Dump

The Dump is the last place for trash -- it's a pain in the a$$ and you have to pay ca$h (or credit / debit card).

This page is a how-to and includes pro-tips for getting rid of stuff from omni commons until the final remainder can be taken to the dump!

Dump Run

Procedure to collect items inside of Omni Commons, sort them, and then deliver or dump those items outside of Omni Commons:

1. Select a dump pile location with clear boundaries inside an appropriate room / space of Omni Commons to collect unwanted, unneeded, or otherwise undesirable items.
2. If possible, sort items as soon as they are assembled in the dump pile into groups and direct them to their potential destinations:
   • Re-use / Give-away
     • East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse (certain items, ask them)
     • Urban Ore (nice wood furniture, vintage objects, good materials, high quality stuff -- must show staff at their location or at the dump)
     • Craigslist "Free" listing
   • Compostables / organic material / food waste
     • Food waste bins
     • Compost piles at gardens, neighbors homes, etc.
     • Berkeley Transfer Station ('the dump')
   • Recyclable (plastic, metal, paper, etc)
     • Recycle bins
     • Craigslist "Free" listing
     • El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Ln, El Cerrito, CA 94530)
   • E-waste (anything with circuitry or electronic components)
     • Oakland Waste Facility (2100 East 7th Street)
     • Universal Waste Management 721 37th Ave, Oakland, CA (a few blocks across Fruitvale ave at the 880's Fruitvale exit heading South/East).
     • El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Ln, El Cerrito, CA 94530)
   • Hazardous Waste (see example list)
     • Oakland Waste Facility (2100 East 7th Street)
   • Construction debris or other waste building materials
     • Berkeley Transfer Station ('the dump')
   • Pure trash / garbage
     • Berkeley Transfer Station ('the dump')
3. Deliver all items to their appropriate destinations, grouping for ease of drop-off and to save on gas, etc.
   • For the Berkeley Transfer Station ('the dump'), you pay $ by the pound, but there is a minimum of 330 lbs, which costs $29, the same as the normal rate of $126/ton (or $0.063/lb). Keep in mind that it takes a fairly large vehicle to hold 330 lbs worth of trash.
     • You will be fined unless you have a secure cover over the trash (like a tarp with ropes or a closed shell)
     • Your vehicle will be weighed entering the facility, then again when you exit the facility, determining the difference of trash you dumped, which determines the total cost.
4. BE AWARE Random dumpsters on the street or throughout the city are likely to be rented or owned by others -- dumping in these bins is potentially unlawful and could result in a fine issued by police! Sometimes dumpsters or trash bins are even within range of surveillance cameras!

How do I dispose of ________?

Try searching on RecycleWhere?

Tips by item:

• Paint
  • Give away for re-use or recycling.
  • Let the paint dry out all the way. You can also buy a special powder from hardware stores to harden paint faster. Throw away like any other trash.
• Batteries
  • Test the battery using a voltmeter / multimeter -- does the voltage reading remain below the labeled battery voltage? If the voltage reading is at or above the labeled battery voltage (e.g. 9v battery reads at 9.1v), then the battery may be good. If the battery is rechargeable, the only way to test it is to charge it up, then expense it using a watt meter to determine how much discharge the battery can still provide!
  • If the battery does not hold much or any charge any more, you have to bring it to a hazardous waste center such as:
    • Oakland Waste Facility (2100 East 7th Street)