SALINAS — Caltrans is celebrating Earth Day with free Dump Day events throughout California on Saturday, April 23, including Caltrans District 5 in the City of Salinas.
Residents are invited to bring non-hazardous, unwanted items to the nearest Dump Day event for free disposal. Caltrans will have staff on-site to accept the household waste and approved debris.
The Salinas event takes place at Sherwood Park, 920 N. Main St., from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The statewide Dump Day events are made possible through Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, a sweeping $1.1 billion, multiyear clean-up effort led by Caltrans to keep roads and waterways free of litter, create thousands of jobs and transform state and local public spaces through beautification efforts.
“The best way to keep California clean is not to trash it in the first place,” said Caltrans Acting Director Steven Keck. “Clean California’s goal is to make sure trash never reaches our roadsides or waterways. These Dump Day events discourage illegal dumping along highways and roads by giving people throughout the state a convenient place to dispose of bulky items safely, properly, and at no cost.”
Free Dump Day collection is limited to household items, such as tires, metal, plastic, fiberglass, fabric, glass, asphalt, dirt, concrete, wood, mattresses, household appliances and landscape trimmings. No construction materials, hazardous waste, e-waste, treated wood waste or asbestos of any type will be accepted.
Caltrans reminds motorists to properly secure and tarp all cargo loads prior to driving. Transporting unsecured loads is unsafe, illegal and pollutes California’s roads and waterways. Loads that are not tied down, enclosed or secured by tarps or other means will not be accepted.
Tips for securing loads:
- Completely cover loads with tarps or cargo nets, as debris can escape from gaps;
- Remove loose material and trash before driving;
- Don’t overload — keep materials level with your truck bed; and
- Put light items lower, tie large items to the vehicle for traffic safety.
Caltrans has hosted 72 free Dump Day events since July and collected more than 18,000 cubic yards (more than 300 tons) of trash. Items collected include 7,719 tires, 1,973 mattresses, 804 appliances (including 295 refrigerators), and a hot tub.
For more information, visit CleanCA.com.
