Residents can get free compost, take a workshop and get a compost bin, join gardening clubs, and learn about yard trimmings and food scraps programs. Looking for food scraps? Visit MountainView.gov/FoodScraps.

Compost Workshops & Bins

Learn how to turn your grass, leaves and kitchen scraps into nutritious soil for your garden.

The Santa Clara County Home Composting Education Program offers workshops in Mountain View and throughout the county. Registration required. In 2023, Mountain View workshops will be:

• Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 S Rengstorff Ave.
• Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Heritage Park, 771 Rengstorff Ave.
• Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Mountain View Community Center, 201 S Rengstorff Ave.

See the full list of classes in Mountain View and other locations. You must pre-register for the workshop and can also learn how to get a compost bin by contacting the Rotline at 408-918-4640 or online at Ucanr.edu/Compost.

In addition, you can also join neighborhood composters or learn more by searching the web or visiting these websites:

• Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition "Food Too Good To Waste" has lots of tips.
• Peninsula Composting Club is a peer-to-peer email support network of Bay Area composting enthusiasts eager to share their experiences and learn from others' experiences.  
• Mountain View Neighborhood Associations for neighborhood composting groups or blogs.
• Bay Area EcoGardens for one-stop information about water conservation, composting, integrated pest management, plant selection and classes and events related to sustainable gardening.  Program is funded by a collaboration of governmental agencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo County. 
• Water Conservation for more information about how to save water in Mountain View.

Master Composters

Learn more about how to compost in your back yard and teach others by becoming a Master Composter in Santa Clara County. Call 408-918-4640 or visit the Composting Education Program website for more information.

Training includes workshops on the art and science of basic and worm composting, field trips, certification and all training materials. Master Composter training enhances the skills of community leaders, activists, educators, environmentalists, gardeners, and recyclers. We encourage adults of all ages and abilities to apply. If you have ideas and energy for community participation, this class is for you.

Free Ready-To-Use compost and mulch

Mountain View residents may pick up free finished compost and tan mini-mulch at the SMaRT Station seven days a week, which is located at 301 Carl Road at the intersection of Caribbean Drive and Borregas Avenue in Sunnyvale (408-752-8530).  

Process

Recology collects yard trimmings throughout the community and brings it to the SMaRT Station in Sunnyvale for processing. The Station produces a quality, finished compost in loose piles as shown in the above picture. The yard trimmings are sent to an off-site commercial composting facility where it is screened for contaminants, and after a period of many weeks, the material is returned to the SMaRT Station for use as finished compost. During rain periods, you may find the compost pile has a protective "sock" to prevent runoff.

PICK UP

Please bring your own shovel and container to load and transport the material. There is a limit of 96 gallons each per week for compost and mulch. These materials are provided to residents at no charge with proof of residency. See more information about compost material quantity limits and tarping requirements at the SMaRT Station.

YARD TRIMMINGS SERVICE

Visit the yard trimmings website page for collection service information.