Illegal Dumping, Littering and Scavenging

Q: What is the City doing to stop scavengers from stealing out of curbside recycling containers? To stop illegal dumping?
A: Solid Waste Code Enforcement Officers are assigned to sections of the City to help citizens keep their neighborhoods clean. They patrol neighborhoods served by the curbside programs and respond to waste related code violations reported by residents.

You can also help prevent scavenging by placing your recycling container out no later than 7 a.m. the morning of your trash collection, rather than the night before.

Q: What are waste related code violations?
A: Solid Waste Code Enforcement Officers investigate waste related code violations which include:

• Trash/junk on City and private properties, street and alley rights of way
• Overflowing dumpsters/containers
• Refuse/recycling containers left out beyond collection hours
• Illegal dumping
• Litter
• Scavenging
• Recycling contamination
• Dumpsters encroaching rights of way
• Franchise violations

Q: How do I report a waste code violation (e.g. trash/litter/junk) or similar violations on City or private property?
A: Residents wanting to report code violations need to fill out a Trash/Litter/Recycling Service Request form or call ESD's Code Enforcement Section at 858-694-7000. Before calling, please be ready to give as much of the following information as possible:

• Problem location
• Description of waste (e.g. pile of trash in front yard, couch dumped in alley)
• Your name and phone number(optional/confidential)
• Scavenging Report
  - Description of person(s) scavenging
  - Description of Vehicle/License Plate Number if used
  - Date/Time of Occurrence
  - Problem Location
• Illegal Dumping (Eyewitness report)
  - Date/Time and Location of incident
  - Description of Vehicle/License Plate Number if used
  - Description of person(s)
  - Description of waste dumped
  - Need your day time phone number