Veteran composter has issue with ruling

Having read that the village board passed the composting ordinance I, as a composter of more than 15 years, am going to find it difficult to continue this environmentally-friendly policy with my yard waste (clippings, chips and leaves) and decomposable household materials (eggshells, coffee grounds and vegetable peels).

In the last 15 years, I have not noticed any rodents or smells from my compost nor has anyone complained.

In 2010 when I first read about the idea of an Arlington Heights ordinance, I asked my neighbors if they were affected in any way whatsoever by my composting and the answer was negative. If you compost correctly, there will not be any objectionable smells.

Through the years I have given my neighbors some of this composted material to use on their lawns.

My garden flourishes with this compost material. Through the years, I have donated about 100 pounds of produce per year to the Wheeling Township Food Pantry. Also the produce from last year has taken prizes in a county fair.

The designated five feet from the property line or 25 feet from neighboring homes would put my compost bins smack dab in the middle of my back yard which doesn’t work for me.

I’d like to be environmentally green but what’s a gardener to do?

Marcy LoCascio

Arlington Heights