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SERVICES. RESOURCES. COMMUNITY.
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Avoid illegal dumping fines of up to $1,000 during this fall move in
As the fall semester begins and Cal students move in, tenants and landlords can help keep our streets clean by planning ahead and using City of Berkeley services.
Over-filling a trash bin, leaving used boxes on the curb, and ditching furniture outside create a mess and possible safety hazards. Sidewalk dumping doesn’t promote reuse.
We have resources to help you sustainably discard what you don’t need – and avoid illegal dumping fines of up to $1,000 a day. Follow these three steps: plan ahead, reuse and recycle.
Plan ahead when new tenants are moving in
If you have new tenants moving in, order extra pickups or increased service for your recycling bins or trash. The property owner or authorized contacts listed on the refuse account can call 510-981-7270 to take advantage of these City services:
- Order extra curbside collection or a short-term dumpster
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Curbside mattress collection is available for 1-9 unit properties this year for up to 2 mattresses or box springs at no charge.
- Schedule a Free Bulky Waste Pickup for extra trash (for 1- 4 unit properties)
- Purchase prepaid trash bags or plant debris bags (for 1-4 unit properties). Up to 10 prepaid City bags, if left at the curb, will be picked up by the City's Zero Waste Division on regular pickup days. Other trash bags left on curbs will not be picked up. Prepaid trash and plant debris bags can be purchased at the Transfer Station or the Berkeley Ace Hardware.
- Take a variety of items directly to the Transfer Station. Residents may drop off up to 2 mattresses or box springs and up to 2 electronic devices for free.
Keep reusable items out of landfills
Abandoned furniture and debris on sidewalks or in the public right-of-way can result in citations and fines up to $1,000 a day. Try to find someone to use what you don't need. Don't leave it on a sidewalk.
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Unopened Food: Help neighbors in need by donating unopened food to the Berkeley Food Network.
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Furniture and Household Goods: Reuse stores like Urban Ore accept some furniture and household items in good condition. Check their website or call before visiting to confirm they will accept your items and are receiving donations at this time.
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Textiles: Drop off textiles, including clothing, shoes, handbags, backpacks, and linens/bedding at the Textile Recycling Drop Box at the Berkeley Recycling Center for reuse.
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Cardboard boxes: If using sites like Craigslist, Freecycle or Nextdoor for reusable items, take precautions when arranging pickups or drop offs - all parties should wear face coverings, keep six feet apart, avoid physical contact, and wash their hands before and after the exchange.
Recycle items that can't be repurposed
For recyclable items that can't be repurposed, use your building's recycling carts or bins to recycle. Not sure if an item is recyclable? Review guidelines.
For single-family homes or small apartment complexes with Ecology Center Recycling collection, review the Ecology Center's recycling guidelines for program specifics. Extra cardboard can be bundled and placed curbside next to your Ecology Center recycle cart on your recycling service day. Larger multifamily properties need to order additional recycling service for extra cardboard pickup.
For items that can't be recycled curbside:
- The Recycling Center located at 669 Gilman Street accepts a variety of recyclable items, including clothing and household textiles, scrap metal, appliances, cooking oil, and cardboard boxes.
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Electronics: Computers, televisions, microwaves, stereos, and programmable gadgets should never be put into garbage cans, debris bins or placed curbside. They are hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly. Recycle up to 2 electronic items at the Transfer Station for free. The Computer & Technology Resource Center (located at 2nd & Page St. in Berkeley) takes most electronic devices for free. Learn more about the items they accept at ewastecollective.org or call them at (415) 883-1428.
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Household Hazardous Waste: Hazardous items like paint, cleaning supplies, batteries, and fluorescent bulbs cannot be placed in curbside containers, and must be disposed of properly. Visit StopWaste.org/hhw for drop off sites.
- Check the StopWaste.org to find local reuse, repair, recycling, and safe disposal options for almost anything.
Keep Refuse Workers Safe
Please take precautions to keep refuse and recycling workers safe. Your materials should fit inside your cart with the lid closed completely. Recycled materials are hand sorted by workers, so it is important to only put recyclable materials in your bin.
Please do not put the following items in the recycling:
- Tissues, paper towels, wipes, masks, or latex gloves
- Food and liquids (place food in the compost!)
- Plastic bags
Report Illegal Dumping
We can all play a valuable role in keeping our streets clean and safe. If you see illegal dumping, call 311 or 510-981-2489 to report.
Abandoned furniture & debris on the sidewalk or public right of way may incur citations and fines up to $1,000 a day! See Berkeley Municipal Code Chapters 1.20.010, 12.32.030, 12.32.070, 12.32.110
Resources
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The City of Berkeley's Health Officer strongly recommends that employers use all tools they have available to increase workplace COVID-19 vaccinations - actions the City plans to model by mandating vaccination for its more than 1,500 employees.
Even as cases rise due to the highly-contagious Delta variant, the three rigorously-tested and FDA-authorized vaccines make people far less likely to get infected and also offer much greater protection against sickness, hospitalization, and death.
"Vaccines are already keeping workers, patrons and visitors safer and lowering the risk of outbreaks," said Dr. Lisa Hernandez, the City of Berkeley Health Officer.
Read more at cityofberkeley.info.
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Use our step-by-step guide to make a fire weather plan for your household ahead of time to address unpredictable and rapidly changing fire conditions - and use one of our upcoming workshops to ask questions and refine those plans.
To prepare your plan, you can also use our Wildfire Preparedness page and Wildfire Readiness video series. Plan to come to one of our workshops with your plan completed. Register online to attend:
We will discuss ways to improve our household's customized plans for what to do during fire weather and wildfire evacuations.
Read more at cityofberkeley.info.
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Vaccination continues to protect against severe COVID-19 illness, but with the COVID-19 Delta variant now infecting a small percentage of vaccinated people as well as many unvaccinated people, eight Bay Area health officers have issued Health Orders requiring masks indoors in public places.
The Orders require all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions, starting at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3rd.
Vaccines remain the most powerful tool in the fight against COVID-19, including the Delta variant. Nonetheless, the Delta variant is infecting a small percentage of the vaccinated - who still remain strongly protected against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. In those instances of infection in a vaccinated person, a face covering prevents further spread. Bay Area health officials urge all unvaccinated residents 12 and older to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Read more at cityofberkeley.info.
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- September 14, 6:00pm
- September 21, 6:00pm
- September 28, 6:00pm
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We're here to help
Access City services online or by calling
(510) 981-2489, or 3-1-1 inside City limits.
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