Starting July 14, the City of San Diego will increase trash, recycling and street sweeping services in Mission Beach to proactively address fly infestations that have been a perennial problem during the summer months. In April, the City Council included $70,000 in the City’s fiscal year 2019 budget to increase the number of trash and recycling pickups and street sweeping in Mission Beach this summer.
“Our staff in collection services is pleased to be teaming up with the City’s street sweeping staff to help prevent fly infestations that normally happen in Mission Beach during the important summer tourist season,” said Environmental Services Department director Mario X. Sierra. “This effort has proven to be quite effective at reducing the number of flies in this community.”
The schedule to provide these additional City services was announced:
Black refuse bins – The City will collect residential trash twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays with the second weekly collection starting on Saturday, July 14 continuing through Saturday, Sept. 29.
Blue recycling bins – Recycling collection services will begin a weekly pickup schedule starting on Tuesday, July 10 to Tuesday, Sept. 25.
Street sweeping – Street sweeping vehicles will begin cleaning alleyways on Wednesdays beginning on July 11 and continuing weekly through Wednesday, Sept. 26.
There are a number of things Mission Beach residents and visitors can do to help prevent fly infestations:
n Place waste containers in the street or alley at the point of collection no later than 6 a.m. on collection days;
n Take in trash bins immediately on trash collection days;
n Park in legal spaces only (no alley parking) to allow room for trash and recycling collection and street sweeping vehicles;
n Use trash can and trash bin liners to prevent the need for washing bins;
n Keep waste container lids closed so flies cannot access food sources to lay eggs;
n Keep trash bins and dumpsters away from storm drain inlets;
n Replace broken containers and/or cracked container lids;
n Wash trash and recycling containers to keep the bottoms and sides free of food sources for fly eggs. n Provide a sufficient number of containers to fully contain waste generated each week.
When cleaning trash cans/bins, direct wash water to landscaped areas only. Do not allow wash water to reach the sidewalk, street or storm drain;
Bag and seal trash so flies cannot lay their eggs on food sources;
Spray the outside of the lid and top of containers with bleach to deter flies from landing on those surfaces;
Maintain containers in garages or side yards away from scavengers who may open trash bags exposing food sources;
Do not bag recyclables placed in blue bins to discourage scavengers from opening bags and scattering items outside the bins;
Rinse recyclables to remove food remains prior to placing in the blue bin;
Keep containers in cool dark locations away from bright sunlight;
Utilize fly paper around your property as appropriate; and
Keep driveways, sidewalks and alleys free of trash, debris and vegetation where larva may mature to the last stage of the life cycle – an adult fly. Sweep up trash can and trash bin areas frequently.
If you have any questions regarding street sweeping or trash or recycling pick up, please contact the City’s Transportation and Storm Water Department (for street sweeping) at 619-527-3482 and Environmental Services Department (for trash/recycling) at 858-694-7000.
