Free compost giveaway

Next date: Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 08:00 AM

Spring is here and the flowers are blooming! Does your soil need more nutrients to create a lavish garden? You’re in luck! City of Menlo Park residents may pick up free compost starting on April 26 to 28 until supplies last. Appointments are not required.

Compost will be stored in debris boxes. This event is self-serve so please bring your own shovels, gloves and containers to fill.

Compost benefits

Everyone in San Mateo County is required to place all food and plant material into their green bin. The food scraps and yard trimmings are made into compost, which is used to enrich the soil of gardens, parks and farms. Composting also reduces greenhouse gases, which makes using your green bin a great way to fight climate change—right from your own home! These wonderful benefits are why California passed state law SB1383, which made sorting food and plants into the green bin mandatory for everyone. Visit the City’s webpage to learn more about SB 1383.

For healthy compost and clean soil for gardens, parks and farms, we all need to do our part to keep ALL plastic out the green bin. To request free kitchen pail, please contact Recology at 650-595-3900 or learn how to compost at home.

Just remember, “Food In, Plastic Out”:

Separate food from all plastic packaging, plastic bags, and plastic containers.
Remove all labels, ties and tags from fruits and vegetables before you put them in the green bin.
Empty collected food scraps directly into the green bin. If you use a bag to collect your food scraps, use a paper bag. If using a plastic bag, empty all the contents from the plastic bag into the green bin, and put the plastic bag in the trash bin.

Need more?

If you need more compost in the meantime, feel free to visit Shoreway Environmental Center. The facility offers year-round free compost. Please bring proof of residency and no appointment is needed. Residents are limited to take two 50-lb bags each week.