City Mulch?

[Butch]

The city I live in (La Mirada CA) is having a free mulch day tomorrow. Is this something worth getting? Or would I just be getting a bunch of headaches? Weeds, insects and disease. I don’t want to create more problems, than I cure. Thanks Butch

[akamu]

I have used it in the past to cover open ground just be careful as I was tossing it on the ground  I saw something moving and it ended up being a scorpion 

[The Silent Seed]

You never know what's in there. Even if it's "clean" - you don't know how long it's been sitting, or what it's been to exposed to. (Insects, animals peeing on it, chemicals, or what have you.) 

[jimmyt]

Maybe compost it first!

[Silas_Sancona]

Yea, id be a bit reluctant to use stuff from the city near/ around anything important.. Remember what 'city mulch ' implies... Could be from disease free sources ( should come from such sources only in my opinion ), or, could be full of spores from trees that were removed / ground up because they caught something.

I know Eucalyptus mulch can leach natural compounds it produces that can inhibit the growth of..  or kill anything growing around it..  Distributing free mulch was also a big concern up in the Bay Area when Sudden Oak Death started spreading to street trees in some parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.  Just seems too risky, imo I mean some disease causing pathogens might be killed in the mulching process, while others, maybe the worst of them, might survive..  One big reason I use a lot of gravel.. But I get that not everyone likes how gravel looks. 

Like Jimmy mentioned, might try and compost some, if you can,  Spread the rest where it won't cause concern. 

[Butch]

Thanks guys, I think I’ll pass on the mulch. 
Butch