Trash & Recycling City Services

Reduce, reuse, recycle: As students move out, keep Berkeley clean

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.

Trash truck approaches Berkeley waste bins

Published:

May 2, 2024

Last Updated:

May 6, 2024

As 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 reaching up to $500 a day. Please use the available mattress collection and recycling options for mattresses and box springs.

Use your building's trash, compost, and recycling bins or other resources below to reuse, recycle, or discard what you don't need.

Plan ahead with prepaid trash bags or extra pickups

Start thinking now about what you will keep and discard. Please don’t wait until the last minute and throw too much in the garbage or on our streets. Take advantage of these City services:

Call (510) 981-7270 to request:
- Extra trash pickup or a short-term dumpster.
- Free Bulky Waste Pickup for properties of 4 units or smaller.
Visit the Berkeley Transfer Station (1201 Second Street) to:
- Drop off up to two mattresses, box springs, or futons for free.
- Purchase up to ten City of Berkeley prepaid bags to dispose of extra trash on pick-up day at your single-family home or 1-4 unit property.
- Drop off unwanted items or bags of materials.
- Recycle up to two electronic items for free.

find ways to reuse unwanted items

Keep your 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 daily.

Mattresses, furniture, clothing, and shoes will be accepted during the UC Berkeley Cooperative Reuse program at Clark Kerr Campus from May 17-27, 10am-5pm. Donors must be a UC Berkeley student or staff and must bring a Cal ID to donate.
Check with the Berkeley Food Network or read the RE:Source Guide for ways to donate food items.
Reuse stores like Urban Ore accept some furniture and household items in good condition. Check their website or call (510) 841-7283 before visiting to confirm they will accept your items and are receiving donations at this time.
Donate textiles, including clothing, shoes, handbags, backpacks, linens, and bedding at the Textile Recycling Drop Box at the Berkeley Recycling Center for reuse.

recycle items that can't be reused

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 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:

Clothing and household textiles, scrap metal, appliances, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, and cardboard boxes are accepted at the Recycling Center (669 Gilman Street). Most items are accepted free of charge.
Computers, televisions, microwaves, stereos, and other electronic gadgets are accepted at the ewaste Collective (620 Page Street).
Paints, solvents, pesticides, and cleaner sprays are hazardous household waste and are accepted at Alameda County Stop Waste Drop-off Sites. The closest drop-off site to Berkeley is in Oakland (2100 East 7th Street).
The RE:Source Guide provides further disposal, recycling, or reuse options for items not mentioned above.

keep refuse workers safe

For both refuse and recycling, all your materials should fit inside your cart with the lid closed completely, to keep refuse and recycling workers safe. 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:

Tissues, paper towels, wipes, masks, or latex gloves
Food and liquids
Plastic bags

work with nonprofits, don't dump at encampments

Unsolicited donations of furniture, clothing, food, and other materials at encampments may seem like a gesture of goodwill 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.

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.

During the summer move-out, tenants and landlords are key to keeping Berkeley's streets clean and safe. Plan ahead, utilize City of Berkeley services, and dispose of items responsibly.