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The Albany Compost Hub at the Gill Tract Farm
Come get free compost at the Albany Compost Hub!
Enter on Jackson St. using the map below:
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No residency requirements
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Bring your own containers
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Complete check-in form by scanning our QR code
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First time visitors must complete liability waiver
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Take as much as you need
What is the Albany Compost Hub?
In an exciting partnership with UC Berkeley, The City of Albany, and StopWaste of Alameda County, the Gill Tract Farm opened up the Albany Compost Hub on April 23rd, 2023. The Compost Hub, located on the Farm, is a site where anyone can learn about and pick up free compost. The Compost Hub is open on Sundays from 12-4pm and provides visitors with tools, borrowable bags, educational pamphlets, and free compost.
To get compost, visitors must fill out a liability waiver if it is their first time visiting, and a check-in survey to collect information about how the compost hub is being used. There are no residency requirements or limits on how much one can take.
How the Compost Hub supports Sustainability
The Albany Compost Hub was established in part due to California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383). SB 1383 aims to reduce the amount of short-lived climate pollutants that are emitted by reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfills. In landfills, organic waste decomposes and produces large amounts of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. The amount of organic waste sent to landfills can be reduced by recovering and redistributing surplus food and separating organic waste to be processed into compost, mulch, or biogas.
As a result, a large portion of SB 1383 is its mandate for all municipalities to collect green waste, in addition to recycling and trash, so that this waste can be diverted from landfills. Furthermore, municipalities are required to purchase a population-based amount of organic waste products (compost, mulch, or biogas) to create a market for the waste they are producing. The compost purchased for the Albany Compost Hub helps the City of Albany meet these requirements to procure organic waste products while providing a valuable resource for its community. Providing free compost to the community lowers the barriers to gardening and contributes to localized food systems by supporting people in growing fruits, herbs, vegetables, and pollinator gardens. To learn more about SB 1383, please visit CalRecycle at https://calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/slcp/.