Please be advised that certain construction and demolition projects will be required to recycle or reuse at least 65% of the construction and demolition debris generated from projects. The City of Madera’s Municipal Code § 5-3.30 Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling was adopted in an effort to keep these materials out of the landfill as required by AB939 and the California Green Building Code (CALGreen).

For more information, please see the Building Department Fact Sheet or the CALGreen Construction Waste Management Requirements.  To visit the CalRecycle website, click the link below:

Local Government Construction and Demolition (C&D) Guide

The City of Madera provides all residential customers with a GRAY garbage container, a GREEN yard waste/organics container and a BLUE recycling container.

The GRAY waste cart is only for household garbage. Use your GRAY waste cart for household garbage only. Please do not fill it with extra-heavy items such as large quantities of dirt, rocks, concrete, asphalt, lumber or construction debris. Do not fill it with bulky items such as furniture or appliances. Do not put hazardous waste, televisions, hot ashes, or other flammable materials in your container. Do not place yard waste in your gray waste cart, place it in your green compost container see section below.

Use your GREEN compost cart for yard waste/organics container for all of your yard trimmings, grass and food scraps. Acceptable materials include: grass clippings, prunings, and leaves. The following materials are unacceptable and must be placed in your GRAY waste cart: household garbage, large tree branches, palm fronds and yucca plants. If you continually place unacceptable materials in your green compost cart you may be subject to a fine.

Use your BLUE recycling cart for all your recyclable material. Acceptable materials include: all paper products, all cardboard, flattened cereal and dry food boxes, all plastics, all metal, small appliances and glass. DO NOT place diapers, rubber hoses, carpets, clothing, Styrofoam, food, soiled paper, batteries, hazardous waste, televisions, hot ashes or other flammable materials in your BLUE recycling cart. DO NOT overfill your container.

GRAY - Garbage

GREEN - Yard waste/Organics

BLUE - Recyclables

If you continually place unacceptable materials in your blue waste cart you may be subject to a fine.

Household Hazardous Waste Info Sheet

Did you know that household products such as cleaning fluids, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, paints and automotive supplies contain hazardous chemicals that can be harmful to you and your family?  Products such as these, which are marked "caution", "warning" or "danger", can also pose a threat to the envoirnment.

What is Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)?
Many common household items contain chemicals that can create environmental hazards if not handled properly.  These waste include old paint, TVs, computer monitors, batteries, fluorescent lights, thermometers and thermostats, waste oil and gasoline, and pesticides.

Why are TVs and computer monitors hazardous?
Computer monitors and TVs may contain mercury paste and gas along with leaded glass.  Deliver your household's old TVs and computer monitors to the Fairmead Landfill, 21739 Road 19, Chowchilla, 559-665-3099.  Televisions and computer monitors are now accepted free of charge at the Fairmead Landfill.

What are mercury-containing wastes?
Mercury is an essential component in fluorescent lamps, and may be found in thermometers and thermostats.  If these items are broken or not recycled, they can release harmful levels of mercury into the environment.  You can give your old thermostat to your heating contractor to return to their wholesaler for recycling.  Remember to buy low-mercury lighting fixtures, and mercury-free thermometers and thermostats.

What can I do with old paint?

First, if the paint is still usable, you may be able to find a school or non-profit organization that can use the oil paint.  If not, take the cover off of the paint can and place it outside to dry out.  Once the paint is dry, place it in your gray garbage container.  You can also add the old paint to kitty litter so all the liquid is absorbed.  Put the kitty litter in a couple of trash bags, then add the paint and dispose with your regular household refuse.  Remember to buy latex paint whenever possible.

There are also vendors that collect up to 5 gallons of latex and oil-based paint, stains and varnish.  In Madera, you can drop off old paint at the following location:

The annual City of Madera leaf cleanup is a program designed to help residents dispose of leaves in a convenient and environmentally-friendly way. On assigned dates, residents can place their leaves in a designated area at the curb for pickup by city crews. The leaves are then taken to a composting facility, where they are converted into nutrient-rich compost. Public Works personnel typically begin the program in early January.

The City randomly does audits and tracks additional containers.  If any part of your container is broken please contact Mid Valley Disposal at 1-800 706-5779.

Click on the map above for a detailed view of your neighborhood collection day.

The City contracts with Mid Valley Disposal for garbage disposal service. This includes the following service: 96-gallon grey container for trash, a green container for green waste/compost, and a blue container for recycling. In order to assure service, containers must be placed at the curb or in the alley the night before your day of service. The City of Madera Municipal Code requires that containers must be removed from the street or alley within 12 hours of service and stored on your property.

You can reach Mid Valley Disposal by calling:  1-800-706-5779

Depending on when a holiday falls during the week, garbage pick-up days for the week would be serviced the following day.

Mid Valley Disposal observes the following holidays when they land on regularly scheduled days of service (weekdays):

Why recycle used motor oil?

Recycling used motor oil conserves a natural resource (oil) and is good for the environment too! Motor oil poured onto the ground or into storm drains, or tossed into trash cans (even in a sealed container) can contaminate and pollute the soil, groundwater, streams, and rivers. Recycling your used motor oil reduces this pollution threat. When you take your used oil to a certified center for recycling, you are protecting the environment, conserving a valuable resource, and getting paid for it. That's a winning combination!

City of Madera residential customers can recycle both their used oil and used oil filters at local Certified Used Oil Collection Centers. Follow the link below to find the closest oil collection center near you:

CalRecycle Used Oil Collection Centers

Alternatively, used oil can be recycled at the Fairmead Landfill located at 21739 Road 19, Chowchilla, CA 93610, Saturdays only between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. No appointment is required. Contact Fairmead Landfill at (559) 665-1310 for disposal pricing.

STATE MANDATES

AB 341 - Mandatory Non-Organic Commercial Recycling

AB 1826 - Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling

CalRecycle

RECYCLE. IT’S GOOD FOR THE BOTTLE. IT’S GOOD FOR THE CAN. IT'S GOOD FOR THE EARTH.

Californians bought more than 18.2 billion carbonated and non-carbonated drinks in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers last year. More than 10.6 billion of those containers were recycled, saving natural resources, conserving energy and extending the life of our landfills. Imagine what we’ll accomplish if we recycle the other 7.6 billion!

Find a Recycling Center Near You

GREENWASTE RECYCLING

RECYCLING MARKET DEVELOPMENT ZONE

The Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) program combines recycling with economic development to fuel new businesses expand existing ones, create jobs, and divert waste from landfills. This program provides attractive loans, technical assistance and free product marketing to businesses that use materials from the waste stream for their manufacturing. To participate a business must be located in a RMDZ Zone.

For more information regarding RMDZ Zones, please visit the following sites:

The Madera County RMDZ Administrator,

Madera County Economic Development Commission.

Do not over fill your containers.  If you would like an additional garbage or yard waste container please call the City Finance Department at 661-5454.  The City randomly does audits and tracks additional containers.  If any part of your container is broken please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Division at 661-5406.  If your GRAY or GREEN container is missing the City can provide you with your serial number to help locate your container.  Please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Division at 661-5406 for further information.

In order to assure service, containers must be placed at the curb or in the alley the night before your day of service. The garbage truck has automated arms that grab your container to empty it. You must leave three (3) feet of distance between each container and any other object such as telephone poles, mailboxes, and vehicles.

The City of Madera Municipal Code requires that containers must be removed from the street or alley within 12 hours of service and stored on your property.

Recycling Composting Presentation