SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Gardeners often use rich brown compost to give plants a boost, but regional compost itself is receiving a significant boost thanks to South Lake Tahoe’s switch to its 3-cart system.

South Tahoe Refuse’s first year implementing the 3-cart system, which separates garbage, recycling and yard waste into 3 different containers, has seen nearly a five fold increase (481%) in yard waste collected through its residential program.

• First year of 3-cart system: 10,555,140 pounds of yard waste
• Prior year (before 3-cart): 1,817,020 pounds of yard waste

The switch has significantly increased the amount of pine needles, pinecones, branches, grass clippings and other vegetative waste diverted from the landfill and sent towards composting partners like Full Circle Compost.

Northern Nevada’s largest composting site, Full Circle Compost turns that diverted material into garden nurturing compost, soils and mulches. In an act that is not only good for plants, but also the planet, utilizing this local compost after contributing to yard waste collection offers a “Full Circle” approach.

Located in Carson City and supplying products to many retailers in California and Nevada, Full Circle says the best way to support composting is by using it, especially locally, “because the only way to compost more material, is to use more compost.”

In addition to STR’s yard waste program, Full Circle receives green waste from many Truckee and Lake Tahoe sources, including fire prevention pine needle composting programs, commercial food waste programs, and many fire prevention defensible space programs.

In 2024 alone, Full Circle diverted a total of 131,570 cubic yards of organic materials, the equivalent of filling a football field 62 feet high.

During its first year, STR’s 3-cart system has also seen a 34% increase in recycling with their blue cart.

The semi-automated collection system is safer for employees, and reduces the use of plastic bags as it helps keep recyclables and yard waste out of the landfill.

The switch last October was in response to a California state law that mandates the separation of organic waste from regular garbage in an overall goal to reduce climate pollutants.