This section provides care for the enhancement of environmental resources of the community. The main functions of this section include residential collection services for solid waste, recycling and yard waste through exclusive franchise. Additionally, this section provides information to residents and businesses on waste reduction, and backyard composting. Provides educational information on environmental issues to the citizens, schools and businesses;

For further information or questions, you may contact CalMet Services web page or call the Public Works Department at (562) 904-7103.

HOLIDAY TRASH COLLECTION

On the following holidays, there will be no residential trash, recycling or yard waste pick-up. Instead, collection will be one day later for the holiday and for the remainder of that week, concluding with a Saturday collection. The regular schedule will then resume the following Monday.

Trash collection will be affected only on following holidays, which are observed by

CalMet Services, the city's residential trash hauler:

New Year's Day 

Memorial Day 

Independence Day 

Labor Day 

Thanksgiving Day 

Christmas Day 

If you have a question concerning service or the holiday collection schedule, please call CalMet Services at 562-869-0901.

BULKY ITEM COLLECTION

As part of the City of Downey's new contract with CalMet Services, all homes with residential curbside collection are eligible to receive free, on-call, pick-up for bulky items that cannot be accommodated in the automated containers. Bulky items include, but are not limited to, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, mattresses, furniture, and bundled yard trimmings (not to exceed 4 feet in length).

Bulky items will be collected on the residents' regular collection day, and residents must call CalMet Services at 562-869-0901 at least one day prior to their collection day to schedule this special pick-up.

RECYCLING - RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE

The City of Downey has provided a curbside recycling program called DART (Downey At-Home Recycling Team) for all single-family dwellings and multi-family dwellings of six units or less. As part of the residential trash collection service, all homes are supplied with a blue automated recycling container to collect the following recyclable items: aluminum cans, aluminum foil, tin cans, glass bottles and jars with the lids removed, glass cosmetic bottles, plastic containers that have either a #1 or #2 in the triangle on the bottom on the container; for example, 1 gallon milk jugs, soda, juice and water bottles, laundry, shampoo, and condiment containers. Newly added to the list are almost all glass, plastic, and aluminum beverage containers. The only beverage containers not included are wine, 100% fruit juices in 46 ounce or larger containers, medical food or infant formula, vegetable juices, diet/nutrition drinks (Slimfast/Sweet Success/Ensure), Bloody Mary Mix, and Kool-Aid Bursts.

Also include paper items such as newspaper, magazines and catalogs, telephone books, cardboard, cardboard 12-pack soda cartons, cereal boxes with the wax paper removed, food boxes such as cake mixes, crackers, etc., tissue boxes, pizza boxes, cardboard egg cartons, junk mail, white and colored ledger paper, computer paper, and envelopes.

The blue container is intended to be used exclusively for the recyclable materials just listed. Please do not put trash or yard waste clippings in this barrel, as it will not be picked up.

On the morning of your regular trash collection day, place the blue recycling container along with your green waste and regular trash containers curbside (either on the curb or in the gutter) or in the alley by 6:00 a.m.

If the hauler did not empty your recycling barrel, check to see if you are preparing the materials properly and are including only acceptable items. If everything seems correct, you should call CalMet Services, the City's residential hauler, at 562-869-0901

If you would like further information about the DART program, or have a concern about your service, you may call the Public Works Department at 562-904-7103. or visit CalMet Services's  web site or the web site of State of California,Department of Conservation.

HOLIDAY TREE COLLECTION

The City of Downey through its franchised trash hauler, CalMet Services, provides a holiday tree collection service for homes with residential curbside collection. Collection of trees will occur on your regular trash collection day for the two weeks following Christmas.

The trees will be ground up for composting or used for the County Sanitation Districts' landfill Cover Project, and thus diverted from disposal as regular trash.

Residents should place their holiday trees at the curb or alley by 6:00 AM on their regular refuse collection day during that period. All decorations must be removed. Flocked trees are acceptable. Trees over four feet tall should be cut in half. All tree stands must be removed. Please do not place your tree in a plastic bag.

Apartments and commercial accounts must contact CalMet Services to make arrangement for collection of their trees.

For further information, please call CalMet Services, our residential trash hauler at 562-869-0901.

RECYCLING – USED MOTOR OIL & OIL FILTERS

Now there is a place to take that used motor oil! ---- Free!

The City of Downey has established several State certified used motor oil recycling centers. To properly and safely dispose of your used motor oil, simply place your used motor oil in a clean container. Do not place oil in metal containers or plastic bottles used for bleach, cleaners, paint or other automobile fluids. These may contaminate the used oil and prevents its reuse. Take your used motor oil to one of the participating used oil collection centers listed below. Most collection centers will accept a maximum of 5 gallons of used motor oil per container and a limit of 20 gallons per customer. Motor oil that is contaminated, or suspected of being contaminated, will not be accepted.

