I SHOULD like to answer the questions posed by Caroline Fox about the garden waste collection scheme being introduced by City of York Council (Letters, June 8).

We encourage all local residents to play their part in reducing the amount of waste being dumped in landfill sites by taking part in the garden waste collection scheme.

However, we do realise that some residents compost such waste at home and will want to carry on doing so.

If residents don't want to use the wheeled bin we supply for their garden waste, we will be able to arrange for it to be removed.

However, if a resident chooses not to take part in the garden waste collection scheme, their rubbish for landfill will still be collected on a fortnightly basis. It is also important to point out that garden waste will only be collected if it's presented in the green wheeled bin provided.

All of the garden waste collected as part of the new scheme will be composted by Yorwaste at Harewood Whin, a waste management facility near Rufforth.

The waste is composted using the Windrow method which involves piling it up in long rows and turning it regularly.

Composting is the controlled, biological decomposition and stabilisation of organic material.

During the biological process, temperatures of between 45 and 85 degrees Celsius are generated, which results in a final product that has been both sanitised and stabilised.

This means that all weed seeds, plant and human pathogens are killed off.

The waste at Harewood Whin is kept at above 55 degrees Celsius for at least five days to ensure that a good quality soil conditioner is produced.

This is sold in some major high street compost brands and can also be bought at Foss Islands and Towthorpe Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Kristy Walton,

Head of waste strategy,

City of York Council,

St Leonard's Place, York.

Updated: 10:56 Monday, June 13, 2005