Does the City of Chicago provide free mulch to residents?

CHICAGO (WGN) — When storms bring down trees and branches around Chicago, or when crews conduct beautification work along the city’s roadways, all that leftover wood is eventually turned into mulch, and residents in Chicago are free to pick up some for themselves. There are just a couple of rules to keep in mind.

Where does the mulch come from?

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation’s Bureau of Forestry is responsible for managing tree removal and tree work permits, which include collecting branches and trees after a storm as well as beautification work.

Once the tree debris is collected, the Bureau of Forestry grinds it down into mulch that is then used in landscaping projects around the city.

But even after all of the city’s projects are taken care of, there is usually a surplus of mulch leftover that residents are free to take at a handful of pickup sites around the city.

Where are the City of Chicago mulch pickup sites?

Currently, the Bureau of Forestry operates three mulch sites in the city.

The first site is located at 9909 West Foster Avenue in Schiller Park near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

A second site is located in the northwest corner of a property located at 2342 South Ashland Avenue on the Lower West Side.

Lastly, the city’s third mulch site is located in the northeast corner of a property located at 900 East 103rd Street in Pullman.

What are the rules at the mulch pickup site?

The city’s three mulch sites are open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

But before heading to a mulch pickup site in Chicago, residents should be aware that they will need to bring their own tools and bags, as they are not provided by the city.

Once at the site, residents are free to pull as much mulch as they can from the piles; the only requirement is that they load it themselves.