City officials approve transfer site to stop illegal dumping in Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Mattresses, TV 's, and refrigerators, these are all items that have been spotted on roads and in alleyways throughout the city of Merced.

Now officials say a new multi-use site will fix the problem.

"This will be a drop off site where residents can bring large bulky items such as sofas, mattresses and such," said Dan McComb with Merced City Public Works.

In a 4 to 3 vote, The Merced City Council voted to pass the plan for a transfer site off Yosemite Avenue and State Highway 59.

It's estimated to cost around $1 million.

McComb says they see bulky items illegally being dumped all over the city, and the problem is growing.

"We're experiencing right now, collectively monthly is about 20 tons of trash. A lot of these people are dumping trash on the public driveway, the edge of roads. In the roads, sidewalks. Sometimes on people's property. We're trying to keep ahead of it," he said.

Jeff Bennyhoff with the city says these are just some of the requests for service they've received from folks in the community.

"We get illegal alley dumping pretty regularly throughout the city, and it's the most requested type using the Merced connect app," he said.

The Mayor and two other city council members voted against the plan, and the mayor says his reasoning was because he didn't see the location as the permanent site for the project.

The site won't accept any green waste or household trash. McComb says they're aiming have it available by August.