Fairfax County operates a brush grinding operation which produces double-shredded wood mulch for residents. The mulch is FREE, clean, and good quality. Wood mulch is usually available at the I-95 and I-66 locations. Visit these webpages for directions, hours, phone numbers, and more.
When hoppers for loading your vehicle are out of service, you have the option to self-load free much.
I-66 Transfer Station
Wood mulch is unavailable.
Leaf mulch is available.
Wood mulch hopper is unavailable.
Leaf mulch is available for self-load.
I-95 Landfill Complex
Wood mulch is available.
Leaf mulch is available.
Wood mulch hopper is available.
Leaf mulch hopper is available.
Making Leaf Mulch at I-95
Loose leaves are brought to the I-95 Landfill Complex from the county’s vacuum leaf program offered in certain areas in the fall and winter. Loose leaves are also brought in by residents and professional landscapers. Leaves must be contained in brown paper leaf bags or reusable bins.
Staff at I-95 place the loose leaves into a mulcher machine that chops up the leaves into small bits and pieces. The leaves break down faster in smaller pieces. The chopped leaves are added to a huge leaf mulch pile. As the pile sits, the mulched leaves decompose, aided by rainwater, and over time transform into rich, dark mulch.
Ruth Lovo Gomez, Heavy Equipment Operator, Solid Waste Management, helps keep the leaf mulch program running smoothly at the I-95 Landfill Complex.
About Brush Mulch
I-95 Landfill Complex and I-66 Transfer Station make another type of mulch – brush mulch – from yard waste materials including leaves, grass trimmings, shrub and tree trimmings. Discarded holiday trees get added to the supply of brush mulch in the winter. Brush mulch is available at both facilities for free.
