What would you do if one day the weekly garbage pickup service simply stopped arriving because there simply wasn’t enough space in the landfill for the municipal trash service to take the trash? For the vast majority of us, this predicament would quickly lead to streets overflowing with trash and a serious public health crisis. We absolutely depend on trash pickup service to keep our livable spaces clean and hygienic. However, public authorities have long been aware that we face an impending landfill capacity crisis that could create serious challenges for how we dispose of the waste we accumulate.  

The state of California has fortunately been at the forefront of dealing with this imminent waste crisis. Back in 1989, the state passed its landmark Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). This state law set forth the ambitious goal of diverting a full 50 percent of all solid waste from landfills by January 1, 2000. Though we didn’t make the 2000 timeline, there have been some impressive achievements in the areas of stimulating markets for recyclable materials, developing new waste prevention technologies, and strengthening the recycling and reusing industries. 

In this short article, we will explore the statistics related to the landfill crisis in California and then explain a few things every homeowner and business owner can do to in the transition towards a zero waste future.   

A Look at the Numbers behind the Landfill Crisis in California  

At first glance, a 50 percent reduction in waste diversion from landfills might seem like an impressive accomplishment. However, in the year 2000 when the goal was set to be met, the other 50 percent of trash that we continued to accumulate amounted to 22 million tons of waste per year. Almost two decades later in 2018, CalRecycle (California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery) reported that California’s 14.1 million residences and 1.5 million businesses generated 77.6 million tons of municipal solid waste, more than triple what we were generating in 2000.  

All of that trash eventually ends up in our state’s landfills. So what exactly does 77 million tons of waste per year look like? Consider the following illustration: At current waste rates, the state of California would generate well over 350 million tons of municipal solid waste. That amount of garbage would fill a canyon 15 miles long, a quarter of a mile wide, and as deep as a 20-story building.  

Do we have enough empty canyons throughout the state for that type of garbage demand? Again, CalRecycle reports that “21 of the state’s 58 counties, having 41 percent of the population, will exhaust their disposal capacity within 15 years. Of these, 17 have 8 years or less capacity. It takes 7 to 10 years to plan, design, and permit a new landfill.”  

Ways to Reduce the Waste We Send to the Landfill 

Despite the impressive growth in recycling programs, our “landfill footprint” continues to be among the largest in the country. States like Idaho, North Dakota, and Connecticut have an average of just 10 tons of landfill waste per person. Californians, on the other hand, have an average of 35 tons of landfill garbage per person. The first step in lowering our landfill footprint, then, is to reduce our consumption rates. Simply put, the less we buy, the less we will throw away.  

Another simple way to cut your landfill footprint by almost a third is to start a backyard compost pit. Organic materials, mostly discarded food and yard trimmings, make up approximately 30 percent of the waste stream that is collected by municipal trash services. By composting your leftover banana peels and fallen leaves, you can drastically reduce the amount of trash you send out to the curb each week. If you don’t have space in your yard for a compost pit, separating your organic waste for compost pickup is another great strategy.  

Lastly, making an effort to donate or recycle your large, bulky junk items is another important element associated with reducing waste streams. Over 9 million tons of furniture end up in our nation´s landfills every year. Cutting back on one-use plastic bags is certainly important, but making a sincere effort to avoid sending your old sofa to the dump will make much more of an impact on reducing your landfill footprint.  

So how can residents of San Leandro find an easy and cost-effective strategy that allows them to get rid of their bulky junk without simply sending it to the local landfill? Junk King of Contra Costa is the top-rated professional junk removal company in the Bay area. We offer the best prices to help residents of Alameda, Alamo, Albany, Antioch, Berkeley, Brentwood, Byron, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, Richmond, San Leandro, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek get rid of their large and bulky junk items.  

Our professional junk removal technicians can help residents of Contra Costa Country get rid of their heavy furniture items, construction debris, foreclosure clean outs, yard waste, or a year of accumulation. Other services we offer include: appliance removal, hot tub disposal, electronics waste disposal, trash removal, and mattress disposal.  

Besides offering superior customer service and competitive pricing, Junk King of Contra Costa is also proud to say that 60 percent of the trash items that we pick up are either donated, reused, or recycled. We have developed an extensive network of relationships with recycling centers, thrift stores, donation organizations, and others who play a fundamental role in ensuring that your waste gets diverted from the landfill.  

Everyone has a role to play in helping to address the impending landfill capacity crisis. Choosing to work with Junk King of Contra Costa for your junk removal needs offers a simple and straightforward solution to reducing your landfill footprint.  

How to Hire Junk King Contra Costa  

Doing the right thing shouldn’t be hard to achieve. If you live in the Contra Costa region and need to get rid of your excess junk, simply give us a call at (925) 289-8511 or 1-888-888-5865 (JUNK). You can also book us online by filling out the form found here. Also, you can text us an image of the junk that you need hauled away at 1-737-888-5865 and we will text you back a price estimate.  

Once you have agreed to the price we send back to you, you simply have to pick a date and a two-hour window. In many cases, we might even be able to offer same day service. Our junk removal professionals will call you 15 minutes before arrival, and all you have to do is show us the location of the junk you need removed. We will do all the heavy lifting hauling to ensure that you can efficiently and affordably free up space in your home or business. Call us today to get rid of your excess junk without further intensifying the landfill capacity crisis we face.