Virtual Environmental Center

Welcome to the City’s Virtual Environmental Center

The City of Malibu intends to lead by example and empower its residents, business owners, builders, and community organizations to tread more lightly on the earth by living, building, working, and playing in a smarter way that reflects the City’s stewardship of its treasured coastal resources. View the Library for electronic handouts and rebates information.

One Call to City Hall - 24/7 Hotline

To report non-life threatening emergencies that may require an immediate response (sewer spills, wastewater spills, pipe breaks, including water mains and gas lines), call the City's One Call to City Hall service line (310-456-CITY ext. 311) or 800-395-9084.

The 800 number will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week for community members to report issues or contact City staff during non-business hours. You will be connected to a live operator who will relay your message to the appropriate City staff. During regular business hours, a City Hall receptionist will direct all calls to the appropriate staff.

Upcoming Events - Virtual Activities

View the Environmental Programs Calendar for events in and around Malibu, or sign up for notifications via email or text.

Recycling Events

Organics Recycling (SB 1383)

Attend one the of the City's virtual trainings and receive a free kitchen caddy. The 2023 schedule and Zoom links are available on the organic waste recycling page.
Learn more about this statewide effort to reduce short-term climate pollutants by keeping food scraps and other compostable materials out of landfills.

Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Events

City HHW and E-waste collection events are operating with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
LA County HHW and E-waste collection events are operating with COVID-19 safety precautions. If you have questions, call 800-238-0173 or 888-CLEAN LA.
Permanent S.A.F.E. centers have reopened for LA City and LA County residents to drop off household hazardous waste. Due to COVID-19, strict safety rules are in place, and long wait times are anticipated.

GARDEN WORKSHOPS

Landscape Classes - Check the schedule for availability of California-Friendly and Native Landscape Training, Turf Removal and Garden Transformation, and Garden Design Workshops at BeWaterwise.com. RSVP.

Smart Gardening - LA County offers free virtual classes with Q&A. Learn about backyard and worm composting, drought-tolerant plants, organic and small-space gardening. RSVP.

Free Rain Barrel Home Delivery Program - West Basin Municipal Water District is currently offering free, contactless delivery of rain barrels directly to qualifying homes. The 55-gallon, eco-friendly rain barrels will help Malibu residents collect rainwater to use for landscaping and reduce urban runoff. One rain barrel can save up to 620 gallons per year. To register for a rain barrel delivery or learn more about the program, visit the West Basin website.

Visit this page often or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for updates. To receive notifications for special events via text or email, sign up at MalibuCity.org/enviroevents.

Education and Outreach

Water Lab: A Digital Learning Experience - West Basin offers free online classes and family-friendly resources. All webinars will be live-hosted by West Basin staff or in partnership with other subject matter experts and participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions during and after each presentation.

FREE Interactive Educational Portal - Discovery Cube Connect offers over 100 high quality, hands-on STEM activities for grades K-5 that enable experiential science learning at home. To allow you to find the most relevant activities and content, resources are searchable by grade and subject.

Firescaping - Get tips for reducing your fire risk, learn which plants and building materials help minimize damage, and find out how to make your home more firefighter-accessible. Download a list of fire-resistant and California native plants at MalibuSmart.org.

RECYCLE RIGHT IN MALIBU

Recycling is good for the planet because it conserves natural resources. Many materials that end up in the recycle bin contaminate the load and even cause damage to sorting machines. Common non-recyclables include: plastic bags, shipping plastic bubbles and packing peanuts, polystyrene foam, napkins and paper towels, used paper plates and cups, and PPE (personal protection equipment). Let’s all Recycle Right in Malibu.

Don’t Recycle PPE - Watch US EPA’s video (hosted on YouTube) to learn what to do with Personal Protection Equipment.

Recycling During the Health Crisis - Watch US EPA’s video (hosted on YouTube) and find out how you can help frontline workers at solid waste facilities.

Blue Bin Tips - City of Los Angeles produced videos with information about materials that can and cannot be recycled. Watch RecycLA video 1 and RecycLA video 2 (hosted on YouTube).

Laws to Protect our Blue Backyard

Water Softener Ban - Effective October 28, 2020, all commercial and residential properties connected to the Civic Center Wastewater Treatment Facility must remove salt-based regenerative water softeners. The purpose of this ban is to preserve water quality and reduce negative impacts of salt in groundwater. Contact the City's Environmental Programs Coordinator or view the flyer for more information.

Locking Solid Waste Bins - Effective June 1, 2020, all commercial solid waste bins (one to six cubic yards in size) must be kept closed and locked at all times (24 hours/7 days a week). Closed rubbish bins help to keep our beaches litter-free, and deters the presence of rodents which ultimately discourages use of rodenticides that threaten wildlife.

Plastic Bans - Since 2008, the City has spearheaded the battle against single-use plastic by banning disposables such as shopping bags, foam containers, straws, cutlery, and even sandbags.

City Projects

Coastal Vulnerability Assessment is underway to gain more information on sea level rise. The first public workshop will be scheduled in spring 2023. The City is seeking historical photos to engage community members and readers; please send photos and descriptions to the City’s Environmental Sustainability Analyst.

Malibu Smart Program aims to help residents save 28 million gallons of water annually in Malibu and Topanga Canyon through the installation of water-efficiency measures. This Program is a partnership with County of Los Angeles Waterworks and West Basin Municipal Water District.

Enhanced Watershed Management Program - Projects planned through a partnership with County of Los Angeles Public Works and Flood Control District to protect local coastal watersheds.

Safe Clean Water Program - Measure W was approved by Los Angeles County voters on November 6, 2018. This multi-benefit measure provides cities, including the City of Malibu, watershed areas, and Los Angeles County with funds to capture, treat, and recycle stormwater. For more information, visit https://safecleanwaterla.org/.

Completed Projects

A large section of Malibu’s coastline was designated as an Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) to preserve unique ocean habitats. Urban runoff is prohibited from reaching the ASBS in order to maintain its natural water quality. The City is protective of the entire coast, so many projects include a component to keep pollutants out of local water bodies.

Bluffs Park Ocean Friendly Garden - Completed in 2013, the City and West Basin Municipal Water District created a garden to demonstrate how smart irrigation technology and native and drought-tolerant plants conserve water.
Broad Beach Road Biofiltration - Completed in 2015, the project prevents and treats dry weather and wet-weather flows that might otherwise discharge to the ASBS.
Civic Center Stormwater Treatment Facility - The need to reduce the amount of bacteriological contamination entering Malibu Lagoon and Surfrider Beach and to reduce the number of beach postings and closures was addressed by the City of Malibu through the Civic Center Stormwater Treatment Facility Project.
Las Flores Creek Park - Completed in 2016, the project created Las Flores Creek Park, and restored and preserved the creek with planting of native species
Legacy Park - Completed in 2010, Legacy Park, an environmental cleaning machine and living learning center, is the centerpiece of the City’s $50 million commitment to improve ocean water quality and public health.
Malibu City Hall - In 2011, the City opened the doors to its new, LEED certified City Hall.
Malibu Public Library - In 2012, the City and LA County completed this $5.7 million joint project to revitalize the Malibu Library, paying homage to the area’s history and introducing cutting-edge technology.
Paradise Cove Stormwater Treatment Facility
Solstice Creek Bridge Replacement - Completed in 2008, this City project demolished and replaced the old bridge to remove barriers and improve the migration of steelhead trout in the Solstice Canyon Creek Watershed.
Wildlife Road Treatment and Outreach - Completed in 2015, this project prevents dry-weather and wet-weather flows from discharging into the ASBS.