Residency and ID. Facility is for material generated within the City of Santa Cruz city limits; open to City of Santa Cruz residents and businesses with proof of residency (driver's license and municipal utility bill); North Coast County residents pay rates plus 28% surcharge.
How fees work. Fees are charged by weight (per ton), by volume (per cubic yard) and per item for some items, with a minimum charge of $19.68. The posted rates are listed under Fees.
Holiday hours vary. Gates often close to new loads 15–30 minutes before posted closing.
Accepted materials
Accepted materials
loose refuse, greenwaste and wood/lumber, clean fill, concrete, broken brick and/or asphalt, sheetrock/gypsum board, bulky household items, mattresses/box springs, major appliances, refrigeration units, propane tanks, tires, tree stumps, recyclables (no charge), household hazardous waste (Saturdays)
Fees
Tipping fee
Loose refuse $90.87 per ton or $19.68 per yard (minimum $19.68); greenwaste and wood $68.00/ton; clean fill $100.00/ton; concrete/brick/asphalt $68.00/ton; mattress $19.68 each; untarped load charge $28.25; North Coast residents +28%; fee schedule as of April 1, 2026
Medium Volume Transfer/Processing Facility, Solid Waste Landfill
Waste types accepted (per permit)
MSW
Landfill class
III
Year opened
1960
Planned closure year
2061
Composting on site
Yes
Registry details (24)
Figures and identifiers as published in the EPA and state permit registries cited below.
Cease-operation date
2037-01-01
Cease-operation date type
Estimated
Total acres
100
Disposal acres
67
Current area (acres)
43.3
Design area (acres)
67
Design capacity (tons)
6,290,595
Maximum permitted capacity
10,484,325 Cubic Yards
Remaining capacity
5,322,000 Cubic Yards
Remaining capacity as of
2020-10-31
Waste in place (tons)
3,024,722
Waste-in-place year
2009
Annual waste accepted (tons)
55,880
Annual waste figure year
2009
Maximum permitted throughput
535 Tons per day
Landfill gas collection system
Yes
Landfill gas energy project
Yes
Landfill gas energy projects
1
EPA GHGRP ID
1000339
EPA LMOP landfill ID
271
CalRecycle SWIS number
44-AA-0001
Permit status
Permitted
Enforcement agency
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
Local government
Santa Cruz
Suggest a correction
Hours changed, fees went up, gate moved? Tell us and we will check it. Own or manage City of Santa Cruz Sanitary Landfill? Use the same form to claim it.
Garbage $105.50 per ton, minimum $31.50; treated wood waste charged at garbage rate; loads from Capitola, Santa Cruz, Watsonville and outside the county pay a 28% surcharge; rate schedule effective July 1, 2026
Sources: epa.gov (facility record, facility facts and permit and registry IDs; fetched Oct 21, 2026)
; calrecycle.ca.gov (facility record, facility facts and permit and registry IDs; fetched Oct 21, 2026)
; santacruzca.gov (hours, website, accepted materials and residency rule; fetched Oct 22, 2026)
; santacruzca.gov (website, fees, accepted materials and residency rule; fetched Oct 22, 2026)
. Registry figures are as of Oct 21, 2026. Facility details were last checked on Oct 22, 2026.