Caltrans celebrates Earth Day with free landfill days across the state of California on April 23 and 24 in Tuolumne County

District 10 partners with Tuolumne County to offer a free disposal coupon to Tuolumne County residents April 23-24

April 18, 2022 – Sonora, CA – Caltrans celebrates Earth Day with free Landfill Day events throughout California on Saturday, April 23 – including an event kickoff at the Home & Garden Show of Sonora, where Tuolumne County residents can pick up a coupon to redeem for free during the month of May. Caltrans invites you to bring non-hazardous and unwanted items free of charge. Coupons are limited and will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

Statewide Dump Day events are made possible by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California Initiative, a multi-year, $1.1 billion cleanup effort led by Caltrans to keep the roads and litter-free waterways, create thousands of jobs, and transform local and state public spaces through beautification efforts.

“The best way to keep California clean is not to throw it away in the first place,” said Caltrans acting director Steven Keck. “Clean California’s goal is to ensure that trash never reaches our roads or waterways. These Dump Day events discourage illegal dumping along highways and roads by providing residents across the state with a convenient place to dispose of bulky items safely, properly, and at no cost.

Caltrans and Tuolumne County Solid Waste Division will provide a limited number of coupons to Tuolumne County residents [only] at their Home & Garden Show booth, Sat. & Sunday, April 23-24, at the Tuolumne County Fairgrounds on Stockton Street in Sonora. The coupons allow county residents to dispose of approved household waste and debris free of charge during the month of May at the Cal Sierra Waste Management Transfer Station, 19309 Industrial Dr., Sonora, CA.

Free dump day collection is limited to 2 cubic meters of household items such as tires, metal, plastic, fiberglass, fabric, glass, wood, mattresses, appliances and landscaping trim (landscape companies are not permitted). No building materials, hazardous waste, treated wood waste or asbestos of any type will be accepted.

Caltrans reminds motorists to properly secure and sheet all cargo loads before driving. Carrying unsecured loads is dangerous, illegal, and pollutes California’s roads and waterways. Loads that are not tied down, closed or secured by tarpaulins or other means will not be accepted.

Tips for securing your load:

  • Completely cover loads with tarpaulins or cargo nets. Debris may escape from gaps.
  • Pack loose items and remove loose materials and trash before driving.
  • Don’t overload – keep materials level with your truck bed.
  • Place light items lower, tie large items to vehicle for road safety.

Caltrans has held 72 free Dump Day events since July and collected more than 18,000 cubic meters (over 300 tons) of trash. Items collected include 7,719 tires, 1,973 mattresses, 804 appliances (including 295 refrigerators) and a hot tub. This Caltrans News Flash video highlights recent Clean California Dump Day community events in Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties.

Since launching Clean California in July, Caltrans has removed more than 536,000 cubic yards of trash from state highways — the equivalent of 9,000 tons or enough to fill 164 Olympic-size swimming pools — and hired 678 new staff members. team as part of Clean California, including 526 cleaners who pick up litter and remove graffiti. For more information, visit CleanCA.com
Source: Caltrans

Christy J. Olson