Help Maintain Essential Waste Services in Humboldt

With an increase in home activity due to COVID-19 and the shelter-in-place order, families and households are disposing of more waste than usual at home.

Our community’s curbside waste pickup service will continue to serve this essential community need due to the hardworking employees of Recology who continue to operate garbage and recycling trucks and the Materials Recovery Facility in Samoa. This service strives to operate as consistently as possible during a time when many things are uncertain. As we all are trying to find ways to support our community and give back in a time of need, we ask you to consider how proper waste management systems rely on you and the choice you make at your trash and recycling bin.

Here’s how you can help:

• Bins On Curb: To tip bins into the truck, bins must have clearance for a mechanical arm to come down. So please do not block your bins, and please do not overfill them, as the truck driver will have to correct these issues and this increases risks to unnecessary exposure.  
• Visual Audit: Each truck features a camera for the driver to see what is being tipped into the truck. If a driver identifies non-recyclable items in the recycling, they will leave an “Oops Tag” on the bin to let you know the issue identified. Please be sure to take corrective action and learn from the feedback.
• Recycling Sorting: Recycling is hand sorted in Samoa at Recology’s Materials Recovery Facility. Up to 30% of material on the sorting line is trash. Making sure you are cleaning and recycling the proper materials will protect the safety and welfare of these workers who too often are unnecessarily pulling trash off the recycling line because a resident made the wrong decision at the bin.  

Self-Haul Recycling Still Available At HWMA

Recycling Update:

The public may still self-haul their recyclables to Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA) Transfer Station (right side entrance). However all material is placed into the mixed stream bins and charged a minimum $2.00 fee.

Recognizing the recycle center could spread Covid-19 by direct handling of used recycling containers, on March 16^th we suspended CRV Buy Back activity in an effort to protect health and safety of our employees and community.  A constant challenge under normal operations has been related to the public crowding each other and our employees.  We are examining how we can resume activities and maintain social distancing when it is deemed safe to do so.  CalRecycle was charged with developing guidelines that are expected released today under the Governor’s order issued last week https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/N-54-20-COVID-19-text-4.22.20.pdf and we will evaluate the information once it is issued.

We are not accepting source separated material as we don’t have the space on the transfer station side to store the bins, nor available staffing to receive and operate source separated activities such as the baler.  Recycling staff were reassigned to receive training and provide coverage at the landfill in the event of illness outbreak, as well as being assigned to the Transfer Station. ​

Household Hazardous Press Release follows:

Eureka City Mayor, Susan Seaman, to publish weekly video address

The address will be Friday at noon

Eureka, CA (March 30, 2020) – The City of Eureka is actively monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. City staff are working to support the health and well-being of local citizens, the community, and the economy while continuing to provide all essential services.

Effectively immediately, each Friday at noon, for the duration of the COVID-19 state of emergency, Mayor Susan Seaman will be releasing a community update video that includes the latest information about the City of Eureka’s response to COVID-19.

Mayor Seaman’s first PSA was released last Friday and is available to view on the City website and Facebook page.

Expect the second Mayor’s PSA to be released Friday, April 3^rd at noon.

In addition to the weekly address, additional short form videos with varied topics and timely updates may be published by the City and will be made available through the same channels.

City of Eureka Cancels or Postpones ‘Non-Essential’ Events and Gatherings

City of Eureka press release:

Due to recent concerns surrounding COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and in line with County, State, and Federal guidelines and recommendations, the City of Eureka, in an abundance of caution, will be postponing or canceling non-essential City events, community gatherings, and engagements involving more than 250 people, and in many cases, smaller gatherings, until further notice.

According to the California Department of Public Health, the timely implementation of aggressive strategies that create social distance and those that reduce close contact of people not regularly together, including limiting gatherings, has proven effective at delaying rates of transmission and reducing illness and even death in prior pandemics.

The City encourages residents and visitors to consider doing the same with their planned private events, especially those that serve an at-risk population.

Additionally, the City has implemented the following precautionary measures:

• Non-regulatory Board and Commission meetings will be canceled until further notice: Art and Culture Commission; Eureka Energy Committee; Economic Development Commission; Open Space Parks and Recreation Commission; Housing Advisory Boards.
• All non-essential City travel and training has been canceled.
• All recreation programs including Hoopsters basketball, adult sports and roller skating are canceled until further notice. Please see the review a full list of closures on the City’s web site: ci.eureka.ca.gov

The City of Eureka will continue to operate after school programs and Little Sapling’s daycare and will follow any recommended school closures should they be implemented. Eureka Police Department and Humboldt Bay Fire continue to respond to all calls for service and have developed contingency plans to address any possible staffing issues due to COVID-19. The Sequoia Park Zoo and all other City facilities remain open to the public with increased attention on Social Distancing.

The City of Eureka will continue to evaluate the COVID-19 situation and provide updates as warranted. The City is committed to protecting our community and to ensuring the safety of all residents, visitors and City personnel. We strongly encourage residents to avoid non-essential gatherings, practice good hygiene (hand washing etc.), and exercise preventative actions.

For current updates regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and tips on preventing the spread of respiratory viruses, such as Coronavirus at the Humboldt Health Alert website.

Please see this special announcement about classes and events from Eureka Community services here.