Transfer Station

The City of Berkeley Transfer Station provides easy access for disposal and resource recovery.

Rules for Use

Please note the below rules for using the Transfer Station:

• There is no pedestrian access to the Transfer Station. All customers must be inside a vehicle to drop off material or purchase pre-paid refuse and plant debris bags.
• Secure your load by making sure all materials are totally covered and fastened to prevent spillage. Vehicles with unsecured loads will be charged a $15 fee.

Rates

Effective August 1, 2022, the following rates will be charged for acceptance of materials at the Transfer Station:

• Environmental Compliance Fee: applied to all refuse, construction and demolition materials, and organics (compostable) materials
  • $3.50 per minimum load (330 pounds or less), or
  • $5.00 per ton
• Refuse (trash) Base Rate:
  • $38.50 per minimum load (330 pounds or less), or
  • $149.00 per ton
• Construction and Demolition materials Base Rate:
  • $33.50 per minimum load (330 pounds or less), or
  • $130.00 per ton
• Organic (compostable) materials Base Rate:
  • $27.75 per minimum load (330 pounds or less), or
  • $72.05 per ton
• Mixed load of Refuse, Construction & Demolition materials, and/or Organic (compostable) materials:
  • If customer does not separate refuse, construction and demolition materials, and/or organic (compostable) materials by visual inspection of 10% or more, the load shall be charged at the Refuse Base Rate and Environmental Compliance Fee, plus a 75% surcharge of the Refuse Base Rate.
• Items that require Special Handling charges:
  • $48.00 per appliance, refrigerated and non-refrigerated
  • $18.00 per unit, mattress or box spring
    • Residents can dispose of two mattresses for free, commercial customers pay the standard rate.
    • We accept only whole units. No units that are excessively wet/moldy/soiled, severely twisted/punctured/crushed, or bed bug-infected.
  • $20.00 per automobile tire
  • $30.00 per truck tire
  • $35.00 per propane tank
  • $9.00 per each electronic item over 2 (1st 2 are free)
• Prohibited (hazardous) materials found in load, requiring customer reload:
  • $50.00 for first occurrence
  • $150.00 for customers' second and subsequent occurrences
• Prepaid Refuse and Plant Debris/Compostable materials Bags:
  • Prepaid Refuse Bag: $7.50
  • Prepaid Plant Debris/Compostable Materials Bag: $3.00

Save money and reduce the amount sent to landfill by dropping materials at reuse or recycling centers:

• Urban Ore accepts building materials and household goods in usable condition
• Berkeley Recycling Center accepts appliances, large recyclables, and other materials
• ewasteCollective accepts electronic waste
• StopWaste's RE:Source guide can help you find nearby reuse, repair, recycling, and safe disposal options

organic (compostable) materials

The Alameda County Plant Debris Landfill Ban requires that any self-haul load (containing at least 10% plant debris by visual inspection) be separated for composting. State Law SB 1383 requires that all organic materials are kept out of the landfill to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change. A "mixed load" cannot be separated at the Transfer Station. A customer who does not bring a clean organic load for composting will pay the Refuse Base Rate and the Environmental Compliance Fee, plus a 75% surcharge of the Refuse Base Rate for the load. 

Organic (compostable) materials shall be kept separate from other waste to comply with local and state regulations.

• Compostable materials include: food scraps, tree and garden trimmings (including palm leaves and bamboo), unpainted/untreated wood, untreated wood chips, and compostable paper
• Not allowed: plywood, particle board, painted or treated wood, trash, waxed cardboard, recyclable materials, milk cartons, and plastic bags (please empty any plastic bags used to transport debris)
• No sod or plant debris with excessive dirt - this will be handled and charged as refuse

Construction & demolition materials

The Berkeley Transfer Station accepts construction and demolition materials for recycling. Construction and demolition material must be loose (no bags) to be accepted for recycling. Accepted materials include:

• Wood (clean, untreated, unpainted only)
• Roofing Materials (no asphalt shingles accepted)
• Drywall
• Tile, Porcelain, Brick
• Dirt & Rock
• Concrete
• Metal
• Cardboard
• Rigid Plastics
• Toilets, Sinks, Bathtubs

Items that require special handling

Additional items that require special handling:

• Carpet recycling (clean, dry, rolled separately from padding, cut into 4’ sections), properly prepared carpet charged at the Construction and Demolition Material Base Rate.
• Treated Wood Waste (must be kept separate from other materials and placed in a designated bin for disposal), charged at the Refuse Base Rate and the Environmental Compliance Fee.
• Bring used motor oil or hydraulic fluid (no brake fluid, solvents, or antifreeze) in 5-gallon or smaller containers. The Transfer Station will pay 16¢ per gallon for up to 20 gallons of oil per customer.

Hazardous and Universal Waste not accepted

The Transfer Station does not accept hazardous waste. Items such as explosives and ammunition are prohibited. For information about disposing of hazardous waste, please visit the StopWaste HHW website or call the Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Hotline at (800) 606-6606.

The Transfer Station also does not accept most Universal Waste. Please ask the attendant for more information.