Sanitation’s popular open houses at six yards are set for the spring.

Time for the Open Houses!

Sanitation has released its schedule of popular open houses for 2019.

Each of Sanitation’s six waste shed district yards will open to the public in a series of free Saturday events. The Open House program showcases Sanitation’s residential curbside collection programs with the promotion of proper recycling practices and information about bulky item collections. Each event will feature trash truck and equipment demonstrations in addition to facility tours, information booths, recycling games, and refreshments.

Last year, more than 6,000 residents attended the open houses with more than 230 City Employees who volunteered their time to give back to the neighborhoods they serve.

There is no charge for admission and all ages are welcome, but Sanitation requests that pets be left at home for safety.

The Public Works/Sanitation Open House dates, times and locations are:

Sanitation’s Lopez Canyon Environmental & Education Center will host an information booth about the City’s green bin recycling program and give away small vegetable plants with mulch and compost made from yard trimmings. Visitors will learn about the benefits of green recycling, pot new plants and experience the recycling loop. More than 2,200 plants were potted and given away to residents last year. Sanitation will also partner with City Plants to provide shade trees for adoption by City residents, on a first-come-served basis at each yard, while supplies last. (City residents must present valid identification with their city address or a current DWP bill to adopt a tree. Note: The limit is one tree per property address.) Used tires from City residents will be collected, provided by a grant from CalRecycle. (City residents must present valid identification and a current DWP bill. Note: A maximum of nine passenger and/or light truck tires will be accepted but tires on rims and tires from businesses will not be accepted.)

In 2003, LA Sanitation launched its first Open House at the West Los Angeles district yard. The goal of the program was to reconnect the refuse collection truck operators, on a voluntary basis, with City residents after the implementation of the automated collection program in 1993. In the following years, the program grew to also promote recycling and proper disposal practices as well as to improve access to LA Sanitation services. The program expanded in 2005 to add the East Valley, West Valley, North Central, and South Los Angeles district yards. In 2006, the Harbor district yard was added to provide Citywide coverage. Residents visiting the yards have grown with approximately 200 visitors in 2003 to more than 6,700 in 2016. The popularity of the Open Houses can be traced to City and Sanitation leaders as well as City employees who volunteered their time to transform the six Sanitation yards into fun learning centers. By combining solid resources, clean water, watershed protection, and recycling education, and recycLA information with refreshments, music and games, Sanitation has succeeded in capturing the attention of families across the city.

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