Backyard Composting in Los Alamos County

Enterprise Bank & Trust has generously offered to purchase more kits for the backyard composting program! THANK YOU, Enterprise Bank, for getting more of our community started backyard composting! At this time, all initial and additional kits have been reserved. Please register to be put on the waiting list and we will contact you if additional kits become available.

Do you want to start backyard composting, but don't know where to start? Do you want a self-contained compost tumbler that needs minimal maintenance and keeps critters out, plus a kitchen countertop container to hold your food scraps and some guidance about the composting process? This is the program for you!

Los Alamos County Environmental Services, Pajarito Environmental Education Center, the Zero Waste Los Alamos Team, and Keep New Mexico True have teamed up to bring FREE backyard composting kits to Los Alamos County residents! You'll get a kitchen compost container to collect food scraps, a compost tumbler for your backyard, a brochure to answer the most common questions about composting, and magnets with quick tips for composting and food waste prevention. Watch our backyard composting program trailer here to learn more.

So, what's the catch?! There isn't one! All you have to do is sign up (for FREE), pick up your kit (also FREE), and start your compost. We'll contact you in a few months to ask how it's going, and that's it! You keep all the supplies and reap the benefits of your homemade, organic compost. Together, we can make a big difference by diverting household food waste from the landfill.

Registration begins Monday, March 22. Backyard composting kits will be available for pickup at the Los Alamos County Eco Station on the following dates/times. If you are unable to pick up your kit on these dates, select the "future date or other arrangements" option during registration and we'll work with you to make other arrangements.

Saturday, April 17, 9 AM to 4 PM

Wednesday, April 21, 9 AM to 4 PM

Thursday, April 22, 9 AM to 4 PM

This program is funded in part by a grant from New Mexico Clean and Beautiful. One kit per household. This is a pilot program, so approximately 200 kits will be distributed in this first round. If you have questions about the program, please call Los Alamos County Environmental Services at 505-662-8163 or email solidwaste@lacnm.us or adventure@peecnature.org.

Admission: Free.