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Q&A regarding San Joaquin County Landfill closures due to coronavirus
lovelace

Q&A regarding San Joaquin County

 Landfill closures due to coronavirus

 

The San Joaquin County Department of Public Works announced that effective March 21, 2020 until further notice, the Lovelace Road Transfer Station  just north of Manteca and North County Recycling Center and Landfill are closed except for commercially collected garbage.  In response to the “Stay at Home” order issued by San Joaquin County on March 20, 2020, this step was taken to ensure that the Department has sufficient healthy essential staff to continue to landfill the County’s garbage throughout this health emergency. The following are frequently asked questions and answers regarding the landfill closure as submitted by the operators of the San Joaquin county landfills:

 

 

1.     Why can’t you keep the landfill open when grocery stores are open?  Garbage disposal is a critical essential service just like grocery stores.  Grocery stores have made changes to their hours and procedures to minimize transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and so have we.  Foothill Landfill and Tracy Disposal Material Recovery Facility are still open to all customers because they can safely comply with the County’s Stay at Home Order.  We are receiving only commercially collected garbage at Lovelace Transfer Station and North County Recycling Center and Landfill to minimize public contact with our staff so that we will have sufficient staff to continue processing and disposing of garbage through the duration of this emergency.  While Foothill Landfill is open to all customers, we are urging residents to limit non-essential disposal trips and travel in order to comply with the Health Officer’s orders to eliminate non-essential trips.

 

2.     Will my garbage be picked up each week?  Weekly commercial curb-side garbage collection continues as before.  We are receiving only commercially collected garbage at Lovelace Transfer Station and North County Recycling Center and Landfill to minimize public contact with our staff so that we will have sufficient staff to continue processing and disposing of garbage through the duration of this emergency.  Note that commercially collected garbage for the most part refers to garbage collected curbside from residences, plus dumpsters collected from restaurants and other businesses that are still open.  The County-owned Foothill Landfill and Tracy Disposal Material Recovery Facility are still open to all customers because they can safely comply with the County’s Stay at Home Order.  However, the County urges residents to follow the Stay at Home Order and limit or avoid and non-essential travel. See https://www.sjgov.org/solidwaste/ for the address and operating hours of those facilities.

 

3.     I don’t touch anyone at the drive through at the landfill. Why should that be shut down?  Most self-haul customers hand cash or credit cards to the cashiers, which potentially exposes cashiers to virus transmission.  Also, the spotters who direct traffic and load checkers who work with self-haul customers are potentially exposed.  Finally, we have reduced non-essential on-site staff to prevent community spread of COVID-19 to ensure employee safety, and some of our staff are staying home because of high-risk factors or to care for children who are out of school. So, we are focusing our remaining staff on disposal of the commercially collected garbage from households and essential businesses.   

 

4.     Why would I be any different from a commercial hauler? If they are allowed, why shouldn’t I be?  Disposal of garbage collected curbside from residences and essential businesses is required to maintain the health and safety of our community.  Our staff has virtually no interaction with commercial haulers.  Those haulers drive across the scales, back up to the pit, and dump their loads without any close interaction with staff.  They are all billed monthly, so no cash, credit cards, or papers are exchanged. 

 

5.     If we are to be sheltered in place, isn’t it productive to clean the house and yard taking advantage of this time?  While this may be productive, we encourage you to comply with the ORDER OF THE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES OF THE COUNTY OF SAN JOAQUIN, issued March 26th, which prohibits all non-essential travel.  The pertinent portion of that order, at https://www.sjgov.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=32463, would not seem to allow trips to dispose of yard debris or junk that has collected in your garage over several years.  If you do have a reason to deem these trips essential, the Foothill Landfill and Tracy Disposal Material Recovery Facility are still open to all customers.  See https://www.sjgov.org/solidwaste/ for the address and operating hours of those facilities. We ask residents to be patient, continue their spring cleaning and wait for the landfills to reopen.

 

6.     What steps are you taking to help people like me who were planning on doing spring cleaning and take the junk to the dump? See answer 5 above.  You may also call the hauler who provides your curbside collection to see if they can provide bin service or a bulk pickup.  Some of the commercial haulers provide this service, and we are asking the others to provide this type of service if they are able.  Contact information for your hauler can be found at https://www.sjgov.org/solidwaste/dynamic?id=22251.

 

7.     What other options do I have to dispose of my waste?  Currently the only facilities in San Joaquin County accepting self-haul waste are the County-owned Foothill Landfill near Linden and Tracy Disposal Material Recovery Facility.  You may also call the hauler who provides your curbside collection to see if they can provide bin service or a bulk pickup.  Some of the commercial haulers provide this service, and we are asking the others to provide this type of service if they are able. Contact information for your hauler can be found at https://www.sjgov.org/solidwaste/dynamic?id=22251

 

8.     Do I have to hire a commercial company to take my trash away? Will it cost more to dispose waste at another facility?  Currently the only facilities in San Joaquin County accepting self-haul waste are the County-owned Foothill Landfill near Linden and Tracy Disposal Material Recovery Facility.  Disposal rates at Foothill Landfill are quite inexpensive, but lines may be long during this emergency.  Tracy Disposal’s rates are generally higher, but that facility is much more convenient for many County residents.  You may also call the hauler who provides your curbside collection to see if they can provide bin service or a bulk pickup.  Some commercial haulers provide this service, and we are asking others to provide this type of service if possible.  Contact information for your hauler can be found at San Joaquin County Solid Waste Division

 

9.     Why is self-haul considered a non-essential service?  Most self-haul does not fit the criteria in the ORDER OF THE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES OF THE COUNTY OF SAN JOAQUIN issued March 26th.  We are continuing to accept self-haul waste at the Foothill Landfill because commercial garbage service is not mandatory in some rural areas of the County, and we need to provide a disposal option for residents who lack commercial garbage service. 

 

10.  What are you going to do about more illegal dumping now that the people can’t go to the dump?  We are confident that most residents will refrain from illegal dumping.  For those few who would dump their trash on someone else’s property, the Sheriff’s Office is conducting increased patrolling and enforcement to prevent illegal dumping.  The County will continue to abate illegal dumping.  To report illegal dumping, call 209-468-3074.

 

11.  Can I still drop off my household hazardous waste? The Household Hazardous Waste Facility is also closed for now.  Staff at those sites must handle each item brought into that facility, so the risk of virus transmission to our staff at that site is high. 

 

12. Could you reopen by only allowing non-cash payments (e.g. contactless credit cards, on-line payments)?  We will continue to evaluate our options.  In addition to cashiers, self-haul customers require spotters and load checkers who are potentially exposed.  We have reduced non-essential on-site staff to prevent community spread of COVID-19 to ensure employee safety, and some of our staff are staying home because of high-risk factors or to care for children who are out of school. So we are focusing our remaining staff on disposal of the commercially collected garbage from households and essential businesses. 

 

13.  I am a rural resident who does not have garbage service, and I used to take my garbage to the Harney Lane facility.  Now what do I do?  You may still dispose of your garbage at the Foothill Landfill at 6484 North Waverly Road near Linden.  We apologize for the inconvenience that this might cause you and thank you for helping us keep our community safe during this emergency.