Michigan Compiled Laws
451-1994-II-3-115-2 - Subpart 2 Disposal Areas (324.11509...324.11521)
Section 324.11521 - Yard Clippings; Management; Means; Temporary Accumulation; Requirements; Composting on Farm; Qualification as Registered Composting Facility; Site at Which Yard Clippings Are Managed.

***** 324.11521 THIS SECTION IS REPEALED BY ACT 245 OF 2022 EFFECTIVE MARCH 29, 2023 *****
Sec. 11521.
(1) Yard clippings shall be managed by 1 of the following means:
(a) Composted on the property where the yard clippings are generated.
(b) Temporarily accumulated under subsection (2).
(c) Composted at a composting facility containing not more than 200 cubic yards of yard clippings if decomposition occurs without creating a nuisance.
(d) Composted on a farm as described by subsection (3).
(e) Composted at site that qualifies as a registered composting facility under subsection (4).
(f) Decomposed in a controlled manner using a closed container to create and maintain anaerobic conditions if in compliance with part 55 and otherwise approved by the director under this part.
(g) Composted and used as part of normal operations by a municipal solid waste landfill if the composting and use meet all of the following requirements:
(i) Take place on property described in the landfill construction permit.
(ii) Are described in and consistent with the landfill operation plans.
(iii) Are otherwise in compliance with this act.
(h) Processed at a processing plant in accordance with this part and the rules promulgated under this part.
(i) Disposed of in a landfill or an incinerator, but only if the yard clippings are diseased or infested or are composed of invasive plants, such as garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, or spotted knapweed, that were collected through an eradication or control program, include no more than a de minimis amount of other yard clippings, and are inappropriate to compost.
(2) A person may temporarily accumulate yard clippings at a site not designed for composting if all of the following requirements are met:
(a) The accumulation does not create a nuisance or otherwise result in a violation of this act.
(b) The yard clippings are not mixed with other compostable materials.
(c) No more than 1,000 cubic yards are placed on site unless a greater volume is approved by the department.
(d) Yard clippings placed on site on or after April 1 but before December 1 are moved to another location and managed as provided in subsection (1) within 30 days after being placed on site. The director may approve a longer time period based on a demonstration that additional time is necessary.
(e) Yard clippings placed on site on or after December 1 but before the next April 1 are moved to another location and managed as provided in subsection (1) by the next April 10 after the yard clippings are placed on site.
(f) The owner or operator of the site maintains and makes available to the department records necessary to demonstrate that the requirements of this subsection are met.
(3) A person may compost yard clippings on a farm if composting does not otherwise result in a violation of this act and is done in accordance with generally accepted agricultural and management practices under the Michigan right to farm act, 1981 PA 93, MCL 286.471 to 286.474, and if 1 or more of the following apply:
(a) Only yard clippings generated on the farm are composted.
(b) There are not more than 5,000 cubic yards of yard clippings on the farm.
(c) If there are more than 5,000 cubic yards of yard clippings on the farm at any time, all of the following requirements are met:
(i) The farm operation accepts yard clippings generated at a location other than the farm only to assist in management of waste material generated by the farm operation.
(ii) The farm operation does not accept yard clippings generated at a location other than the farm for monetary or other valuable consideration.
(iii) The owner or operator of the farm registers with the department of agriculture on a form provided by the department of agriculture and certifies that the farm operation meets and will continue to meet the requirements of subparagraphs (i) and (ii).
(4) A site qualifies as a registered composting facility if all of the following requirements are met:
(a) The owner or operator of the site registers as a composting facility with the department and reports to the department within 30 days after the end of each state fiscal year the amount of yard clippings and other compostable material composted in the previous state fiscal year. The registration and reporting shall be done on forms provided by the department. The registration shall be accompanied by a fee of $600.00. The registration is for a term of 3 years. Registration fees collected under this subdivision shall be forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit in the solid waste staff account of the solid waste management fund established in section 11550.
(b) The site is operated in compliance with the following location restrictions:
(i) If the site is in operation on December 1, 2007, the management or storage of yard clippings, compost, and residuals does not expand from its location on that date to an area that is within the following distances from any of the following features:
(A) 50 feet from a property line.
(B) 200 feet from a residence.
(C) 100 feet from a body of surface water, including a lake, stream, or wetland.
(ii) If the site begins operation after December 1, 2007, the management or storage of yard clippings, compost, and residuals occurs in an area that is not in the 100-year floodplain and is at least the following distances from each of the following features:
(A) 50 feet from a property line.
(B) 200 feet from a residence.
(C) 100 feet from a body of surface water, including a lake, stream, or wetland.
(D) 2,000 feet from a type I or type IIA water supply well.
(E) 800 feet from a type IIB or type III water supply well.
(F) 500 feet from a church or other house of worship, hospital, nursing home, licensed day care center, or school, other than a home school.
(G) 4 feet above groundwater.
(c) Composting and management of the site occurs in a manner that meets all of the following requirements:
(i) Does not violate this act or create a facility as defined in section 20101.
(ii) Unless approved by the department, does not result in more than 5,000 cubic yards of yard clippings and other compostable material, compost, and residuals present on any acre of property at the site.
(iii) Does not result in an accumulation of yard clippings for a period of over 3 years unless the site has the capacity to compost the yard clippings and the owner or operator of the site can demonstrate, beginning in the third year of operation and each year thereafter, unless a longer time is approved by the director, that the amount of yard clippings and compost that is transferred off-site in a calendar year is not less than 75% by weight or volume, accounting for natural volume reduction, of the amount of yard clippings and compost that was on-site at the beginning of the calendar year.
(iv) Results in finished compost with not more than 1%, by weight, of foreign matter that will remain on a 4 millimeter screen.
(v) If yard clippings are collected in bags other than paper bags, debags the yard clippings by the end of each business day.
(vi) Prevents the pooling of water by maintaining proper slopes and grades.
(vii) Properly manages storm water runoff.
(viii) Does not attract or harbor rodents or other vectors.
(d) The owner or operator maintains, and makes available to the department, all of the following records:
(i) Records identifying the volume of yard clippings and other compostable material accepted by the facility and the volume of yard clippings and other compostable material and of compost transferred off-site each month.
(ii) Records demonstrating that the composting operation is being performed in a manner that prevents nuisances and minimizes anaerobic conditions. Unless other records are approved by the department, these records shall include records of carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, the amount of leaves and the amount of grass in tons or cubic yards, temperature readings, moisture content readings, and lab analysis of finished products.
(5) A site at which yard clippings are managed in accordance with this section, other than a site described in subsection (1)(g), (h) or (i), is not a disposal area, notwithstanding section 11503(5).
(6) Except with respect to subsection (1)(h) and (i), management of yard clippings in accordance with this section is not considered disposal for purposes of section 11538(6).
History: Add. 2007, Act 212, Eff. Mar. 26, 2008 Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: NREPAPopular Name: Solid Waste Act