Environmental Services
We are committed to providing residents easy and affordable access to composting resources and education in order to achieve greater diversion of organics entering the landfill.
The Compost Bin Voucher Program is year-round and provides City of San Diego residents with a discount on one of three styles of compost bins. One voucher per household, proof of residency required, while supplies last. The Compost Bin Voucher Program is only for residential home use. We are not accepting application requests from schools, non-profit organizations, businesses or other entities.
NOTICE: Please be advised that our program vendor, Dixieline Lumber & Home Center, is experiencing delays in compost bin shipments from suppliers. Applicants will be placed on a waitlist until bins are available.
Applications can be picked up at a Dixieline Lumber and Home Center location within City limits or through this link Compost Bin Voucher Application (Online Form) or Printable Compost Bin Voucher Application.
Review our Compost Bin Feature Overview to help you decide which compost bin is a good fit for your home.
Visit our Calendar of Events page to sign up for a FREE upcoming workshop, or find out when our annual Master Composter Course takes place.
Learn how to make your own compost by reading our helpful guides. A compost bin can be acquired through our compost bin voucher program, but can also be made from materials found around the house or by purchasing materials from a local supplier.
Compost bins and piles are high in nutrients that can cause bacteria to grow in our stormwater system. Be sure to protect compost piles and bins from runoff with berms or other preventive measures to stop contaminated water from reaching the storm drain system and local waterways.
Composting is a great place to start to engage little ones in learning more about the soil beneath our feet, how plants and the food we eat grows and how to prevent waste with proper sorting knowledge. Here are some fun activities for young environmental stewards!
Printable Activity Sheets
Instructional Videos
Do you need free help or have questions getting started with your new compost bin or have issues composting at home?
Contact our composting expert partner, Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, and get all your questions answered!