“The trash and litter of nature disappears into the ground with the passing of each year, but [people’s] litter has more permanence.”
What is Illegal Dumping?
Illegal dumping is the unauthorized disposal of waste on any public or private property. People typically dump illegally to avoid collection and disposal fees, or because they do not want to spend the time or effort disposing or recycling their waste properly. With all of the free/affordable and convenient waste disposal opportunities available to residents and businesses in the Salinas Valley, there really is NO EXCUSE for illegal dumping. Yet, somehow waste materials are still dumped along roadsides and in remote areas, only to attract additional dumping in the future.
Common items that are illegally dumped include:
- Garbage
- Furniture
- Mattresses & Box Springs
- Appliances and Electronic Waste
- Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris
- Tires & Rims
- Hazardous Waste
- Landscaping Waste
How to Report Illegal Dumping?
If you observe the person(s) in the act of illegally dumping record the following:
- License plate number and description of the vehicle,
- Person(s) involved,
- Date and time of the incident, and
- Exact location.
- Do not approach the person(s).
Contact the Police department immediately or Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency Communication Center (Please be advised – dispatcher will notify any available Sheriff(s) in the area if available)
- City of Salinas (831) 755 -5111
- King City (831) 385-8311
- City of Greenfield (831) 674-5591
- City of Gonzales (831) 675-5000
- City of Soledad (831) 226-5000
Playlist
Report Roadside Illegal Dumping
If you observe the person(s) in the act of illegally dumping record the following:
- Public Works Department for your city (waste located in the city limits (right-of-way)).
- Monterey County Public Works (831-755-4800)
- City of Greenfield (831-674-2635)
- King City (831-385-3281)
- City of Salinas (831-758-7241)
- City of Soledad (831-223-5180)
- CalTrans (831-753-0187) (waste located on highways), or
Union Pacific (1-888-877-7267) (waste located adjacent (near) railroad track(S))
Reporting illegal dumping has turned mobile! You can now download the Monterey County uConnect App on your mobile device if you have an illegal dumping location within the Monterey County or unincorporated area. This app also has additional illegal dumping resources.
Additional Resources
Monterey County offers free disposal vouchers for litter clean up or illegal dumping disposal.
Household Hazardous Waste Illegal Dumping
There are many different options to help stop illegal dumping of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). It’s very important to note, do not pick-up any HHW or unlabeled toxic wastes, please alert one the above contacts for removal.
However, if you need help properly disposing of these wastes, SVR has FREE of charge HHW Safe Disposal Mobile Collection Service! But SVR isn’t only offering this service,
Tri-Cities Disposal also offers a Large Item Collection Service, by appointment only, in Gonzales, Greenfield and Soledad; Large items can be picked up curb side FREE of charge!
WM also offers a similar program, Bulky Pick-up: Residential customers may take advantage of curbside bulky pick-up available at no charge one time per year for residents. Additional pickups will be subject to a fee. WM provides collection up to (3) cubic yards or (3) bulky items.
Republic Services offers Large Item Collection Services, to help you get rid of large items so you don’t have to haul them to a landfill. Schedule your bulky waste pick up service through their website.
Mattress Recycling
There is no need to dump that mattress on the side of the road! Here at Salinas Valley Recycles, you can bring up to TEN mattresses or box springs to any of our facilities, and it’s completely FREE!
Illegal Dumping & Litter Abatement Task Force (IDLATF)
The efforts to mitigate illegal dumpsites and litter is a task that must be addressed through a unified effort of community, and state and local public agencies, by way of education, increased recycling, funding of clean-up activities, and action. Salinas Valley Recycles is proud to co-chair the task force and play an active role in the mission to reduce illegal dumping in Monterey County. The impact of illegal dumping to the community comes at a cost affecting public health and safety, land values, quality of life, environmental contamination, and food safety. We are committed to solving this problem.
Everyone is welcome to attend the IDLATF meetings; discussing and taking part in a collaborative effort to mitigate illegal dumping. Your feedback is important to us!
To participate in the next meeting, please contact:
Maria Ferdin
Office #: (831) 755-8915
E-mail: ferdinme@co.monterey.ca.us
