Acceptance and Handling Criteria

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Recycled Goods Handling Criteria

In order to save valuable landfill space and meet state and federal mandates, the Public Works Department operates a variety of recycling programs at its disposal sites. A variety of materials are separated from the waste stream and processed into new products. Disposal Site Recycling Programs are listed below:

Construction & Demolition (C & D) Waste Recycling

Construction and demolition waste includes the following material types: Asphalt, Brick, Concrete, Dirt, Drywall, Fencing Material, Metal, Packing Material, Pallets, Pipe and Wood. Please review the handling instructions and acceptance criteria for each of the materials listed as they may vary for each material type.

Asphalt

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Asphalt without any reinforcing elements is considered clean and recyclable (also known as a Clean Inert). It is accepted in sizes up to 3ft long x 2ft wide x 6 in thick.
Material must be placed in the designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited..
Asphalt slabs or structures with reinforcing elements are not recyclable. However, they are accepted for disposal in sizes up to 3ft long x 3ft wide x 1 ft thick in dimension. See the Disposal Site for fees.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for up to a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.

Brick (Inert)

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Clean recyclable brick is accepted in sizes up to 3ft long x 2ft wide x 6 in thick without any reinforcing elements.
Non-recyclable brick slabs or structures with or without reinforcing elements are accepted in sizes up to 3ft long x 3ft wide x 1 ft thick in dimension and is chargeable.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.
Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.

Carpet

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Keep It Dry
Keep it Debris Free; Remove tack strips, nails, trash and dirt
Prepare the Carpet: Cut carpet into manageable sections; Separate carpet from pad; Roll carpet; Roll, stack or fold carpet pad; Stack carpet tile
Recycle carpet at the diversion areas of the Bena Sanitary Landfill, Shafter-Wasco Landfill, Kern Valley Transfer Station, or McFarland-Delano Transfer Station.

Concrete (Inert)

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Clean recyclable concrete is accepted in sizes up to 3ft long x 2ft wide x 6 in thick without any reinforcing elements. (Concrete must not contain trash or rebar and in small manageable sizes.)
Non-recyclable concrete slabs or structures with or without reinforcing elements are accepted in sizes up to 3ft long x 3ft wide x 1 ft thick in dimension and is chargeable.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.
Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.

Dirt

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected): There are several kinds of dirt: Clean fill dirt (less than 30% vegetation), dirty dirt (more than 30% vegetation, rocks, etc), & contaminated dirt (hazardous constituents in the dirt).

Dirt of any kind is not accepted at Transfer Stations or Bin Sites.
Dirt is accepted at all Landfills.
Disposal Fees depend upon what type of dirt it is.
Contaminated Dirt is not accepted.
You must obtain approval prior to disposal. Call 661-862-8900 or 800-552-Kern.

Drywall

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected): Drywall is accepted for disposal at most Disposal Sites in Kern County. However, for recycling, look in the Kern County Recycling Guide for a list of recycling Options.

Fencing Material

Fencing materials will be either may be wood, metal or plastic. See the Recycling Program for the material type of the fencing you have to dispose of for direction.

Metal

See Metal Recycling Program.

Packing Material

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be broken into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.

Pallets

See Wood Recycling Program for Information.

Pipe

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.
Analytical testing may be required prior to acceptance of dirt and sand. Call for information.

Look at the Kern County Recycle Portal for other recycling options.

Electronic Waste Recycling

Many electronic devices are considered Universal Wastes and are prohibited from disposal. County landfills and transfer stations are able to recycle Electronic Waste (E-Waste).

E-Waste Materials Accepted:

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Destroy your computer's hard drive prior to disposal/recycling. This can be done by physically damaging the hard drive or purchasing a disk cleaning software.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Do not break cathode ray tube screens (TV or computer monitors) for your safety and to assure recycling.

Green Waste Recycling

Green Waste Materials Accepted:

Green Waste Materials Not Accepted:

Large Roots larger than 3’ width and 6’ length including root ball
Tumbleweeds
Loads with multiple types of waste material including trash (Green Waste is contaminated.)
Wood or wood products (see Wood Recycling Program)

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.

