Compost, Compost, Get Your Free Compost!

Back by popular demand, and in appreciation of resident participation in the curbside yard trimmings program, RethinkWaste and the City of Foster City have teamed up to give away free compost to Foster City residents.

Free compost events will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - or as long as supplies last - on the following dates this fall:

• Saturday, Sept. 10
• Saturday, Sept. 24
• Saturday, Oct. 8

All Foster City residents can participate in the Compost Giveaway and take up to one cubic yard of compost - or about six full garbage cans worth - at no charge, from the west corner of , which is located at the intersection of Foster City Boulevard and Bounty Drive.  Residents should bring shovels, gloves and containers.  

The compost being given away is made from yard trimmings, which are collected at the curb and composted at a local composting facility. Yard trimmings make up more than half of California’s municipal waste.

Composting, or nature’s way of recycling, is the controlled decomposition of organic material such as leaves, twigs, grass clippings and vegetable food scraps. “Compost” is the valuable, nutrient-rich soil product that results from proper composting. The compost is ideally used as an amendment to enrich soil for lawns, gardens, ornamental plants, trees and potted plants.

Composting helps to keep a high volume of organic material out of local landfills and turns that material into a useful product.  Proper management of yard trimmings reduces the nutrient run-off to wetlands and the Bay, thereby promoting better water quality. Additionally, by applying compost to yards, organic resources are put back into the soil, providing a non-chemical alternative to fertilizers.

In addition to curbside yard trimming collection, backyard and worm composting are options available to residents for large-scale composting. Reduced-price bins are available through RecycleWorks, a program of the County of San Mateo. To order a compost bin, visit www.recycleworks.org and click on “compost bins.”

Free home composting workshops are offered at the Foster City Recreation Center.  Check for a schedule of classes or sign up at the Recreation Center, 650 Shell Blvd., or online at www.fostercity.org.

The South Bayside Waste Management Authority/RethinkWaste is a regional agency formed in 1982 to help local communities manage and reduce waste. To learn more about SBWMA/RethinkWaste, please visit www.RethinkWaste.org.

to read green columnist Alexis Petru's recent piece on home composting.