City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center Launches “Mulch Club” Customer Reward Program

Jayne Kirkpatrick, Director, Public Affairs        
Prepared by: Christopher Riley, Senior Public Affairs Specialist

For more information: Yard Waste Center, Solid Waste Services Department, 919-250-2728


August 13, 2013

 

City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center Launches “Mulch Club”
Customer Reward Program

Raleigh area landscapers – amateur and professional alike – are invited to take advantage of a new customer reward program at the City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center, 900 North New Hope Road.

Customers joining the free “Mulch Club” will receive a punch card to track their purchases of mulch. With the purchase of six containers or loads of mulch, customers will receive their seventh container or load of mulch free of charge.

The City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center serves as the recycling center for yard waste that is collected through the City's curbside yard waste collection program. At the center, items such as grass clippings, shrubbery trimmings, leaves, limbs, logs, brush, pine straw, and hay are recycled into wood chips, mulch and compost which are available for purchase by the general public. In addition to yard waste collected by City crews, the center also accepts yard waste from the public for a fee. Accepted yard waste must have been generated inside the Raleigh city limits.

The Yard Waste Center staff follows strict guidelines in producing high-quality yard waste products for sale. Mulch is created in an all-natural facility using a month-long process to eliminate weed seeds, pesticides, or chemicals that can be found in yard waste. Compost created at the Yard Waste Center is seasoned for about six months before sale. The Yard Waste Center has received the U.S. Composting Council's seal of testing assurance for its high quality compost.

Using locally made mulch for landscaping needs is a sustainable choice, as it reduces fuel required in shipping. In addition, instead of using chemicals and energy to bag mulch for commercial sale, customers do the work of packaging the mulch themselves.

Customers also are advised to consider the environmental costs of using yard products that are not quickly renewable, such as peat moss or cypress mulch.

All products at the Yard Waste Center are available in a 2.5 cubic yard loads or in 35 gallon bags or containers. Customers should bring their own bag or container to fill at the facility. Current prices are as follows:

  • Mulch or Wood Chips - $25/load; $2/bag or container
  • Compost - $30/load; $3/bag or container
  • Colored Wood Chips - $50/load; $5/bag or container

All items are subject to availability. Prices do not include sales tax.

The City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center opened to the public in 1992. In its first year of operation, the center took in 52 tons of yard waste. In the past 12 months, the center accepted 45,418 tons of yard waste. The Yard Waste Center has grown from a small operation covering approximately 10 acres with four employees to a 60-acre facility with six permanent and two temporary employees.

Individuals, nonprofits, businesses, government entities, and professional landscape companies are invited to visit the Yard Waste Center to learn more about the various products available. The facility is open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Accepted payment methods include cash, checks with proper identification, MasterCard and Visa.

For more information, contact the City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center at 919-250-2728 or visit the City of Raleigh website at http://www.raleighnc.gov/services/content/SolidWaste/Articles/YardWasteRecyclingCen.html.

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