ILLEGAL
The fine for illegally dumping items can be very high and is not worth the risk.
Anything left on the curb without a scheduled pickup will be treated as illegal Dumping.
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 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
Did you see who dumped it or just the dumped items? There are two easy ways to submit a report:
- If you see items that have been illegally dumped but not who did it, contact Marborg at 805-963-1852 (picked up within 72 hours) or fill out this online Illegal Dumping Reporting Form.
Please note the closest street address for faster service. - 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.
Discourage Illegal Dumping
- Nicely landscaping the parkway in front of your property with plants or rocks will often cause a dumper to look elsewhere.
- 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!”
- 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.
- Talk with your neighbors! Collaborate to watch for unusual activity in your neighborhood.
Other Illegal Dumping Resources
Please visit these links for resources and additonal information:
Street Sweeping Program
This program is run by the City’s Streets Division. Regular street sweeping occurs on about 80% of Santa Barbara’s 254 miles of paved streets within the Santa Barbara city limits. The street sweepers annually remove approximately 1,850 tons of debris, trash, and other harmful constituents that would have otherwise ended up in the storm drains, creeks, and eventually in the ocean.
Other Clean SB Programs
The SB Clean Program joins residents, City staff, and community representatives with the #CleanSB mission to reduce waste (reduce, reuse, recycle and compost) and contribute to a clean community through graffiti and litter abatement.
Spirit of Service Awards
Drop-off Locations
Our local drop-off locations provide additional recycling services for special materials like CRV (CA Redemption Value) buy back, construction waste, electronics, mattresses, and other materials that are not accepted in your curbside pickup service.
