The other day I was walking my dogs down the street. It was morning. It was a Thursday so the trash bins were out for collection. Along our path we noticed a bag of yard trimmings with a bright green tag. I'd never seen this tag before so I looked to see what it said.
What a bright green tag!
"The City of Houston is no longer accepting petroleum-based (plastic) bags for curbside collection of yard trimmings. These lawn items must be placed in City-Approved Compostable Bags. In addition, materials such as paper, plastic and other trash may not be placed in the compostable bags with yard trimmings. Small twigs and branches do not have to be bagged as long as they are in bundles less than 4 feet in length, less than 18 inches in diameter, weigh less than 50 pounds, and must be tied up with string."
For more information, please call 3-1-1 or visit www.houstonsolidwaste.org
City of Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 39 -76
There you have it. The bag was tagged, but not collected, because it was not one of the approved, green, compostable bags. You know the sort...the ones that seem to start to decompose as soon as they get a little damp.