The Mendocino County Adopt-A-Can Program is a fun, rewarding, and worthwhile program that provides individuals, companies, and organizations an opportunity to volunteer within their community while saving taxpayer dollars.  You can clean up a public trash can and beautify the Town of Mendocino in cooperation with the Mendocino County Department of Transportation Solid Waste Division (DOT SWD). This is a great way to promote civic responsibility, community pride, and camaraderie within your business or organization. 

Who Can Participate?

• Individuals
• Organizations
• Businesses

Participate By:

• Check on your/your organization’s adopted trash can on non-collection days and collect any fugitive litter. 

You may do the work yourself, with a group of people, or you may hire a contractor.

Aside from the satisfaction of contributing to positive change within your community, there is public recognition as well.  If you desire, DOT SWD will install a recognition sign on your adopted trash can.  Each sign will display your name or your business or organization name and indicate the nature of the work being performed. 

Your Commitment

• Periodically pick up litter near your adopted trash can for two years at least once per week.  Volunteers may choose to pick up litter more frequently if needed.
• Follow all safety and permit requirements.

County’s Commitment

• Loan volunteers litter picker tools and provide a box of latex gloves (latex free gloves available upon request).
• Provide volunteers with free trash bags and dispose of collected trash that will not fit in the adopted trash can.
• Publicly recognize you or your organization or business free of charge.

Which Cans Are Adoptable?

All on-street public trash cans in the Town of Mendocino will be considered for adoption. 

How to Get Started

• Identify the trash can(s) you would like to adopt on the location map.
• Contact the Mendocino County Adopt-A-Can Coordinator to determine if the trash can is adoptable.
• If your trash can is adoptable, complete an application and submit to the Adopt-A-Can Coordinator.

Once You Have Your Permit:

• Visit your adopted trash can(s) at least once a week on non-collection days and pick up fugitive litter.

Contact the Adopt-A-Can coordinator immediately if collected fugitive litter will not fit in your trash can.

Permit Renewal:

• You can renew your permit as many times as you wish.
• Your permit cannot be transferred to another person.  Change of Permittee will require submittal of a new application.

Let’s keep Mendocino beautiful, together!

Ready to Adopt-A-Can?

Contact the Mendocino County Department of Transportation

340 Lake Mendocino Drive

Ukiah, CA 95482

(707) 463-4363

dot@mendocinocounty.gov

Printable version of this fact sheet available here.