CLEARLAKE ? The City of Clearlake has approved a work plan for implementing mandatory trash collection service for all residents and businesses in the city. The program is expected to be fully implemented within six months.
Curbside collection is being mandated in order to satisfy the state”s requirement to recycle 50 percent of the trash stream. The city is facing $10,000 per day fines for not meeting the state requirement.
“The State Waste Management Board adopted a compliance order that required the city to take a number of different actions to meet the state”s requirement to recycle 50 percent of the trash stream,” City Administrator Dale Neiman reported. “The two most significant requirements are to (1) require that every residence and business have trash collection service and (2) we require that demolition construction projects recycle the materials.”
According to Neiman, the two major concerns for the city are impacts on the general fund and problems associated with the occupancy rate. Neiman said that there are about 6,000 residential units in the city. If 18 percent of the residents (1,080 residential units) refuse to pay for curbside collection the city would have to pay Clearlake Waste Solutions (CWS) $129,000 annually assuming a monthly rate of $10 for a 20 gallon can. This would ultimately mean a $65,600 expense in the general fund given the annual franchise fee the city collects from the refuse company.
Neiman said he also anticipates challenges in getting people with second homes to pay for the collection service. “Our occupancy rate (62 percent) is also very low due to amount of second homes,” he said. “Many of the second homes are vacant in the winter and occupied in the summer. It will be a major challenge getting people with second homes to pay for service.”
CWS has prepared a work plan for implementing mandatory trash service. The first task is to determine which residential units are currently subscribing to service and which are not. A comprehensive packet of information outlining the provisions of the new mandatory service program is expected to be ready for delivery by Aug. 1. In addition, the packet will include a form that property owners can fill-in and mail to CWS in which the owner elects the size of garbage cart. If owners do no respond by a pre-specified date, CWS will utilize a default system and deliver a 32-gallon garbage can to the residence. Similar procedures will be used to address commercial properties as well.
Collection bins are to be delivered in September and residents and business owners will be advised that collection will start the week of Oct. 5.
CWS is increasing its efforts to educate the public on proper disposal and recycling procedures. Recycling Manager Julie Price said that an education team is available for public presentations to schools, civic organizations and other agencies. “We”ll give them a really detailed presentation on what can go where,” she said. “There are a lot of things that can be recycled; they just can”t go in the curbside collection program. We see a lot of electronic waste like computers and radios. They can be recycled but obviously they are not going to go in your blue cart. But, you can take them down to your local recycling center.”
Price said another major problem being seen in the recycling stream is contaminated waste. “There are a lot of materials that are being placed in carts that aren”t recyclable and a lot of contaminated items,” she said. “For example, a pizza box is made of cardboard but if it has any grease from the pizza or food residue it is not recyclable.”
Plastic grocery bags are not accepted through the blue recycle can either. “They are recyclable but not through our curbside recycling program,” Price said. “People can take them back down to their grocery store. That”s the best way to recycle them; even better is if they bring their own reusable bags.”
Residents and businesses doing their part could mean compliance with state requirements for the city. “If everybody would do their part we would be in full compliance with state policy. Secondly, we could pride ourselves for having the right ethic when it concerns responsible solid waste management,” CWS Assistant Recycling Manager Richard Johnson said. “It would definitely preserve our natural resources and preserve our landfill space. Wherever you can preserve the life of your landfill is a good thing.”
Johnson continued, “In the whole, most residents of California and Lake County are trying to do the right thing and we hope with the right information they will continue to do the right thing. We obviously appreciate their participation in the effort with the blue cans and the green yard waste cans as well.”
Further information regarding proper disposal procedures can be found on the Clearlake Waste Solutions” Web site at www.candwaste.com.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
