Although this San Mateo peninsula article does not include Pacifica, Chris Porter, our Recology General Manager said our composting and recycling numbers are also way up. Sorry if the price seems high, the city needs the money. Maybe the city should incorporate as a charity.
San Mateo Daily Journal/Bill Silverfarb, 2/7/12. "For the first time ever, locals set out more compost than garbage in
their bins in 2011, according to a report from the South Bayside Waste
Management Authority.Some of the increase may have something to do with pizza boxes that once went straight to the landfill at Ox Mountain. Those boxes, with greasy bits of food left in them, can now go into the same bin with yard waste and organics. “It is the No. 1 question we get. What to do with pizza boxes,” said Gino Gasparini with Recology. Any cardboard or paper with food contamination now goes into organics, he said.
In 2011, compost collection increased 29 percent compared to 2010 and residential recycling jumped 25 percent during the same period. The increase in composting and recycling has seen garbage disposal decrease by nearly 18 percent from 2010 to 2011, helping to extend the life of San Mateo County’s only landfill at Ox Mountain, Gasparini said. “If it’s in the black cart, it goes straight to the landfill,” Gasparini said.
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| Recology and our efforts, great! |
The new single-stream blue recycling bins have likely proved more convenient for customers, leading to higher diversion rates, Gasparini said. People are becoming more conscious about the importance of recycling and composting, said Monica Devincenzi with RethinkWaste. The next goal is to get the recycling and composting numbers up at larger multi-unit complexes, she said, which lags behind single-family residences in diversion rates.
East Palo Alto residents had the biggest increase in residential recycling, a 80.5 percent increase in 2011 compared to 2010 and Atherton had the biggest increase in residential composting at 49.9 percent during the same period with Burlingame being a close second in composting with a 48.2 percent increase. Atherton residents are doing the best job of diverting their garbage at more than 82 percent. Menlo Park is second at about 73 percent. The state’s goal is to have at least 75 percent of all waste be diverted to compost or recycling by 2020. The current state mandate is 50 percent.
“People are becoming more environmentally conscious,” said Recology’s Robert Reed. “They are doing the right thing.” Not only does recycling and composting help extend the life of landfills, it is also better for the environment, Reed said. Keeping Ox Mountain open as long as possible is a local goal because once it closes the region will have to haul its trash out of the county at a greater expense, Devincenzi said. “The customers deserve the credit when they take the individual action of going for the right bin,” Reed said. RethinkWaste is comprised of Atherton, Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, the West Bay Sanitary District and unincorporated county areas."
Posted by Kathy Meeh
17 comments:
"Sorry if the price seems high, the city needs the money."
Funny comment Kathy, it's Recology who's raking it in. The city has a capped rate of income from the contract because of the settlement of my lawsuit. It's the highest amount they have ever received, certainly better than the zero dollars they were getting from deadbeat Coastside Scavenger.
But continue with revisionist history, please...
Lionel (909), okay you won some things on the lawsuit, because the city slammed its legal doors in your face. Good work getting the annual statement disclosures for our citizens.
But, time to sweeten-up. Surely you know the City franchise fees are high. Fees and taxes are our city's answer to revenue.
Something incomplete about your Coastside statement though. You forgot the part that included the City imposing a lawsuit and collections on Coastside. You're a small business, figure it out.
Who ever thought garbage collection would become cool, except when you're a child. Needless to say, the recycling and composting we all do, facilitated by Recology, is good for the whole cycle of life. And, Recology? Of course they need to make a profit to stay in business. Think the city manages their business better? I'll take that bet.
So Kathy, I take it you will vote for the up-coming sales tax because "the city needs the money".
So Anon (1059), your comment: "I take it you will vote for the up-coming sales tax because "the city needs the money".
Whereas, what I said was "fees and taxes are our city's answer to revenue." Note: "city's answer", as in 10 year city council's answer. Joining the recall, if and when its organized sounds like a plan. After all, city council 3 have earned this recall.
