Portland’s regional recycling center has announced an effort to promote backyard composting as a way to improve the environment and save money.

The Riverside Recycling Center is offering discounted compost bins to help people get started this spring. The center is open to anyone and the bins are available to Portlanders and non-residents.

Composting yard waste and non-meat food scraps at home can significantly reduce municipal costs, according to the city. Last year, for example, the recycling center on Riverside Street received 6,800 tons of yard waste and brush from Portland residents, costing the city more than $350,000 to manage.

It also can save families money by reducing the amount of trash they put out for collection or drive to a transfer station. An estimated 25 percent of the average household’s waste consists of yard trimmings and kitchen scraps that can easily be composted. Home composting combined with recycling can reduce household waste by up to 80 percent, according to the city.

Composting in the bins is as simple as dumping in the waste, and it can provide homeowners free soil fertilizer that doesn’t contain toxic chemicals.

The backyard compost bin and how-to guide is available for $37.50 – less than half the original price of $80 – and can be purchased at the Riverside Recycling Center until April 11, 2008. The black bins will be available for pickup on May 10.

The center also is offering pails for kitchen food scraps for $8.00 each and an optional compost turner for a discounted price of $16.50.

Order forms are available at the center. Contact Donna Rooney at 797-6200 or djr@portlandmaine.gov for more information or to obtain an order form.