26 — Wednesday, March 10, 1999 - North Shore News BERIPRETER BRAINAGE LID PRepaeta? Cur mini camara can provide an exact diagnosis of afl fine problems. Sava ime and money by taking the guess work out of drainage. {t can alao be used fp find sumos & underground power lines We ates offer tic fuiswing aarvtnas: water jatiing drain cleaning Vidlao dlugnostic inspection line tocotion - drainage repairs root removal - new Installations concrete waterproofing and restoration SE8-2546 or 239-4428 246rs LAMINATES! We've got it all! At Edgemont Carpets, we're your § flooring experts. We do flooring - all types of flooring. Matter of fact we've done thousands of floors in the § 30 years we've been on the Nerth Shore. You'll find & an unbeatabie selection in our 7,000 sq.ft. showreom. And because we're not on the main B Street, we can afford to pass the savings on to you. § So, if you're building or renovating, we can help take the guess work out of buying and _ installing flooring. We're good at what we do and we'll treat you right, Guaranteed, at a orice that will take you smile. fy DG EMONT CARPET | TOWN | treet B 1601 Welch Street, North Vancouver m (between Pembeston Ave. & Capilano Road} 985-G60T1 E Hours: S:3ORM - SPM Mon. thru Sat. Pentherton AW SOW IT GROWS Roy jonsson: every other Sunday in the Home & Garden section of your North Shore News. HOME Garden Accents Collecting compost answers Deana Lancaster News Reporter deana@nsnews.com WITH spring just around the corner, you should be thinking of ways to improve the health of you garden. The Composting Council of Canada offers these com- mon questions, and their answers, about composting. Q. What is compostin “A Composting is a natural nex cal process, carried out u conrolled conditions, which converts organic materi- al into a stable humus-like product called compost. During othe composting Process, various microorgan- isms, including bacteria and fuawi, break down organic material into simpler sub- stance’ Q. What can be compast- ed? A. Composting has the potential to manage all of the organic material in the waste stream which cannot otherwis 2d. Some examples of organic material that can be composted include food scraps, leaves and yard wastes, agricul- tural crop residues, paper prod- ucts, sewage sludge and wood. Q. Can composting m age all our wastes? A. Since approximately 50% of the waste stream is organic miter, composting can play important role in the integrar- ed waste management plans of any community. Q. Is composting compati- ble with other waste manage- ment systems? A. Yes. Composting should be part of a comprehensive waste management system that emphasizes source reduction, reuse, composting and recy cling, and proper disposal of any residual maierial. Some materials (such as Paper products) can be ni cled or composted. While Paper can be composted, clean paper is generally more valu- able when recycled. Soiled NEWS photo Terry Peters WORMS are a good choice for apartment dwellers who want to break down their organic garbage into compost, which is a great soil amendment. paper or paper that cannot be recycled economically can be composted. Q. What are the benefits of a successful composting pro- gram? A. In addition to diverting a large proportion of the waste ae sé is-a;comprom stream away from disposal, an efective composting program can produce a high quality soil amendment with a variety of end uses. Diverting organic wastes from landfill sites helps to conserve landtill space and to reduce the production of leachate and methane gas (both of which add to the cost of operating a landfill) Q. Is composting ne' A. No. Agricultural wastes have been composted forever. Large scale composting of other organic wastes, including municipal sewage sludge, has been a compenent of some municipal’ waste management programs since the 1950s. Q. How long does the composting process take? A. A number of factors are important in controfing the composting process and the ume that the process takes. These factors include tempera- tire, moisture, Oxygen, particle size, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of the waste and the degree of mixing of curning involved. In general, the more actively these factors are con- trolled, the faster the process. The length of the process also depends on the degree of decomposition desired in the finished product. Typically, an immature compost can be pro- duced in about a month, while a mature compost may be allowed to cure for six months to a year. Q. What is the best location tor a backyard composter? A. The composter should be placed in a well drained area and where it is convenient to" use. It should be placed where it can get as much sun as possi- ble as the microbiological activ- ity will be high. If the unit is placed in the shade, the activity is reduced and the process takes longer.