The law identifies several options for managing yard clippings:

• Composted at the property where they came from.
• Temporarily accumulated under specific conditions at a site before moving to another location.
• Composted at a farm registered with the Department of Agriculture under specific conditions.
• Composted at a composting facility registered with the DEQ Waste and Hazardous Materials Division.
• Composted and used under specific conditions at a licensed solid waste landfill.
• Composted at a processing plant meeting Part 115 requirements.
• Composted at a site that has not more than 200 cubic yards of yard clippings if no nuisance is created.
• Decomposed in a controlled manner using a closed container to create and maintain anaerobic conditions (e.g. anaerobic digester).
• Disposed of at a landfill if diseased or infested or the material is an invasive plant collected through an eradication or control program and inappropriate to compost.

DEQ registered composting facilities will be subject to a $600 registration fee. The registration is for 3 years. Registered facilities have location restrictions and operating requirements, and are required to submit annual reports containing information about the amount of yard clippings and other compostable materials managed during the previous fiscal year.

The Waste and Hazardous Materials Division is developing the DEQ registration and reporting forms and guidance materials at this time and the Department of Agriculture is developing materials for farms operating composting operations overseen by that agency. When available, links to these forms and materials will be posted at www.michigan.gov/deqwaste "Solid Waste." This webpage includes links to the regulations or Act 212 is available at http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/publicact/pdf/2007-PA-0212.pdf. Questions may be directed to Mr. Matt Flechter at 517.373.8422 or email him at flechtem@michigan.gov.