California dumps, landfills and transfer stations
What we cover
We list 203 public waste sites in 47 California counties: 48 landfills, 152 transfer stations and 3 other drop-off sites. A site only appears once its hours or fees come from the operator's or the local government's own page and at least one more detail, such as accepted items, residency rules or payment, is confirmed too. The counties with the most listed sites are San Bernardino (21), Los Angeles (14) and Riverside (12).
109 of the sites post a plain weekly schedule, and 35 of those open on Sunday. 73 restrict use to residents or ask for proof of address, which is common at county-run rural transfer stations. Across the 11 sites that publish a per-ton rate for general trash, the middle figure is $134.40, from $36.00 to $274.57. At 59 sites, two official pages give different details; those pages say so plainly and link both sources.
Counties
| County | Sites | Landfills | Transfer and drop-off | Open Saturday | Open Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Butte | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Calaveras | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Colusa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Contra Costa | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Del Norte | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| El Dorado | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Humboldt | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Imperial | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kern | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lake | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lassen | 8 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | 14 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Madera | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Marin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mariposa | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Mendocino | 7 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Merced | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Modoc | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mono | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Monterey | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Napa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nevada | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Orange | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Placer | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Plumas | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Riverside | 12 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Sacramento | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| San Bernardino | 21 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| San Diego | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| San Francisco | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| San Joaquin | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| San Luis Obispo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Mateo | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Santa Barbara | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Santa Clara | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Santa Cruz | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Shasta | 10 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| Siskiyou | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Sonoma | 7 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Stanislaus | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tehama | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Trinity | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Tulare | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Ventura | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Yolo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Yuba | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Saturday and Sunday counts include only sites with a plain weekly schedule. Sites whose hours vary by season are on their county page.
Statewide rules worth knowing
Cover or tie down your load
a vehicle shall not be driven or moved on any highway unless the vehicle is so constructed, covered, or loaded as to prevent any of its contents or load other than clear water or feathers from live birds from dropping, sifting, leaking, blowing, spilling, or otherwise escaping from the vehicle.
Source: California Vehicle Code section 23114
Many sites charge extra for an uncovered load or turn it away, so bring a tarp and straps.
Batteries, lamps and electronics are not trash
These items cannot be discarded in household trash nor disposed of in landfills.
Source: California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Look for a site that lists household hazardous waste or electronics before you bring them.
Mattresses have a recycling program
Drop off your old mattress at no additional cost at participating locations.
Source: Mattress Recycling Council, Bye Bye Mattress
A site on our list that accepts mattresses may still charge its own gate fee, so check its fee table.