International Compost Awareness Week: May 3-9, 2020

Looking for a great activity to break up that stay-at-home boredom? Celebrate compost with us! Compost increases soil health, reduces methane emissions from landfills and decreases pesticide and chemical use. Here are some ways to learn about composting while getting the whole family involved:

• Compost 101 Free Webinar --  Take an online composting class! Learn about the basics of composting from the safety of home, Friday, May 8, 9 a.m. CDT.
• Start a Victory Garden -- Join the rejuvenated Victory Garden movement! Millions of Americans staying home have turned to their gardens for exercise, family activity, healthy produce and fun! Find out more here.
• Get your hands dirty! – Ready to dig into composting? Check out these helpful resources to start a composting or gardening project at home.

For more fun tips and activities, follow OC Waste & Recycling on social media @OCWaste or visit www.oclandfills.com/learn.

While COVID-19 forced OC Waste & Recycling to cancel its free landfill tours for the time being, the staff has created a stunning virtual tour of Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea. Even during this health crisis landfill operations continue as waste management is an essential public service. See the aerial footage of the operation and where your trash goes. Click to see the LANDFILL VIRTUAL TOUR

Looking for a fun way to pass time at home while celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day? Why not take the scraps, and a break, from all the recipes you’ve been testing and start a compost project with the kids? OC Waste & Recycling has teamed up with Discovery Cube OC to create an exciting and virtual way to learn how to protect our planet from the comfort of your own home. To start your own compost recipe, download our FREE activity guide HERE!

For more activities and simple crafts to do at home with the kids, check out THIS article from earth911.com or visit oclandfills.com.

Follow us on social media @OCWaste and stay tuned all week long for more exciting posts on how to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

As we continue to wear disposable gloves and masks to protect ourselves, please remember to properly dispose of used protective equipment in the trash bin. Littering of waste can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health, including children who may not realize the items they are touching and can potentially be hazardous.

We’re encouraging Orange County residents to make smart decisions to help us all stay healthy and safe during this difficult time. For more information on COVID-19 and local resources provided through Orange County Health Care Agency, visit ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus. You can also call the Orange County COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-426-6411 and text “OCCOVID19” to 888777 to receive free text message updates.

Spring has sprung and April is National Garden Month. While we’re home and trying to occupy ourselves during our newfound free time, why not put a spin on traditional gardening and start composting in your home garden? Most of us have found ourselves cooking more and accumulating leftovers, which makes it the perfect time to reuse leftover food waste.

Composting can reduce trash disposal by up to 35 percent and preserves precious landfill space for waste that cannot be repurposed or recycled. By working together on creative ways to reduce waste, we can expand the life of our finite resources for years to come. For more information on all the benefits of composting, visit www.oclandfills.com/learn.

OC Waste & Recycling: Service Update

Orange County Landfills and Household Hazardous Waste Centers remain open during normal business hours. Materials Exchange Programs (MEPs) will reopen Saturday, June 27 for regular business hours. Follow us @OCWaste on social media for up-to -date changes and information.

We understand that many people are home and using this time to clean out their garages, cupboards, attics, etc. While spring cleaning is beneficial for everyone, proper waste disposal is just as important. Please remember that hazardous items need to be separated from your regular waste and taken to your nearby household hazardous waste collection center.

Items like batteries, paints, cleaners and old electronics cannot be thrown in your regular trash bin as they contain potentially hazardous ingredients that require special handling. Improper disposal of hazardous waste can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health. For more information, visit oclandfills.com/hazardous.

Effective immediately, residents can now call 1(833)426-6411 for inquiries related to novel coronavirus (#COVID19) in Orange County, California.

Effective immediately, residents can sign up to receive text message updates related to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Orange County, California. To opt-in for this service, text OCCOVID19 to 888777.

The County of Orange Emergency Operations Center has collaborated with Everbridge Nixle to launch this one-way alert system as an additional option for community members to receive the latest news and resources related to COVID-19. Text message updates will be provided daily from the County of Orange Emergency Operations Center during its activation.

Residents who have questions about an update can contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.

It’s the first day of spring and do you know what that means? It’s time for spring cleaning! If you’re looking for ways to declutter the house or be environmentally conscious while cleaning, check out this website for tips on how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle this spring.

If you are unsure about where to dispose of common household items, visit ocrecycleguide.com for an A-Z list of recycling options for Orange County residents.