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Compost and Mulch Drop Off Site Hours and Locations

County of Santa Cruz yard trimmings and wood waste drop off sites:

Open 7:30AM-3:30PM Monday through Saturday.
CLOSED SUNDAYS
For more information, please contact (831) 454-2430.
County of Santa Cruz Sites
Buena Vista Landfill Located one mile south of Highway 1 on Buena Vista Drive, Watsonville
Ben Lomond Transfer Station 9835 Newell Creek Road, Ben Lomond
City of Santa Cruz
Contact the City of Santa Cruz for information on their programs at (831) 420-6270.
City of Watsonville
Contact the City of Watsonville for information on their programs at (831) 768-3133.

Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station maintain high standards on quality control and strictly adhere to the Woodwaste & Yardwaste Drop-off Acceptance Policy, effective November 1, 2015.

Woodwaste and Yardwaste Acceptance Policy

Woodwaste and yardwaste are accepted at both the Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station at the listed reduced rate under the following restrictions:

All woodwaste listed in groups 1 and 2 below must be less than 8 feet in length and 4 feet in diameter. Woodwaste in excess of the above dimensions will not be accepted at the reduced rate at either woodwaste processing area or in the Ben Lomond Transfer Station, but may be accepted for disposal subject to contaminated garbage or special handling charges at the County's Buena Vista Landfill only.

Woodwaste subject to the reduced rate must consist solely of the following:
Group 1 Group 2
Yardwaste (leaves, grass, weeds, ivy...)
Prunings
Brush
Small Dimensional Tree Materials
Clean Framing & Decking Lumber
Clean Construction Wood Debris
Plywood
Pallets
Wood Crates & Cable Spools
Logs & Tree Trunks (without root ball)
Diseased Pine and Oak Materials *
* To prevent the spread of Pine Pitch Canker Disease and Sudden Oak Death Syndrome in our County, we request that all pine, oak and other diseased plant materials be segregated from the Group 1 materials above.

Customers are requested to separate incoming woodwaste into the above two groups, and off-load into the appropriate receiving pile at the woodwaste area.

All woodwaste loads must be FREE OF THE FOLLOWING:
No Pressure Treated or Painted Lumber
No Particle Board, Chipboard, MDF or OSB
No Pampas Grass, Palm, Yucca or Bamboo
No Cape Ivy
No Poison Oak
No Refuse
No Plastic Bags
No Plastics of any type, including "Compostable"
No Paper
No Petroleum Contaminated Wood
No Metal / Hardware (except nails & bolts less than 1/4 inch in diameter)
No Rootballs
No Dirt, Rock, Concrete or Bone
No Hazardous Wastes
No Putrescent Wastes (fruit, animal waste, meat,..)

All loads must be covered and fully secured upon arrival at the solid waste facility or the load will be subject to a fee for uncovered/unsecured load surcharge.

All loads will be inspected prior to disposal and any load not conforming to the above restrictions or those restrictions found in the Disposal Rate Schedule may be subject to contaminated garbage rates, special handling charges or total rejection from disposal at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station and/or Buena Vista Landfill.

The final decision on all woodwaste acceptability will be with the woodwaste processing operator/attendant.

2024 Holiday Schedule

Buena Vista Location 

1231 Buena Vista Dr.,
Watsonville, CA

(831) 454-2430 or
(831) 454-5153

County Landfill
Open every Mon.,

Tues., Thurs.,
Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm

Buena Vista Household
Hazardous Waste
Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm
Open every Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

(831) 454-2606


Ben Lomond Location 

9835 Newell Creek Rd.,
Ben Lomond, CA

(831) 454-2430 or

(831) 454-3951

 

County Transfer Station
Open every Mon.,

Tues., Thurs.,
Fri., & Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

Open every Wed.,
7:30 am - 2:30 pm

Ben Lomond Household Hazardous Waste
Open every Thurs.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

(831) 454-2606


Other Household Hazardous Waste 

City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility
Open every Sat.
7:30 am - 3:30 pm

605 Dimeo Lane
Santa Cruz, CA

(831) 420-6270


Santa Cruz County
Solid Waste & Recycling
Main Office

701 Ocean St., Room 410
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 454-2160

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