Free Green Waste Disposal Program Extended Another Year!

Dear District Five Resident,

Despite the incredible fiscal challenges our County is facing, I am pleased to announce that I was able to allocate funding to continue offering the Free Green Waste Disposal Program.

This program allows residents of the unincorporated areas in District Five to dispose of yard trimmings and other green waste at no cost at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station on the last Saturday of the month. Originally scheduled to end in June, the program will now continue through September, then return in the Spring of 2027.

I hope you will take advantage of the upcoming opportunities to create defensible space and fire breaks around your home. Consider partnering with your neighbors—especially those who have difficulty removing vegetation on their own—to make sure that one vulnerable home doesn’t put an entire neighborhood at risk. As we enter peak fire season, the work each one of us does can have a tremendous impact on the well-being of everyone who calls our mountain communities home.

See below for more details on the Free Green Waste Disposal Program and other helpful information. If you have any questions, please reach out to my office at fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov.

In community,

Monica Martinez

Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 5

Your Efforts are Making an Impact

More Green Waste is Being Removed from Our Communities

During the first iteration of the program—which ran for five Saturdays in August 2025—participants delivered 289 tons of green waste, a 185% increase over the 103 tons disposed of on the same five Saturdays in the previous year.

Since the program re-launched in March this year, District 5 residents have disposed of 351 tons of green waste, compared to 72 tons collected on comparable Saturdays the previous year, making an increase of 387%.

Community Participation Continues to Grow

The number of loads delivered on Free Green Waste Saturdays has at times tripled what we saw in the last fiscal year.

Overall, participants delivered nearly 2,100 loads amounting to approximately 640 tons of green waste over the nine Free Green Waste Saturdays!

But many people are still discovering the program, so help us spread the word!

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Some of the most meaningful feedback we’ve received has come from community members who feel inspired by this program to go beyond their own properties and work to remove vegetation and reduce fire risk across their neighborhoods.

As one resident shared:

“I live in Mount Hermon and we got together on our street and filled a trailer, 12 trucks and two green bins on May 30th. A kindly volunteer firefighter from the Felton Firehouse walked through our street prioritizing areas to concentrate on.”

Stories like this remind us that wildfire preparedness is a shared responsibility. So, whether you are addressing your own yard or pitching in to help your neighbors, mark your calendars so you don’t miss the upcoming Free Green Waste Disposal days on the last Saturday of July, August, and September!

Key Program Information

No appointment needed! Not sure if you live in an unincorporated area of District 5? See below for more information.
Bamboo, poison oak, palm, pampas grass, yucca and flax materials are not permitted as green waste. Standard size limits apply. See FAQs for details.
You may deliver as many loads as you want, but each load is limited to two tons. You may deliver more than two tons in a load, but you will be required to pay for the excess weight.
Dump trucks and roll off bins are not permitted.
If you are hauling your own green waste, be prepared to show proof of residency (such as driver’s license or utility bill) when you arrive at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station.
If someone else is delivering your green waste, you’ll need to provide a signed affidavit (available in English and Spanish) confirming they are hauling on your behalf. A separate affidavit is required for each load. Hard copies are also available at my office.
This program is offered in collaboration with Santa Cruz County Community Development and Infrastructure and is funded with Measure K tax revenue.
For more information, see the FAQs on the website.

Not Sure If You Are Eligible to Participate?

Residents of the unincorporated area of Supervisorial District 5 are eligible to participate in this program. Generally, this includes those living in the San Lorenzo Valley, and some residents who live outside the city limits of Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. Some residents living east of the Ben Lomond Mountain ridge and south of the Castle Rock ridge are also District 5 residents. To check whether you live in District 5, enter your address here.

Other Free Waste Removal Resources in Our Area

GreenWaste: Extra Collections for Yard Trimmings

Are you maximizing the use of your green waste bin? County residents who already pay for GreenWaste trash collection can schedule up to four on-call “Extra Set Out” collections annually for yard trimmings for no additional charge. Check out the GreenWaste website and click on “Extra Services” under Residential Services for more information.

Concrete & Asphalt Event

Do you have concrete or asphalt to recycle? If so, bring your clean asphalt to the Ben Lomond Transfer Station or Buena Vista Landfill during the seasonal Concrete & Asphalt Event. The program runs until August 29, 2026. Proof of Santa Cruz County residency is required. Click here for more information about accepted materials and other details.