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Press Release

OC Waste & Recycling Hosts Free Compost Giveaway for OC Residents on May 4th

OC Waste & Recycling employees shoveling compost

ORANGE COUNTY, CA (April 24, 2024) – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is excited to announce a countywide Community Compost Giveaway event on Saturday, May 4, from 7:30 a.m. to noon. This special event invites all Orange County residents and will be held at three locations: Bee Canyon Greenery (Frank R. Bowerman Landfill) in Irvine, Valencia Greenery (Olinda Alpha Landfill) in Brea, and Capistrano Greenery (Prima Deshecha Landfill) in San Juan Capistrano.

OCWR will be offering ready-to-use compost free of charge. At the Bowerman and Prima Deshecha Landfills, residents are encouraged to bring their own containers or heavy-duty yard waste bags and a shovel to load the compost. At Olinda Alpha Landfill, pre-filled bags of compost will be distributed, with each household limited to four bags, while supplies last.

“OC Waste & Recycling provides top-quality compost using green waste collected from local homes throughout Orange County. In 2023 alone, we recycled over 19,250 tons of organic waste for composting,” said Tom Koutroulis, Director of OCWR. “Through our community compost program, we aim to educate and inspire about the significance of organic recycling in preserving our local resources and the benefits of compost for healthy soil and reducing greenhouse gases.”

OCWR’s compost has been certified with the Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) by the US Composting Council, ensuring the highest standards of quality. The giveaway aims to supply residents with healthy compost suitable for backyards and home gardens.

Composting pick-up locations include:

  • Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, 11002 Bee Canyon Access Rd., Irvine
  • Olinda Alpha Landfill 1942 N. Valencia Ave., Brea
  • Prima Deshecha Landfill, 32250 Avenida La Pata, San Juan Capistrano

Make an Impact: Celebrate International Compost Week during the first full week of May!

Kick off International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) by picking up free compost on May 4th in honor of this global initiative. ICAW is celebrated annually nationwide and in other countries during the first full week of May. The goal of ICAW is to work together to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil. The program includes poster and video contests in the fall and activities and events held during the week in May. 

Compost is a full-circle process that begins in the yard waste bins and transforms into nutrient-rich soil, promoting healthier plant growth, improved moisture retention, and natural weed suppression. By working together, we’ve repurposed nearly 7,500 tons of compost and mulch for beneficial reuse in 2023. Follow @OCWaste for additional ICAW related features during the week or visit OCWR’s website at OCLandfills.com/Compost for valuable tips on composting.

About OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) 

OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs by providing waste management services, operating public landfills, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises, and promoting recycling to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation's premier solid waste disposal systems, three compost greeneries, all serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills reflect environmental engineering at its best. Learn more by visiting the OCWR website at OCLandfills.com

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