Imperial Sand Dunes: New season, new trash contract

[SHOWTIME]

Imperial Sand Dunes: New season, new trash contract for dunes

Source: New season, new trash contract for dunes
By DAVID STEFFEN, Staff Writer

GLAMIS — The trash bins at Imperial Sand Dunes were brimming as an exodus
of recreational vehicles continued Sunday after the year’s busiest off-road
weekend.

Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation area manager Neil Hamada of the Bureau of
Land Management said there is a new trash removal contract this season.

“The new contractor asks us to pay for the service, as well as the amount of
trash,” Hamada said. “The more trash we put in the Dumpsters, the more we
have to pay.”

During the past five-year contract period, the BLM paid $400,000 per year for
trash removal, Hamada said. The BLM oversees the dunes area.

Under the new five-year contract, which began Oct. 1, BLM pays a base rate of
$200,500 per year.

Hamada said it saves money if people take the trash home themselves. The
BLM obtains the $200,500 in trash removal costs from visitors’ fees, he said.

“We’ve been telling people to take their trash home,” he said. “We do
understand some people want the trash service because they do pay a fee.”

For that reason, the bins are still available for visitors, Hamada said.

It’s too early to tell how many people decided to take their trash home.
However, Hamada said trash has generally been under control this year.

“A lot of people do very well with trash, and some people clean up other
people’s trash,” Hamada.

Among those cleaning up are Charles and Charlotte Garvin of Corona.

“We will be picking up trash and cans in the next few days,” Charlotte
said. “We’ll be out scouting about.”

The Garvins said they tend to leave trash in the bins.

If bins are full, however, they said they make sure to dispose of trash properly.

“I certainly don’t want to put trash bags in my motor home,” Charlotte Garvin
said. “But if we had to, we’d take it home.”

Charles Garvin said dune cleanliness was never an issue 30 years ago.

“The dunes were always clean because people took it home, and what they
brought in, they took away,” Charles said. “But that has changed.”

On Sunday afternoon, the pack of departing RVs and trailers left Glamis.

Bags of trash were occasionally spotted tossed along the sides of the road.

Charlotte Garvin said it’s vital to dispose of the trash properly to keep the
dunes open for everyone.

“If we don’t keep it clean, the dunes won’t be here for us,” Charlotte said.

Sand Dune Guide and Atlas to Sand Dune Locations