Thousands of San Francisco residents are expected to turn out for the city’s annual Great Compost Giveaway this morning.
Residents who bring their own bucket between 8 a.m. and noon can receive up to five gallons of free compost material at the giveaway, an event spokeswoman said.
“It’s the crhme de la crhme of compost,” spokeswoman Gina Antonini said. “It’s typically really expensive to purchase.”
Eighteen truckloads of the premium compost will be brought to four locations throughout the city for distribution and organizers are expecting between 3- to 4,000 visitors.
“San Franciscans are really passionate about composting,” Antonini said. “It’s something people get really excited about.”
The compost, typically intended for outdoor use, is made from a premium blend of plant matter and the contents of San Francisco residents’ and restaurants’ green bins.
The green bins are used for compost as part of the city’s mandatory composting program, which went into effect in 2009.
“This is a way we can thank people for participating,” Antonini said.
Whatever compost is not claimed will be donated to the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department, Alemany Farm and Hayes Valley Farm.
The event is co-sponsored by the recycling company, Recology, who is providing the compost and San Francisco’s Department of Environment, Recreation & Park Department as well as the Department of Public Works.
The giveaway is scheduled to take place at the following locations: Alemany Farm at 700 Alemany Blvd.; McLaren Park at the upper parking lot of Jerry Garcia Ampitheater, John F. Shelley Drive and Mansell Street; Hayes Valley Farm at Oak Street and Octavia Boulevard; and Ocean Beach parking lot at Golden Gate Park between Lincoln Way and Fulton Street.
Erika Heidecker, Bay City News
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