During the Z107.7 “Up Close” show recently, listeners had a lot of questions about how trash pick-up is done in our local municipalities, as well as county areas. In response to our listeners’ requests, reporter Dan Stork did the homework to answer those questions…
Each year in June, residents of the unincorporated areas of the county get an annual pass for landfill use. This pass allows them to drop off one load each week—for no cost—at a county landfill, such as the one off Winters Road in Landers. Property owners pay for this privilege on their property taxes. You may include yard waste, as well as household trash, in these loads. If a load looks like a lot, the landfill attendant will likely ask to see proof of residence, to make sure you’re not a commercial hauler—those people have to pay per load. Residents of unincorporated areas may also elect to contract with a hauler—in the Morongo Basin, that’s Burrtec—to pick up trash directly from their residences on a regular basis.
Residents of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms don’t have a choice—residential pickup is mandatory for them. In Twentynine Palms, residents pay for pickup through their property tax bills, at a cost of $217.56 per year. In Yucca Valley, residents are billed directly by Burrtec every 4 months. Personal trips to the dump for town and city dwellers cost extra, per trip, paid at the dump.
Rex Richardson, the County spokesman for Solid Waste Disposal, told us about an array of recycling services. There are recycling areas available at the dump, including recycling bins for electronic waste. Richardson urges people to subscribe to commercial services, to make the recycling effort easier. He also said that the County is always looking for organizations that will provide venues where the County can teach about backyard composting. He added that recycling is now mandatory for businesses that generate more than four cubic yards of waste per week.
Anyone can drop off hazardous waste on the third Saturday of each month at the County yard in Joshua Tree, on the highway a little ways east of the village center.
An overview of County Solid Waste operations can be viewed at http://www.sbcounty.gov/dpw/solidwaste/
