto the scale. Then, veer right behind the cement wall and you’ll see a dumpster for them. Go back to the scale and pay your meager fee at the booth.
Thank you for properly disposing of your invasive plants at the transfer station. And say Hi to the workers there. They do a great job for Harpswell.