Landfill operators in Monterey County ask residents to reconsider landfill trips for non-essential projects
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) Monterey County residents have been ordered to stay at home except for essential activities, and as a result, landfill operators said they are seeing evidence of spring-cleaning projects at their facilities.
The Monterey Regional Waste Management District and Salinas Valley Recycles are continuing to provide essential services that are needed within the community, but they are asking community members to consider whether each trip there is essential.
The Monterey County landfill operators said they have seen evidence of a new trend, known as "corona projects" or "quarantine projects," showing up at the landfills, but the non-essential trips are causing concern.
“What appears to be non-essential home and yard cleanup chores are culminating at recycling and disposal centers. Normally this would be a welcomed and encouraged occurrence, but under the current conditions it’s an unnecessary health risk for the public and for our workers," said General Manager for SVR Patrick Mathews.
They said a landfill trip by someone who does not get regular curbside pickup services can be considered essential if it is the same type of service that would be provided through a curbside hauler to keep conditions at homes or businesses sanitary, but finally getting rid of an old rug or catching up on projects is not considered essential.
“If trips are essential, please maintain social distancing and sanitation standards for your health and the health of our staff. But if it is not a matter of life or death, or in this case healthy or unhealthy conditions, then it can wait," said Tim Flanagan, the General Manager for MRWMD.
