Free compost for residents. OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) offers a regional community compost program for the Orange County. OCWR oversees the solid waste disposal needs of 34 cities and 16 ​ areas throughout Orange County, California, USA. ​ The full-circle recycling program developed by OCWR starts with curbside residential collection of green and organic waste that is turned into high-quality compost and mulch. These products are then given back to the community as a free resource to enrich gardens and landscaping. ​ OCWR’s compost has the Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) by the US Composting Council, a certification program that holds composting manufacturers to the highest standards of quality. The family-friendly giveaway will provide healthy compost to residents, perfect for backyards and home gardens. ​ ​ Since commencing the community composting and mulch program in October 2020, OCWR greeneries (Bee Canyon and Capistrano) co-located at the County landfills have diverted approximately 36,000 tons of green waste and manure from valuable landfill space. In addition, OCWR has given away over 3,300 tons of compost and mulch by working with County agencies, cities, non-profit organizations, businesses and residents through an online application. The program currently averages about 70 residential pick-ups per week with the number of requests increasing week over week. ​ ​ The greeneries currently utilize open windrow composting technology and will evolve to covered aerated static piles (CASP), and on to integrating multiple types of feedstocks. ​ Composting helps reduce greenhouse gasses and helps to preserve future landfill capacity.​ ​ California's waste industry is undergoing monumental transformation with the passing of SB 1383. The law aims to decrease organic waste in landfills by 75%, thereby reducing methane emissions, and increase the rescue of still-edible food by 20%, by 2025. OCWR is leading the efforts to comply with the new mandates by educating OC residents and is committed to creating a beneficial reuse for material that was once considered waste. ​ #circulareconomynews​ #recycling​ #wastemanagement #compost ​