Compost Awareness Day 2026

PW Compost Awareness Event Brings Life to Soil

Free Event on May 9 at the PW County Compost Facility

The Prince William County Solid Waste Division, in partnership with Convertus, will host its Compost Awareness Day event on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Prince William Compost Facility, 13000 Hansen Farm Road, Manassas.

Volunteers from the VA Cooperative Extension Prince William Master Gardeners will be present to share information and answer questions on composting and gardening. Keep Prince William Beautiful volunteers will be there to share community beautification volunteer opportunities.  Prince William Soil and Water District and Prince Williiam Environmental Services staff will also be at this environmental sustainability event.

Monster Organics staff will also be there to talk about composting, and their food waste collection operation and event attendees can drop-off food scraps. Convertus, the company that operates composting manufacturing for Prince William County, will provide free compost samples and offer facility tours at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

 

Event Recap:

 

• Compost facility tours at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (closed toed shoes required)
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• Free compost samples (bring your own bucket or purchase at the event)
• Backyard compost bin door prize drawings
• Event Coupon Special: 25% off any Convertus product, one time order.  Offer good through June 10, 2026. 
• Food scrap drop-off for composting
• Compost and gardening information
• Community beautification information

 

This Prince William County event supports International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), the compost industry's largest and most comprehensive education initiative.  ICAW promotes composting efforts in the backyard and, at large scale, commercial composting facilities, like the County’s facility, operated by Convertus.

The 2026 theme, “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us”, highlights an essential cycle. When we apply high quality compost, we are investing in the health of our soil, ensuring it continues to provide the food, clean water, and resilience that all life depends on. According to the ICAW, this year’s theme was chosen to highlight composting in all kinds of communities on any scale—from the backyard home composter to community composters to large-scale facilities.

The theme also points out that when we repurpose the food and yard waste that would go into the landfill, we're creating fresh nutrients for the soil, regenerating the earth, and providing healthier food for everyone in the community. It is an action everyone can participate in, no matter the size of their home, garden, or community! Together, we can create a more sustainable future for our communities through the power of compost!

In October 2021, Prince William County implemented a yard waste collection program to better manage this organic resource, which is 13% of the waste stream.  In the months of March through December, local trash and recycling haulers collect yard waste separately from other trash and recycling for composting at the county’s Compost Facility. This diverts tons of organic material from the County Landfill. Residents can also bring yard waste such as leaves brush, garden, and hedge trimmings to the Compost Facility or the County Landfill to be processed. The resulting compost and mulch products can be purchased at both Solid Waste facilities and the Compost Awareness event special is 25% of a one-time order.

Plan to attend Compost Awareness Day on May 9 and learn more about the benefits of composting to your soil, the community and our environment. Facility tours, compost samples and product displays and more will be available.    The Compost Facility is located at 13000 Hansen Farm Road, Manassas.

Visit  www.pwcva.gov/events for more information about this event.