Look in the Kern County Recycle Portal for other collection locations.

Metal & Appliance Recycling

Materials Accepted:

Ovens, Stoves, Refrigerators, Freezers, Microwaves
Washers/Dryers, Dishwashers, Water Heaters
Air Conditioners, Heaters, Swamp Coolers
Scrap Metal, Metal Siding
Chain link Fence, Fence Posts
Patio Furniture, Swing Set, Bicycles
Lawn Mowers

Materials Not Accepted:

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

All appliances must be empty.
Self-locking doors on Refrigerators or Freezers must be disabled.
Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.

Look in the Kern County Recycle Portal for other recycling locations.

Plastic Recycling

Materials Accepted:

Ag Film
Drip Irrigation
Hard Plastics (toys, furniture)

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.

Look in the Kern County Recycle Portal for other locations.

Note: Agricultural use plastics can be recycled. Visit the Ag Container Recycling Council for more information.

Residential Recyclable Materials

Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected. Recycling of common residential waste is available at the Kern Valley, McFarland-Delano, Buttonwillow, Lebec and Glennville Transfer Stations. Below is a listing of acceptable materials, recommended material preparation and recycling directions.

Glass: Separate empty glass containers by color (clear, brown, blue/green) and place into the appropriate compartment of the drop-off bin. DO NOT place pyrex or ceramic items into glass compartments.

Newspaper: Keep dry and clean. Do not mix with junk mail, magazines, cardboard, brown paper bags, plastic bags, or twine.

Junk Mail: Mixed Paper Items such as magazines, paper bags, junk mail, wrapping paper, and shredded paper are accepted.

Cardboard: Remove all styrofoam and plastic; then break cardboard down. Keep dry and clean.

Plastics: Find the recycling arrow on the container or plastic item. The number inside the arrow indicates the plastic type. Only #1 and #2 plastics are recyclable in the residential recycling program. Determine the plastic type, remove lids and deposit clean containers into the correct bin compartment.

Residential Batteries

In an effort to make your trips to our disposal sites as convenient as possible, we have now begun a program to accept residential batteries at most of our locations. For batteries that are damaged/leaking lead acid batteries, lithium batteries over 2lbs, and business batteries they should be taken to the Special Waste Facility.

The following sites are now accepting residential batteries.

Landfills

Transfer Stations

Bin Sites

Randsburg

Tire Recycling

Tires are accepted at most disposal sites for recycling. After reviewing the acceptance criteria below, visit the Disposal Site link and choose the site you would like to use for a fee schedule. Residential properties are allowed up to four (4) light duty tires, once per year, at no charge. Fees apply for all other tires per the Disposal Fee schedule for each site.

Materials Accepted:

Light Duty Tires
Oversize Tires
Heavy Duty Tires
Earthmover Tires
Tires on Rims

Materials Not Accepted:

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected): It is prohibited to transport more than 9 tires without a Waste Tire Hauler Registration or a One-day Exemption for Waste Tire Hauling. For more information, visit CalRecycle's Tire Management web page.

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Tires on split rims and heavy equipment tires must be completely deflated before they can be accepted.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.

Look in the Kern County Recycle Portal for other recycling locations

Used Motor Oil Recycling

Certified Used Oil Collection Centers are located at many County Solid Waste Disposal Sites for the collection of used motor oil and filters from residential & commercial sources. Handling & Acceptance Criteria for Solid Waste Disposal Sites (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Oil can not be contaminated with any other substance.
20 gallons per person/per day.
5 gallon containers or smaller.
Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Up to 50 gallons can be accepted, from businesses, per month.

The Kern County Special Waste Facility is also a Certified Used Oil Collection Center which accepts clean and contaminated oil. Click on Hazardous Waste for acceptance & handling criteria for these facilities. Look in the Kern County Recycle Portal for a list of other recycling locations.

Wood Waste Recycling

Wood waste is accepted at many County Disposal Sites for a Fee.