You will be entitled to a rebate of 16 cents per gallon; however, you, the recycler, may donate the rebate to the center to further the recycling program effort.

Used oil recycling containers are available to Downey residents at no charge, subject to availability. To receive a used oil container, a brochure listing the oil recycling centers, or more information on the program, please call the City of Downey at 562-904-7103. To report countywide illegal dumping of used oil, please call 1-800-303-0003.

Some of the centers also collect used oil filters. Those centers are marked with an "*". Residents may pick up plastic filter recycling bags from the oil filter collection centers, or the Public Works Department at Downey City Hall.

Please call the oil recycling centers for hours of operation and amount of oil accepted. The state certified used oil recycling centers are as follows:

*Auto Zone 9920 Paramount Blvd. Phone: 776-3393

*Auto Zone 13028 Paramount Blvd. Phone: 869-1545

* Budget Lube N' More 11438 Downey Ave. Phone: 869-4329

* Downey Ford Auto Center 9500 Lakewood Blvd. Phone: 861-6771

*Downey Pontiac GMC Buic7255 E. Firestone Blvd. Phone: 928-3333

* Import Car Service 12107 S. Lakewood Blvd. Phone: 923-2814

* Jiffy Lube 7501 Firestone Blvd. Phone: 927-8806

Jiffy Lube 12556 Lakewood Blvd. Phone: 869-7800

Kragen Auto Parts 7839 Firestone Blvd. Phone: 861-9971

Pep Boys 10231 Lakewood Blvd. Phone: 861-9909

 Fire Station 9030 Cecilia St. Phone: 869-1597

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DISPOSAL

Many of the materials used in the home are classified as hazardous materials, and are to be used with caution. A problem exists with how to get rid of these materials once they have served their usefulness. Materials such as used motor oil, paint, turpentine, cleaners that contain acids or lye, household and car batteries, pesticides and garden herbicides can be brought to a Free Household Hazardous Waste Roundup. Simply place all your hazardous materials in a sturdy box, preferably in their origional, labeled containers, and bring them to a roundup. In general, there is a limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per vehicle. Be prepared to leave your containers. Residents may obtain a listing of the locations of the roundups by calling the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works at 1-800-CLEAN-LA(888-253-2652), or visit Los Angeles County web page. The roundups are sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.

Several gas stations and service centers also serve as state certified recycling centers for used motor oil only. Please refer to our web page on Used Motor Oil Recycling

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS - SPILL OR RELEASE

If a release of known or suspected hazardous materials is observed, call 911. Stay away from the material, and keep others away. Allow only trained personnel to respond to this type of situation. If you have materials that you wish to properly dispose of, either call 1-800-CLEAN-LA(888-253-2652) or refer to our web page on Household Hazardous Waste.

RECYCLING CENTERS

For a list of area recycling centers, please refer to your local telephone directory yellow pages. Several local grocery stores also have recycling centers located in their parking lots. For more detailed information about recycling, call the California Recycling Hotline at 1-800-CLEAN-LA(888-253-2652).

COMPOSTING

Composting is an excellent way to use yard waste as a valuable resource. Leaves, grass clippings, and the remains of garden plants and selected food scraps make good compost. The dark, crumbly organic matter from your compost pile can be used to enrich the soil in the garden as well as for houseplants and planters. For more information about how to compost, composting workshops, or purchasing a composting bin or instruction book, please call the City's Public Works Department at 562-904-7103.

HOLIDAY TOY COLLECTION PROGRAM

Since 1986 the Department of Public Works has operated the Holiday Toy Collection Program to provide holiday cheer for those children less fortunate. Sponsored by the DART (Downey At-Home Recycling Team) Program, this toy drive is a three-week event to collect NEW and USED TOYS for needy children. The toys are distributed to children through the Downey Council PTA H.E.L.P.S. "Christmas Basket" Program, the city's Toy Loan Program and the Sister Cities Association, who delivers and distributes toys to children in our Sister City of San Quintin, Mexico. The collected toys will only be given to these three organizations for distribution, and will not be provided to individual families. Toys may be dropped off at any location displaying the Toy Collection Poster and red barrel. Those locations are Downey City Hall, all Downey Fire Stations, Downey City Library, and Housing Division Office at Apollo Neighborhood Center and any local merchant displaying the barrel and poster. Toys will be collected from the end of November through December.

Please join in and help us make a needy child's holiday season a little brighter! Thank you for any assistance you can give us in this toy collection. 

For additional information or any inquiries, please contact us:

BY TELEPHONE
Tel: (562) 904-7103

BY FACSIMILE
Fax: (562) 904-7296

BY MAIL
City of Downey
Public Works Department – Integrated Waste Management
P.O.Box 7016
Downey, CA 90241-7016

IN PERSON
City of Downey
Public Works Department – Integrated Waste Management
11111 Brookshire Avenue
Downey, CA 90241-7016