Monterey County task force marks Earth Day with litter cleanup as county earns Clean California recognition

Maria Ferdin, a member of the countyillegal-dumping task force, said Monterey County was designated a Clean California community, crediting years of coordinated cleanup work by county staff, cities and waste haulers.

"Monterey County has been designated as a clean California community," Ferdin said, noting the county met most of about 15 criteria for the program, which is sponsored by Caltrans and the Governors Office.

The recognition came during a live Earth Day briefing in which Ferdin and other task-force members joined a lunchtime litter pickup at the walking path by Los Padres Elementary School in Salinas. The subcommittee conducts quarterly, on-site cleanups to remove litter and raise awareness, Ferdin said.

Mandy Brooks of the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority urged residents to use existing disposal services rather than discarding items illegally. "Disposal fees are pretty minimal for small loads," Brooks said, adding that county facilities accept bulky items such as mattresses and computers at no charge and that curbside bulky collection is included with hauler service.

Brooks listed local disposal options available to residents: Johnson Canyon Landfill, a transfer station in King City, a transfer station in Salinas and a household hazardous waste facility that accepts paints, batteries and chemicals free of charge for Salinas Valley residents. She encouraged those interested in volunteering to join other county cleanups scheduled over the weekend.

The briefing also announced the county health departmentannual cleanup scheduled Saturday at Carr Lake from 8:00 a.m. to noon; organizers said refreshments and safety equipment will be provided.

The segment closed with the moderator thanking participants and noting the briefing would continue with other county program updates.