Recycling & Trash

Announcements

The County's Single-Use Cup Tax went into effect on January 1, 2023.  To find out how this affects you as a business, please visit the Treasurer-Tax Collector's FAQ page here.  Unincorporated County businesses that are required to report and pay the single-use cup tax can access the registration page which contains the reporting forms here.

To meet the future needs of County residents and business, the Buena Vista Landfill must undergo a transformation. Learn more about what we are doing.

LANDFILL/TRANSFER STATION HOURS:  Buena Vista Landfill and Ben Lomond Transfer Station close at 2:30 on Wednesdays. The closures help facilitate site safety coordination.  All services, including household waste disposal, will cease at 2:30 each Wednesday. County waste disposal facilities accept 450 tons of refuse daily. Both facilities accept non-hazardous household, commercial, industrial waste and have been recognized for their efforts to divert waste from landfill disposal.

2022 Cost of Service Report - Proposed New Recycling & Solid Waste Services Charge

FAQ's for Proposed New Solid Waste and Infrastructure Charge

Notice of Public Hearing  - Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Santa Cruz County Recycling & Trash Services is responsible for the operation and administration of solid waste diversion and disposal in the unincorporated area of the County. We operate the County’s two solid waste facilities, the Buena Vista Landfill west of Watsonville and the Ben Lomond Transfer Station in the San Lorenzo Valley.

Recycling & Trash employs 49 operations and administration staff who are dedicated to providing quality service to the general public. We collaborate with local non-profit agencies to carry out community public education and waste reduction programs.

• We are charged with many public service
  responsibilities including:

• Operation of landfill and transfer station disposal and recycling services and household hazardous waste collection
• Development of programs designed to meet statewide diversion goals and other mandates, including the diversion of food waste and other organic material
• Implement the County’s Zero Waste Plan designed to achieve a 75% reduction in landfill disposal by 2010 and additional reductions in future years.
• Landfill design and engineering
• Liaison and reporting to a variety of state and federal agencies regarding solid waste facilities compliance and pollution control programs
• Heavy equipment fleet maintenance
• Administration of garbage and recycling collection franchise services
• Advance planning for future solid waste and recycling programs and facilities including implementation of the County's Integrated Waste Management Recovery Plan

• The County has received numerous awards, including:

• Awards for Excellence in Landfill Operations from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) - 1996 and 1997
• The California Green Cities Award - 2011
• The Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award - 2012
• The National Association of Counties Achievement Award - 2013
• The Outstanding Recycling Program Award from the California Resource Recovery Association - 2016