Materials Accepted:

Materials Not Accepted:

No Trash
No Loose Leaves, Grass, or Yard Rakings (see Green Waste Recycling)
No Treated Wood such as telephone poles or railroad ties (see Treated Wood Waste)
No Yucca, Palm, or Oleander
No Materials over 6’ in length or 3’ in thickness that is difficult to break or crush.
No Roots or Dirt
No Commingled loads

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected):

Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Keep the furniture intact so the Gate Attendant can clearly identify the item as a piece of furniture. Lumber/wood is considered construction waste and is chargeable.
Salvaging of materials by the public is prohibited.
Materials over 6' long, that cannot be crushed into smaller pieces (3’x3’x1’) are prohibited.
Some source-separated construction & demolition materials may be eligible for a 50% Discount. Discounts will be determined at the gate.

Non-Recycled Handling Criteria

While the Public Works Department operates a variety of recycling programs at its disposal sites, not everything we use can be recycled. A variety of materials are left over after the waste stream is separated. Those goods still have important methods of handling for the health and safety of you and the Kern County Waste workforce.

Treated Wood Waste (TWW)

Update: Effective immediately, the following Kern County disposal sites are temporarily allowed to accept Treated Wood Waste:

Generators and transporters (commercial customers) of treated wood waste should obtain a variance from the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to be in accordance with DTSC regulation and to properly dispose of their TWW materials at County landfills and/or transfer stations. However, TWW will still be accepted from commercial customers without a DTSC variance but per regulation, a report of the commercial customer's information will need to be submitted to the State of California. Residents self-hauling TWW will not require a variance.

Commercial customers can find out more information about DTSC and TWW variances at dtsc.ca.gov.

Note: The statute (HSC 25150.7) and regulations (22 CCR 67386.1 et seq.) that allow treated wood waste to be handled with alternative management standards are due to expire after December 31, 2020. After that date, all hazardous treated wood waste (not exempted by HSC 25143.1.5 as utility generated) managed in California will have to be stored and manifested as hazardous waste and transported to class I hazardous waste landfills for disposal.

What is Treated Wood Waste?

TWW comes from old wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives. These chemicals help protect the wood from insect attack and fungal decay while it’s being used. Fence posts, sill plates, landscape timbers, pilings, guardrails, and decking, to name a few, are all examples of chemically treated wood.

Is Treated Wood Waste Toxic?

TWW contains hazardous chemicals that pose a risk to human health and the environment. Arsenic, chromium, copper, creosote, and pentachlorophenol are among the chemicals used to preserve wood and are known to be toxic or carcinogenic. Harmful exposure to these chemicals may result from touching, inhaling, or ingesting TWW particulate (e.g., sawdust and smoke).

Treated Wood Waste is accepted at many Disposal Sites for a Fee. Treated wood waste is not recycled. There are quantity restrictions at some locations. Go to the Disposal Sites page to determine the acceptance criteria for each location.

Materials Accepted:

Grape Stakes
Fencing
Foundation Lumber
Railroad Ties
Utility Poles

Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria (Materials that do not meet these criteria will be rejected): Customers with large loads must contact the Department prior to disposal at (661) 862-8900.

Materials can not be longer than 6 feet and 3 ft wide.
Materials must be placed in their designated area.
Unloading materials is the responsibility of the customer.
Information on commercial generators will be required such as business name, contact person, and telephone number.
Commingled loads containing more than 25% treated wood waste will be classified as such, tracked, and charged accordingly.

Information on Treated Wood Waste regulations

Be sure to visit the Kern County Recycling Portal to find locations throughout Kern County to take all types of Waste & Recyclables to be processed!

Dead Animal Waste

Dead Animals are accepted at many Disposal Sites for a Fee. Large and/or Multiple Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria: You must notify the Department at 661-862-8900 or 1-800-552-KERN, prior to bringing in large animals such horses or cows and if you have multiple animals.

Animals must be dead before arrival and cannot be put down on site.
Unloading animals is the responsibility of the customer.
At the Bena Landfill: Large farm animals must be received before 3pm.
At the Shafter-Wasco Landfill animals must be received before 12pm.

Small Pets Handling Instructions & Acceptance Criteria:

Animals must be dead before arrival and cannot be put down on site.
Animals must not be dripping or odorous.
Must be in a black non see-through bag.
Unloading animals is the responsibility of the customer.
Must be delivered to site in the morning.

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