05/09/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/09/2023 17:51
To keep our streets safe, use City services to properly dispose of unwanted items. Dumping is illegal and can result in fines up to $500/day. Use various refuse collection and recycling options.
As Cal students move out for the summer, tenants and landlords can help keep our streets clean and safe by planning ahead, using City of Berkeley services, and properly disposing of the items they no longer need.
Dumping mattresses and other items on the sidewalk creates a mess, can be a safety hazard, and doesn't promote reuse. It is also illegal and punishable by fines that can reach up to $500 a day. Please use the available mattress collection and recycling options for mattresses and box springs.
Use your building's refuse and recycling bins or other resources listed below to reuse, recycle, or discard what you don't need.
Start thinking now about what you'll keep and what you'll discard. Don't wait until the last minute and then throw everything in the garbage or in the streets. Take advantage of these City services:
Keep reusable items out of landfills. Try to find someone to use what you don't need. Don't leave it on a sidewalk. Abandoned furniture and debris on sidewalks or in the public right-of-way can result in citations and fines of up to $500 a day.
For recyclable items that can't be reused, recycle using your building's recycling bins. Review guidelines to see if an item is recyclable.
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.
For items that can't be recycled curbside:
Please take precautions to keep refuse and recycling workers safe. For both refuse and recycling, all your materials should fit inside your cart with the lid closed completely. If boxes are too big to fit inside your recycling cart, break them down and cut them apart.
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:
Unsolicited donations of furniture, clothing, food, and other materials at encampments may seem like a gesture of good will to those in need, but can actually create unsafe conditions.
Consider donating to one of Berkeley's numerous nonprofit social service agencies that directly serve the homeless population, including:
All of them provide meals and food resources to people experiencing homelessness in Berkeley.
Know that most nonprofits usually prefer cash donations. Consider calling nonprofits that work in Berkeley to inquire about their need and capacity to accept donations.
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.