Illegal dumping in Berkeley a 'nightmare' when students move out: How Cal program aims to curb it

BERKELEY, Calif (KGO) -- Thousands of University of California, Berkeley students graduated last month, and for the city, May is also when student move-outs bring a spike in illegal dumping.

The annual move-out period has long created clutter on city streets with discarded furniture and household items piling up.

"If you drive around most of Berkeley, you can see people leave stuff on the street," recent graduate Graeme Bates said. "It's like a huge mess everywhere."

Scenes around the city reflect that problem, including abandoned items ranging from couches to empty beer kegs and propane canisters.

City officials warn that illegal dumping can carry a fine of up to $500 per day.

In response, the university launched the Cal Move Out and Cooperative Reuse program in 2018 to divert usable goods from the landfill.

The program allows students, faculty, staff and alumni to drop off unwanted items at the Clark Kerr campus parking lot.

"Which is honestly a really great solution to the massive problem of illegal dumping that is incredibly prevalent here in the Bay Area," said Kimiya Attar, a student coordinator with the Zero Waste Coalition.

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For many students, the move-out process reveals just how much they have accumulated.

"Honestly, you don't realize how much you have until you move out. We do end up with so much like we have a printer, we have like multiple desks," said graduate Emewodesh Eshete.

Participants are encouraged to donate items in usable condition rather than discard them. Bates, who is moving to the East Coast for a job after earning his undergraduate degree in math, said he chose to give away his furniture.

"You could try and sell it but it's better to give it to people who need it," he said.

The program also accepts canned goods and small household items, though mattresses are not collected.

Instead, the university works with NorCal moving services to transport broken items and mattresses to the Berkeley transfer center.

At the end of May and for 10 days, the public can visit the site to take donated items free of charge.

City employees are also aware of the effort.

"The Berkeley City Manager sent out the weekly email to staff, notifying that this event was taking place and I've heard about it previously," said city employee Jenny McNulty.

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Organizers say the program has made a measurable impact.

"We average around 200,000 pounds of furniture and other items each year," Attar said.

Those donations represent items that otherwise could have ended up in the landfill.

Beyond reducing waste, organizers say the initiative is also about changing behavior.

"It's really astonishing to see how many items my fellow peers are dropping off that they not used once in their four years at the university," Attar said.

"I think this program poses a lesson on how we should all be more conscientious of our consumption habits while we are living in this city."

As Berkeley continues to grapple with illegal dumping during peak move-out season, university officials and students alike hope the reuse program can ease the burden on city streets while encouraging more sustainable habits.