Burning Man Earth Guardians
   
  Leave No Trace Practices  
 

GARBAGE & RECYCLING - Where do I take what's left?

All participants are required to remove their own trash, garbage and recycling except for aluminum cans. The Burning Man event has always asked participants to Pack-it-In/Pack-it-out. This is not a convenience society. There is no daily garbage pick up, and there never, ever will be. It's about radical self-expression and radical self-reliance. We are a society of activists -- we leave no trace. No trash receptacles or bins will be provided.

  • Please do not dump trash on the side of the road! Major bad karma points await you, and the locals do not take kindly to people littering in their backyard.
  • There are not enough dumpsters between Black Rock City and your house to contain all the trash from all the participants.Dump only what you must (i.e., stinky garbage) in area landfils and recycling centers.
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  • Take what you can to your hometown recycling, reuse and waste disposal centers.

Do not deposit garbage in neighboring towns unless there is a for-fee service run by an enterprising local. A public landfill is located conveniently off Interstate 80 in the town of Lockwood near the eastern outskirts of Reno, and there are other nearby places where you can take your trash .

Fernley Sanitation

In Fernley, (everyone leaving Burning Man goes near or through Fernley) Fernley sanitation will be open through the Labor Day weekend. The office phone there is 775-575-4964, however the office (but not dump) is closed on weekends. Their rate is $3.85 per cubic yard. To reach Fernley Sanitation from Eastbound I-80, take the first (most westerly) Fernley exit and proceed right (south) to "downtown" Fernley. Turn right (at stop light) onto Hiway 95 (towards Silver Springs). Proceed a couple of miles and cross the canal. Turn left onto the dirt road at building with "Public Refuse Disposal" on its face. This building is reportedly between the High School and Fernley Redi-mix.

Loockwood Landfill

Run by Reno Disposal (100 Vassar St., Reno, 775-329-8822), will be open for business over Labor Day weekend. They operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends, and from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays (even including Labor Day). To get there, head west on I-80, and get off at Exit 23. RENO TRANSFER STATION in Reno (also run by Reno Disposal, 775-329-8822) will be open through the entire Labor Day weekend. Their hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. holidays and weekends. They confirmed they will operate on Labor Day. They are located at 1492 East Commercial Row, Reno. They charge $3.65 per cubic yard (27 cubic feet).

The best way to get there from I-80 West (e.g., returning to California) is to take Exit 23 (Mustang) and go straight for about two miles until you reach the transfer station.

Reno (RSW) Transfer Station and Recycling Center

Located at 1390 East Commercial Road, Reno, NV 89512 , this center takes municiple waste, auto waste (antifreeze, car batteries, used motor oil), metal (nonreusable large applicances), and paper (brown paper bags, catalogs, chipboard, computer paper, magazines, mixed paper, newspaper, white office paper).

Carson City Recyling Program

This center is located at 7001 US HIghway 50, Carson City, NV 89701 and will charge a out-of-county rate for bulk waste if you live outside of Carson City. Materials collected and services offered include:

Auto: Antifreeze, Car Batteries, Used Motor Oil, Used Tires(fee)
Construction: Concrete, Dirt (Soil), Wood
Glass: Brown Glass, Clear Glass, Green Glass
Metal: Aluminum Cans, Ferrous Metals (Steel, Iron), Tin or Steel Cans, White Goods (Non-Reusable Large Appliances -fee)
Paper: Cardboard, Catalogs, Magazines, Newspaper
Plastic: #1 Plastic (PETE), #2 Plastic (HDPE Clear), #2 Plastic (HDPE Colored)