XENIA — Processing of the brush and tree debris generated from the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes will begin Monday, Jan. 27.
The debris is currently in 15-foot tall piles at Greene County Environmental Services in Xenia as well as at the Cemex Reserve in Fairborn.
The Greene County Board of Commissioners, Greene County Engineer, City of Beavercreek and Beavercreek Township secured a vendor this month to process the vegetative debris, according to a press release from Greene County Sanitary Engineering (GCSE). Beeghly Tree, which has expierence managing debris generated from disasters, will process the materials by reducing it through grinding, the release said. It will then be delivered to registered and licensed compost facilities.
GCSE officials expect the debris at Cemex Reserve to be ground before the end of February, and the piles at Environmental Services to start in late February and continue into March.
“The management of the vegetative debris was a cooperative effort of local government to provide a vital service during a difficult time,” Jason Tinco, GCSE director, said. “The residents that were affected by the storm and volunteers are to be commended. Their work to set clean brush at the curb will allow the material to become mulch.”
At a November 2019 commissioners meeting, officials indicated there would be about $1 million worth of costs associated with processing the debris with the hope that FEMA will ultimately reimburse 80 percent and that the state will reimburse 12.5 percent.
Residents who still have organic materials generated from the tornadoes can drop off the debris at GCSE at 2145 Greene Way Blvd., anytime between 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Accepted yard waste must be brush or firewood size. Maximum size of the brush can be 4 inches in diameter and 8 feet long. Firewood maximum size is 14 inches in diameter and 18 inches long. There is no charge.
For more information, call 937-562-5925 or visit www.co.greene.oh.us/recycle.
