Landfill Frequently Asked Questions

Landfill Questions:

Q Why do they ask me where my trash is from?
A State law requires us to report where the waste comes from. When a customer tells us where the waste is from, the weight of that load is assigned to that jurisdiction (city or county). It is important to assign the waste to the proper jurisdiction, as they can be fined up to $10,000 per day if their waste reduction goals are not met.

Q If I have a mixed load of trash, what rate am I charged?
A The charge is based by the majority of weight for that type of refuse.

Q What is the difference between the El Sobrante landfill and other Riverside County landfills?
A El Sobrante is owned and operated by a private company. Riverside County staff operates the fee booth only. The remaining landfills are owned and operated by Riverside County.

Q Why do I have to get out of the car when my car is being "tared”?
A The Tare weight of the vehicle is the empty weight of the vehicle. If you are in the vehicle, then the weight for the vehicle is not correct. All occupants of the vehicle must be out to get a correct weight. It is to the customers benefit to make sure that the vehicle has a full tank of gas when you getting tared, so it will be the heaviest that your vehicle will weigh.

Q What is the difference between a landfill and a transfer station?
A "Solid waste landfill" means a disposal facility that currently accepts solid waste for land disposal.
"Transfer or processing station" or "station" includes those facilities utilized to receive solid wastes, temporarily store, separate, convert, or otherwise process the materials in the solid wastes, or to transfer the solid wastes directly from smaller to larger vehicles for transport, and those facilities utilized for transformation.

Q I would like to dispose of a couple of old campers I have. They have no axles in them, they are not registered and have propane refrigerators which can be removed and Anza landfill is my closest landfill will they take them or will they pick them up?
A Our county department does not transport waste, we just operate the landfills. The transfer stations at Anza, Pinyon, and Idyllwild will not take automotive parts. You will need to go to Lamb Canyon Landfill. The minimum load fee is $8.00 for up to 800 pounds. Anything over 800 lbs will be charged at a rate of $31.91 per ton. You will be weighed on the way in and weighed on the way out and charged for the difference. You will need to dump liquid waste at a dump station (if any), remove appliances, and propane. If you need directions and hours of the Lamb Canyon landfill, please refer to our website www.rivcowm.org .
Are you aware that there are Household Hazardous Waste Collection, Tire Amnesty, and Electronic Recycling Events from time to time. Please check the web site or call the office for more info. Thanks