WM EarthCare™ — Sustaining the Environment and Enhancing Your Bottom Line

There’s a new kind of alchemy brewing in Livermore. Landscape products made from locally sourced, 100 percent recycled materials are helping businesses, municipalities and homeowners minimize their carbon footprint and reduce their landscape maintenance budget.

The WM EarthCare™ Landscape Center, located at Waste Management’s Altamont Landfill, features mulch recycled from clean construction lumber debris and pallets and Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)-listed compost made from residential foods scraps and yard trimmings. In addition, aggregate from recycled concrete and soil blends are available by special order.

The benefits of using locally produced landscape materials are enormous according the Stephen Andrews, a soil scientist consulting with Waste Management. 

“These materials are not only kept out of our landfills, but are directly contributing to reductions in our carbon and water footprints," he said.

One Livermore resident who has seen the benefit of WM EarthCare’s products first hand is Ayn Wisekamp, board member of the East Bay Regional Park District.  

“The Homegrown Compost, approved for organic farming, is fantastic; the best I’ve ever used. The choices of mulch colors are terrific and the material is remarkably clean for a recycled product. An added bonus is the convenience of the Altamont Landfill retail site,” Ayn says.

Beyond the benefit of a lower carbon and water footprint, users of WM EarthCare™ will also improve their bottom line. Regular application of local compost and mulch can significantly reduce landscape maintenance costs, providing savings on transportation, fertilizer, and weed, pest, and erosion control. Water savings can also be significant, amounting to 20 percent in the summer months.

In addition to environmental and economic savings, WM EarthCare and Waste Management are dedicated to returning product to the community. Community and school gardens are the beneficiaries of their donation program. A recent Eagle Scout landscape project at in Livermore used donated compost and mulch. 

Together, Waste Management and Livermore residents are “closing the loop” on recycled materials. This is good for business, good for residents, good for the community, and good for the Bay Area environment. It’s a win-win all around.

For more information on WM EarthCare™ products, visit their website, wmearthcare.com or contact a WM EarthCare representative at 510-613-8772.  The WM EarthCare Landscape Center at the Altamont Landfill is located at 10840 Altamont Pass Road. Its hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional Landscape Center information, call 925-455-7300.