Marina Dump – RenGen Monterey
As residents of Monterey County we are exceptionally lucky to have a world class one-stop-shop for refuse disposal in ReGen Monterey (Monterey Regional Waste Management District), also known to locals as “the Marina dump”. Since its establishment in 1951, it has been awarded Best Solid Waste System in North America and has recieved a Zero Waste Achievement Award by the California Resource Recovery Association as recently as 2016.
What areas does ReGen serve? Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City, Seaside, and the unincorporated areas of Big Sur, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral De Tierra, Laguna Seca, Moss Landing, Pebble Beach, San Benancio, and Toro Park. That’s over 170,000 people.
What types of items do they take? Just about everything! This is why our dump is so freaking sweet!
Unwanted household items can be donated at Last Chance Merchantile, a huge on-site thift store that benefits the Veterans Transition Center and is perfectly situated to lighten the load (and write you a tax deductible donation slip) right before you weigh in to the dump. (Last Chance is probably worthy of its own blog post and that may come in the future!)
Right next door, there is a dropoff for hazardous waste and e-waste.
Recyclibles will go to the Materials Recovery Facility, or “MRF” where they aim to recycle 75% of what comes in.
(Clean) green waste is received in a separate area and accepted at a discounted rate because they grind it into mulch and compost it. This finished compost can be purchased by the bag on site (or in bulk – if you happen to know a Spanky with a dump trailer!)
Concrete / asphalt, drywall, scrap wood, and clean soil all have separate dropoffs from the landfill where they can be recycled at a discounted rate per ton.
And then of course, just about anything else can go to the massive on-site landfill.
ReGen Monterey is a marvel of efficency for both the planet and people who use it. The cherry on top is that you can buy mulch and wood chips made from recycled untreated lumber right there from Keith Day. Monterey natives may take it for granted but we really are lucky to have one of the best, greenest waste management facilities around.
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