"LoneEarth" wrote in message
...
Despite futile attempts to educate my neighbors they persist in
remaining stubbornly ignorant about composting and insist that my
compost bins, which are screened and tidy, will surely cause a
horrible stench (though they have not in the past 3 years) and result
in their back yards becoming unusable. Nothing anyone says will ever
convince them otherwise because they know what they think they know
and that is that.

My question is this: do I have a right to compost yard waste?

I see two issues that could be a problem. First, you need to check with you
local building department to see if your compost bins and their screening
meet code. Your jurisdiction may have regulations concerning fencing
(height, material, set-back from property line). The second issue would be
odor. A well maintained compost pile shouldn't be a problem, but most
places prohibit any activity that produces strong odor. Your neighbors are
probably just uninformed. You could tell them to inform you if they detect
any odors from your compost bins so you can take corrective measures.

When I first moved into my home I had very little gardening experience.
There was a spot in the back yard that looked ideal for a compost pile and I
had plenty of yard waste. I accumulated a huge pile of weeds and grass
clipping. I watered it well and then we had a lot of rain. One day I went
outside and it smelled like a stock yard. There was a pungent ammonia odor
coming from the pile. I was grateful that the neighbors didn't complain.
They could have called the township or the home owner's association. I
spread it out to dry out the pile and then mixed in some paper and leaves.
So, compost piles can produce a strong, objectionable odor if poorly
conceived and maintained. Perhaps your neighbors had a bad prior experience
or talked to someone who did. As you say, probably nothing anyone says will
help. You will just need to set a good example. They will forget about it
soon if there isn't a problem.