Thursday, October 22, 2026

County Sets Altadena Mulch and Compost Giveaway, Free Shredding for Saturday

Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa households can collect free mulch and compost and have residential documents shredded Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Loma Alta Trailhead Staging Area, Los Angeles County announced.

The county’s event combines a drive-up landscaping-material giveaway with document disposal for households in the two communities.

Residents must show proof of local residency, and the mulch and compost will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to a county statement.

The giveaway is scheduled from 7 a.m. to noon at 573 W. Loma Alta Drive in Altadena. Residents must bring sturdy containers and collect the material themselves. The county has set a limit of two containers per household for the mulch and compost.

The shredding operation has a different limit. Residents may bring an unlimited quantity of residential documents for free shredding, but business waste will not be accepted, the county said.

The shredding truck is scheduled to operate until noon, although service will end sooner if the truck fills. That means the advertised ending time does not guarantee that paper shredding will remain available throughout the morning.

Attendees must provide a driver’s license or a waste hauler invoice as proof of residency. The county identified Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa residents as eligible for the event; it did not announce the giveaway as a countywide service.

Universal Waste Systems is the residential trash collection contractor for Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa, according to a Los Angeles County Public Works service guide. The company’s Altadena information page also identifies the same telephone number and menu option provided in the county event notice.

County Public Works manages the CleanLA Smart Gardening program, which provides information about composting, recycling organic waste and conserving water in residential landscapes. The program describes compost as a way to nourish home gardens while returning organic material to the soil.

The county directs questions about Saturday’s event to Universal Waste Systems at 800-631-7016, option 6. The listed telephone hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.