The recall is on track Kathy. Read Therese Dyer's letter to the editor today. Three separate recalls for our old chums. You will be seeing more information shortly.
Thanks for the heads-up as usual, Hutch! Article posted.
Re: Kathy's response @9:40
WTF are you talking about?
Guess you ran out of words, Anon (145). And unfortunately there is no 9:40 am or pm response to refer to on this thread.
By your rude comment, if you are asking about my response to Hutch, an updated recall LTE by Therese Dyer article has been posted today. If you are referring to my 9:48am clarification comment, be a "big boy" and re-read. The dots for either of these responses should be easy enough to connect. However, its impossible to understand or care about what YOU are asking.
Coastside had financial problems at the end but all past due franchise fees and late fees were paid by Louie Picardo during the escrow process from the sale to Recology. Half of our residential customers are now using the 20 gallon cart so if you subtract the amount using a 20 gallon can previously that means over 5,000 customers are now paying $100 less per year than they did in 2007. Again, history according to Lionel may not always be factual. Thank you all the citizens of Pacifica for your great recycling efforts and don't forget the shredding event this Saturday at the recycling yard. Begins at 8:00 am.
"Half of our residential customers are now using the 20 gallon cart so if you subtract the amount using a 20 gallon can previously that means over 5,000 customers are now paying $100 less per year than they did in 2007."
Oh dear, Chris, much of what you might say won't be factual, as you have a financial interest in it.
The staff report said that 44%, not half, are using 20-gallon cans for garbage. That leaves 56% who get screwed bigtime by ever-higher rates. And we must remember the seniors, who not only lost their rate, but pay rates higher by double digits, thanks to the city council's backroom deal with Recology.
So please, continue posting half-truths, lies, and revisionist history.
At least she isn't suing the city and wasting money it does not have.
And don't forget Lionel's lawsuit is the gift that keeps on giving cause it cost you the taxpayer, 2-400,000 in expense and lost revenue each year. Thanks for the effort Lionel. Not! Your personal vendetta costs all of us. Thanks for nothing.
Inquiring minds want to know... Does Kathy spend more time criticizing council or apologizing for her friend Chris at Recology for doing basically the same things?
"And don't forget Lionel's lawsuit is the gift that keeps on giving cause it cost you the taxpayer, 2-400,000 in expense and lost revenue each year."
Anon (1018), the outcome of the lawsuit included a cap on city franchise income, and an annual disclosure statement to citizens. That's good. The lawsuit was righteous.
Whatever the outcome, its done. Justice is seldom perfect, and vendettas are pointless. Personally I am amused that the city contract with Recology found another way to create a stream-of-cash from the recycled tonnage. Anyhow the service is reliable and updated, and the annual statement for citizens is appropriate.
It take a whole lot of courage for any citizen to step-up and take-on the an issue they care about. So, hurray for Lionel! But, its over, everything looks okay, money spent, services received, we have the new-normal.
Can we please end the garbage wars? We need people like Lionel Emde and Chris Porter focused on the issues still confronting us. Both of these people are concerned Pacificans who make a difference.
44% are using 20 gallon carts plus the people using the financial hardship discount on the 20 gallon cart equals over 50% of our customers using the smaller cart. Others have reduced from 45 gallon to 32 gallon. If you are paying more, please use the recycling programs and call us if you have a question about a certain material. My postings are based on verifiable numbers not fantasy.
"44% are using 20 gallon carts plus the people using the financial hardship discount on the 20 gallon cart equals over 50% of our customers using the smaller cart. Others have reduced from 45 gallon to 32 gallon. If you are paying more, please use the recycling programs and call us if you have a question about a certain material. My postings are based on verifiable numbers not fantasy."
So Chris, you are asserting that the seniors aren't paying rates that equal double-digit percentage increases? Do you ever look at numbers?
People in other cities in San Mateo County pay far less than we do. If we had an honest rate increase process, (which we don't) a rate comparison survey would be part of it, and we would see the ripoff.
I hope people remember that our elected leaders approved this rotten contract, and take the appropriate action at the polls in November.
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