Mecklenburg County is Going Green on Friday

​You can join Mecklenburg County Solid Waste on Friday, March 17 for a 1-day special! Free bulk compost will be available for pick up at the full-service recycling centers, limited to 1 cubic yard. Bulk brush mulch is also available for free through June 2023. 

“Go green this Saint Patrick’s Day by tending to your yard with one cubic yard of free compost or unlimited brush mulch,” said Jeff Smithberger, director of the Solid Waste Management Program. “Our mulch and compost are 100% organic, and we will be happy to load your truck or small trailer.” 

Mulch and compost are usually available to the public for a fee. Compost is an organic soil amendment that looks and feels like soil. It’s the result of microorganisms decomposing organic matter through the process of “aerobic biodegradation.” Mecklenburg County produces compost that we have “branded” as Queen City Compost ™ from leaves, ground up trees and organic yard waste.  

Compost should be mixed into the soil to improve soil structure and add nutrients. Because it is so rich and full of these nutrients, it is best tilled into soil for your plants to thrive and it should not be used alone. Wood mulch is comprised of wood that is ground in large commercial grinders. Wood mulch varies based upon what materials are ground up. Mulch provides benefits such as limiting weed growth, moderating soil temperature, reducing the potential for erosion, and enhancing moisture retention in the underlying soil. It also adds visual appeal to your area.