ORANGE COUNTY, CA (October 18, 2023) – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is excited to announce a county-wide Community Compost Giveaway event Saturday, November 4, between 7:30 a.m. and noon. Orange County residents are invited to 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 distributing ready-to-use compost free of charge. At Bee Canyon Greenery and Capistrano Greenery, residents are encouraged to bring their own containers or heavy-duty yard waste bags and a shovel to load the compost. At Valencia Greenery, pre-filled bags of compost will be distributed, with each household limited to four bags, while supplies last.
“OC Waste & Recycling creates quality compost from green waste collected from homes across Orange County. Compost is full-circle process that starts in the yard waste bin and transforms into nutrient-rich soil, enhancing plant growth, retaining moisture, and suppressing weed growth,” said Tom Koutroulis, Director, OCWR. “Our community compost program raises awareness about the importance of organics recycling to sustain our local resources for years to come.”
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 family friendly giveaway aims to supply residents with healthy compost suitable for backyards and home gardens. Composting pick-up locations include:
- FRB / Bee Canyon Greenery, 11002 Bee Canyon Access Rd., Irvine
- OA / Valencia Greenery, 1942 N. Valencia Ave., Brea
- PD / Capistrano Greenery, 32250 Avenida La Pata, San Juan Capistrano
Make a Recycling Impact: Celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15th
OC residents can do their part by America Recycle Day® pledging their commitment to recycling on November 15, America Recycles Day (ARD). This nationally recognized day is dedicated to promoting recycling in the United States through numerous events nationwide. OC residents can pick up free compost on November 4 in honor of ARD, or take some time during November to gather and drop off household hazardous waste at one of four free household hazardous waste collection centers throughout the county, open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Small efforts can make a significant difference. For example, recycling aluminum can save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 20 hours or a television for two hours. Conversely, the same can tossed into a landfill will take 80 to 100 years to degrade, emphasizing the importance for recycling.
OCWR’s OCRecycleGuide.com is a resource for people looking to recycle odd items and directs the public to various recycling options. In addition to recycling, it is also important to make sure hazardous items like batteries, paints and household cleaners do not make it into our landfills. Orange County is home to four Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers located in Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. The centers are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. OCWR online recycling education, tips and quizzes can be found at OCLandfills.com/learn.
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 in order 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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