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Illegal Dumping & Cleanup

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Illegal dumping is the placement of unwanted items in locations other than the owner’s trash or recycling containers. You often see commonly dumped items, such as mattresses, couches, dressers, televisions, bags of trash, etc. at the curb, on the sidewalk or parkway (strip between curb and sidewalk), in the street, or on even your own or someone else’s property. Storing such items on private property in public view is also illegal.

The fine for illegal dumping can be very high and is not worth the risk.

The City has several designated drop-off places for your bulky unwanted items and all single-family homes and complexes are eligible for two FREE annual pick-ups from MarBorg (call (805)963-1852 to inquire).

Report Illegal Dumping

  • If you witness a dumping incident, contact our Code Enforcement Office at (805) 564-5558. Be sure to note information like a description of the person, the specific address they came from or returned to, make/model/color of vehicle if applicable, and the precise dumping location. You may remain anonymous, but providing as much detail as possible will expedite the process.
  • If you see items that have been illegally dumped but not who did it, contact our Illegal Dumping Hotline (805) 963-1852 (MarBorg) or submit an online report to our Clean SB Reporting Form. Please note the closest street address for faster service.

Discourage Illegal Dumping

  1. Nicely landscaping the parkway in front of your property with plants or rocks will often cause a dumper to look elsewhere.
  2. Placing a visible sign near your carts/cans or trash enclosure may repel a dumper. Effective signs include: "Security;" "“This area video monitored;" or "No Dumping Allowed!"
  3. Lighting is important! Motion detector lights are recommended for your property and trash enclosure area and street lamps should be in working order. To report a street light problem, call (805)564-5416.
  4. Talk with your neighbors! Collaborate to watch for unusual activity in your neighborhood.

Resources

Please visit these links for resources and additional information: