In April of this year, the annual Bulky Items Drop-Off event was postponed due to the shelter-in-place order from the county. Since it is unknown when Recology will be able to provide another drop-off event due to the pandemic, the city and Recology are offering a Bulky Waste One-time Voucher Program for city of Davis customers to dispose of bulky items. The voucher should have arrived in the mail at the beginning of the month, so be sure to hold onto it. The voucher is your ticket for the program, so bring it with you when you go to the landfill.

The one-time voucher will be valid until Nov. 30, and will allow Davis residents to dispose of one free load of bulky waste at the Yolo County Central Landfill. The load can be up to a full-sized pick-up truck bed, full-sized van, or small trailer (less than 3 feet high and less than 8 feet long). Disposal of additional items must be paid for by the customer. See the voucher for details on material acceptance.

This voucher is valid only for Davis residents; commercial haulers and business materials will not be accepted. Only one voucher will be accepted per household and proof of residency within the city will be required (ID, utility bill, etc.).

For more information on the voucher, contact Recology at 530-756-4646 or RecologyDavis@Recology.com.

If you are moving soon, here are some tips to limit the amount of waste you generate.

  • Use your bulky landfill voucher to bring unwanted items to the landfill.
  • Please be respectful and do not put your unwanted items into your neighbors’ trash can or dumpster without asking. Leaving trash, mattresses and furniture in and around others’ trash cans and dumpsters can be expensive for them to clean up and haul away (and can prevent their trash from getting collected).
  • Help keep our city beautiful and please do not leave unwanted furniture and household items on the street, sidewalk or in your front yard, which is a violation of city code and may be a safety hazard for bicycles and pedestrians.
  • Take a closer look at what you’re wanting to throw away. Much of what you’re tossing out may be recyclable or compostable. If your recycling cart is full, you can drop off recyclables for free 24/7 at the Recology Davis Recycling Center at 2727 Second St.
  • Mattresses and box springs can be recycled for free at Recology Davis from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The Yolo County landfill also accepts mattresses and box springs for free recycling.
  • Got cardboard? Remove packing materials and then flatten and stack cardboard on the ground next to your recycling cart on pick-up day, and Recology will pick them up for recycling. You can also take your cardboard to the Recology Davis recycling center at 2727 Second St.
  • You can donate items to local thrift stores; however, due to COVID-19, many local thrift stores are limiting donations, so please call ahead to verify location hours and material acceptance policies. You can also reuse your items by posting them online. As always, use caution when selling items online and when considering the reuse of items from a different household, since objects can carry viruses, bacteria or introduce pests into your home. This caution is particularly important at this time to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Please check the Center for Disease Control website for recommendations on safely disinfecting household items.

Some items are illegal to throw in the trash and must be carefully managed.

  • Computer monitors, TVs and laptops contain toxic materials. Recycle these and other electronics for free at the Yolo County landfill.
  • Batteries, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, household cleaners and other toxic products can be brought to the Yolo landfill for free and safe disposal 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
  • Refrigerators should be taken to the landfill for recycling (fees apply).

For more information on waste reduction and recycling, visit DavisRecycling.org.

— Jennifer Gilbert is a Conservation Coordinator with the City of Davis and can be reached at JGilbert@CityofDavis.org.

Crossposted from the Davis Enterprise

Published online on August 12, 2020 | Printed in the August 12, 2020 edition on page A10