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Waste & Recycling October 11, 2017 02:30:00 PM

San Francisco Announces Radical Changes to Existing Recycling Program

Paul Ploumis
ScrapMonster Author
The residents will now have smaller waste bins and larger recycling bins. Accordingly, black waste bin size will be reduced to 16 gallons.

San Francisco Announces Radical Changes to Existing Recycling Program

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): San Francisco has announced expansion of its recycling program to accommodate more materials to be included for recycling. The change in recycling rules, announced by the City’s Department of Environment is considered to be the most radical change in recycling collection ever since it was introduced in 2000. The new recycling program is part of city’s efforts to achieve the goal of ‘zero waste’ by 2020.

As per the announcement, more items including fabric and soft plastics will now be accepted for recycling. The other acceptable items include soap containers, newspaper bags, juice boxes, ice cream cartons, bagged bubble wrap and coffee cups, including lid and sleeve. All these items could now be accepted by blue bin along with other regular recyclables. However, items such as pet poop, sanitary pads, used razors and toothpaste tubes must still go to landfill. Also, city residents must ensure that plastic bags and wraps must be contained in plastic bag before they are put into the recyclable bin.

The residents will now have smaller waste bins and larger recycling bins. Accordingly, black waste bin size will be reduced to 16 gallons. Blue recycling bins will be larger at 64 gallons, whereas the green compost bins will continue to have 32 gallons capacity.

Meantime, Katy Tang, Supervisor, Sunset District encouraged residents to be more aware of how much they buy and toss. London Breed, President, Board of Supervisors stated that the recycling changes will help to keep up the momentum of city’s tremendous progress towards reducing waste. The proposed changes represent another giant step towards achieving the city’s 2020 goal of ‘zero waste’.

Recology, the city’s contractor for waste hauling services had been running pilot program in several routes of Sunset District, sources said. The bins of revised capacities were provided to residents. Simultaneously, Recology had also stepped up education and awareness campaigns among residents on proper use of allocated bins. Residents are urged to not use the bin for disposal of hazardous waste, household waste, bulky items, medicine, batteries and electronics. Also, food scraps, food containers, dirty paper, yard waste, wood, organic materials and compostable containers must go into the green compost bins.

According to City officials, it will take a minimum of two years for complete rollout of the new recycling program. The supply of smaller refuse carts and bigger recycling bins will commence soon. The new bins have already been distributed across the Sunset District, officials confirmed.

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