Final Report - Ohio Department of Transportation

origin type (see examples in Fig. 9 through 11). Some waste was bundled, but most was not. The
volumes of deposited yard waste varied greatly. Piles could range from only a pair of
biodegradable bags to ten or more, or from a few branches from one type of tree to large piles of
trimmings stretching 20 feet or more along the curb. In autumn, most yard wastes were from
fallen leaves, and were not bagged. Piles of a mix of leaves were concentrated on the tree lawn or
spilled out into the street slightly.
Samples were typically collected only if there was an appreciable amount of both leaves and
branches for moisture and organics testing, and only if the origin of the waste (i.e. type of plant)
could be identified. On some occasions, only selected components such as fruits or seeds were
collected for testing (e.g. pine cones, buckeyes). Collected samples were preserved as collected
in 5 gal. plastic buckets, or 20 gal. lidded plastic bins. Some bins were vented to allow the yard
waste to dry.
Fig. 9 - Yard Waste in Lawn and Leaf Bags Staged for Collection
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