ADVICE FOR USE
b. Composted:
The cut grass can be composted, alone or mixed with other garden and kitchen waste. However,
take care not to put more than 5 cm of fresh cuttings in the composter as this material is high in
nitrogen, which can release heat and bad smells.
If volumes to compost are too high, leave the cuttings to dry in the sun for a day by spreading
them on the ground to accelerate the decomposition process and prevent bad odours from
being released.
c. Use it as mulch:
Grass cuttings can also be used as mulch. For this, spread them at a thickness of 2 to 3 cm around
your vegetable patches (tomatoes, aubergines, beans, etc.), on bare ground around your plants, or
at the foot of trees and shrubs.
This mulching limits evaporation during dry periods and will save on watering.
d. Turn it into ash:
You can also burn the waste to recover ashes that are rich in potassium. They can then be used
around plants or spread on your lawn.
French regulations regarding burning green waste
A circular was sent to Prefects in France on 18 November 2011 recalling the legal basis for the
prohibition of burning green waste in the open air.
It covers both private individuals and professionals working in green spaces who must eliminate
their waste through mulching on-site, by taking it to a waste centre or by direct recycling.
Only the Prefect may authorise a derogation to this rule when suggested by the health authority
and after consultation with the regional health and technological and environmental authority
(CODERST).
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