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Composting & Green Waste Resources
Composting valuable organic materials such as food, garden, and grass clippings, brush, untreated wood, and food-soiled paper can build healthy soils, keep materials out of the landfill, conserve water and energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help grow our local economy!
Organics Waste Reduction
- Use these food waste prevention tips for residents.
- Compost at home. See our Backyard Composting Made Easy brochure for more information on backyard composting.
- Learn to compost and grasscycle by checking out videos and books from the Arcata Library.
- View the SB 1383 Organics Requirements page for information and frequently asked questions about organics recycling.
Local Community Composters
Full Cycle Compost provides weekly curbside pickup of compost by bicycle for residents or businesses in the Arcata, Sunnybrae, and Bayside areas. If you live outside of their service area, you can sign up for their drop-off service. Please visit their website for pricing and additional information.
The Local Worm Guy offers residential, curbside, and business food waste pick-up service in Trinidad, Westhaven, McKinleyville, Fieldbrook, Blue Lake, Arcata, and Eureka. They also provide worms for home vermicomposting. Please visit their website for pricing and additional information.
Curbside Green Waste Pick Up with Recology
Prevent yard waste from going to the landfill by taking advantage of the curbside Yard Waste Pickup service from Recology Arcata. Get details and sign up for services today.
Green Waste Drop-off - Updated July 16th, 2025
As of Friday, August 1, 2025, the City of Arcata is ending no-cost green waste drop-offs for Recology Arcata customers at Morris Logging.
The no-cost green waste drop-off program has been successful at encouraging diversion of compostable green waste away from the landfill. However, due to significant cost increases to process green waste locally, the City has not been able to sustainably fund this no-cost program. A significant portion of the City’s solid waste franchise fee revenue has been funding Arcata residents’ free green waste drop-offs, reducing the amount of revenue available to fund essential compliance with state requirements and other zero-waste programs.
The City of Arcata, along with other local jurisdictions throughout Humboldt County, continues to advance compliance with SB 1383, the California state law focused on reducing organic waste in landfills. The City anticipates rolling out mandatory curbside organics collection in mid-2026, which will provide another outlet for green waste composting as well as food waste.
Residents have the following options to take green waste locally:
1. Morris Logging/Wes Green at 1500 Glendale Drive in Glendale - Contact #: 707-822-8537
2. Humboldt Sanitation at 2585 Central Avenue in McKinleyville - Contact #: 707-839-3285
3. Humboldt Waste Management Authority at 1059 W Hawthorne St in Eureka - Contact #: 707-268-8680
If you have additional questions regarding these changes, please call the Environmental Services Department at 707-822-8184 or email eservices@cityofarcata.org.
Green Waste Bins at HWMA
Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA) has green waste bins available at the transfer station for $35 each. If you have any questions, call HWMA at (707)268-8680, visit HWMA at 1059 West Hawthorne St, Eureka, CA 9550, or check out their website to learn more about the GeoBin composting system.