For many years illegal dumping has been growing worse in Oakland, disproportionately harming black and brown communities and contributing to a decades-long pattern of inequities in public health and public safety.
We are making progress together. Thanks to the strong advocacy of our communities, the leadership of our elected officials, and the dedication and expertise of our seasoned Oakland Public Works staff, we are investing more in services to address this urgent problem. We are taking a holistic approach we refer to as The Three E’s:
- Education, rolling out the Oaktown PROUD community campaign to prevent dumping, inform our neighbors about affordable services that can help them dispose properly of unwanted belongings and trash, and empower communities to participate or volunteer in tackling this problem together.
- Eradication, cleaning up dumping where it is reported or found by our crews. We hold ourselves to high standards for responsiveness to community complaints and a growing proactive effort to clean up hot spots and illegal dumping corridors we already know about. Learn more about how we track our performance on our Illegal Dumping Data page.
- Enforcement, restoring and reinventing our team of Environmental Enforcement Officers (EEOs) to uphold the rules that keep our streets clean and hold dumpers accountable – whether that means just letting them know we’re watching, or issuing consequences to their behavior.
If you see dumping in your neighborhood please report it to OAK311 by dialing 311 or (510) 615-5566, e-mailing OAK311@oaklandca.gov, reporting online here, or using the free OAK311 mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
What is the City Doing? How Can I Help?
Oakland Public Works cannot solve the illegal dumping problem alone, but we do play several important roles. OPW responsibilities include:
- Cleaning public streets, parks, and waterways such as creeks and Lake Merritt.
- Overseeing trash, composting, and recycling service contracts so Oaklanders can properly dispose of their trash and junk, including the big, bulky items that don’t fit in carts – see OaklandRecycles.com for details.
- Protecting water quality and wildlife habitat through street sweeping and storm-drain inlet cleaning, as well as watershed restoration projects.
- Initiating and supporting Oakland greening and beautification projects
What You Can Do to Take on Illegal Dumping
Don't Dump Your Junk!
- Call Waste Management of Alameda County to initiate weekly curbside pickup service if you don't have it now. Call (510) 613-8710 or e-mail csnorthbay@wm.com.
- Take advantage of your free annual bulky item drop-off or curbside pick-up(s) by calling 1-888-WM-BULKY or scheduling online here.
Be Careful When Using Haulers!
- Request dump receipts from anyone hauling unwanted items from your home or business before paying. A “good deal” may mean your stuff is being illegally dumped in Oakland, for which you could be cited and fined.
- Make sure any junk hauler you hire has an active business license. A list of licensed junk haulers is available here.
- Businesses that haul construction and demolition (C&D) material must have a special C&D permit. A list of permitted C&D haulers is available here.
Report Illegal Dumping!
- Report illegal dumping when and where you see it to OAK 311 by dialing 311 or (510) 615-5566.
- Use the OAK 311 app on your smart phone to photograph and report illegal dumping. Available free in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Volunteer to Keep Oakland Clean & Beautiful!
- Keep your neighborhoods, parks, and creeks clean by volunteering with Oakland Public Works.
Join the Team!
- Waste Management of Alameda County is hiring in Oakland. View available jobs here.