Untitled Document

All participants are required to remove their own trash and garbage. Burning Man is the single largest group user of the Black Rock Desert. Our stewardship efforts are not optional.

Part of the beauty of the Playa is its emptiness. Except for tire tracks and footprints, our policy is to leave the desert as the profoundly barren and empty corner of the world that it is. All Black Rock City citizens are expected to participate in our clean-up effort.

The Burning Man event has always asked participants to Pack-it-In/Pack-it-out. This is not a convenience society. There is no daily garbage pick up, and there never, ever will be. It's about radical self-expression and radical self-reliance. We are a society of activists -- we leave no trace. No trash receptacles or bins will be provided. Burning Man will provide only portable toilets which will be emptied on a regular basis.

However, should those departing before you leave something behind, do what you can to remove their trace. The Department of Public Works is staffed primarily with volunteers. The permit stipulations give us 14 days to remove everything. That's not enough time for our staff to do the work without help from the community.

A final word: please do not deposit garbage in neighboring towns unless there is a for-fee service run by an enterprising local, which you will be made aware of during the event. A public landfill is located conveniently off Interstate 80 in the town of Lockwood near the eastern outskirts of Reno, and there are other nearby places where you can take your trash . Please do not dump trash on the side of the road! Major bad karma points await you, and the locals do not take kindly to people littering in their backyard..

In Fernley, (everyone leaving Burning Man goes near or through Fernley) Fernley sanitation will be open through the Labor Day weekend. The office phone there is 775-575-4964, however the office (but not dump) is closed on weekends. Their rate is $3.85 per cubic yard. To reach Fernley Sanitation from Eastbound I-80, take the first (most westerly) Fernley exit and proceed right (south) to "downtown" Fernley. Turn right (at stop light) onto Hiway 95 (towards Silver Springs). Proceed a couple of miles and cross the canal. Turn left onto the dirt road at building with "Public Refuse Disposal" on its face. This building is reportedly between the High School and Fernley Redi-mix.

Run by Reno Disposal (100 Vassar St., Reno, 775-329-8822), will be open for business over Labor Day weekend. They operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends, and from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays (even including Labor Day). To get there, head west on I-80, and get off at Exit 23. RENO TRANSFER STATION in Reno (also run by Reno Disposal, 775-329-8822) will be open through the entire Labor Day weekend. Their hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. holidays and weekends. They confirmed they will operate on Labor Day. They are located at 1492 East Commercial Row, Reno. They charge $3.65 per cubic yard (27 cubic feet).

The best way to get there from I-80 West (e.g., returning to California) is to take Exit 23 (Mustang) and go straight for about two miles until you reach the transfer station.

There may also be other opportunities to dispose of trash as you leave the Black Rock Community. There are not enough dumpsters between Black Rock City and your house to contain all the trash from all the participants, so dump only what you must (i.e., stinky garbage) until you're further away.