MOUNT VERNON — Knox County commissioners are limiting access at the compost facility on Thayer Road.
The change paves the way for the county to begin a major reorganizational project.
Effective immediately, the facility will only accept drop-offs from Knox County residents. All non residential users — including businesses, industries, contractors, and local governments — are temporarily barred from bringing material to the site.
County officials say the restrictions are necessary to reduce volume and give staff room to improve operations.
The facility will operate Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and remain closed on Sundays until further notice.
Beginning Monday, July 6, the compost facility will close to all users for an estimated four to six weeks while crews complete cleanup, reorganize the site layout, and develop updated guidelines and operating hours.
The county will issue additional updates as the reopening date becomes clearer.
For questions, residents may contact Knox County Recycling and Litter Prevention at 740-393 6704.
Free mulch-loading services offered on May 23
The excess capacity has increased costs for the county.
County Administrator Jason Booth previously said the county used to grind the tree limbs once and sometimes twice a year. Each grinding costs about $30,000.
The Delaware-Knox-Marion-Morrow Solid Waste District pays for one grinding.
“Last year we spent almost $200,000 at that compost site out of county money trying to keep it in operation,” Booth said earlier this month.
The mulch is free, but Booth acknowledged that residents sometimes have difficulty loading it themselves into a truck or trailer.
The management contractor, Green Machine, will load ground material into residents’ vehicles or trailers on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
There is no limit to the amount of material participants may receive. Attendees are welcome to re-enter the line for additional loads. The ground material is free of charge.
