CLEARLAKE >> Clearlake’s city council declared the city exempt from mandatory organics recycling. A resolution regarding the matter was approved by a 5-0 vote Thursday night.
Last year’s AB 1826 requires businesses to arrange organic waste recycling services. Business are phased in over the next three years based on how much waste they generate. But Clearlake decided to take advantage of a provision allowing an exemption for counties with a population of less than 70,000. With the exemption, which would last until Jan. 1, 2020, the city is not required to follow the recycling requirements.
Businesses that generate eight cubic yards or more of commercial organic waste per week will be phased in by April 1, 2016. Whereas businesses generating four cubic feet or more each week would be phased in by Jan. 1, 2017. Finally, businesses generating four cubic feet or more of solid waste each week would be phased in by Jan. 1, 2019.
“Hopefully the third tier can be re-visited legislatively in the next couple of year,” Clearlake City Manager Joan Phillipe said.
Citing the final phase’s requirement that business creating solid waste in excess of four cubic feet sign up for collection, Phillipe said the businesses may generate little to no organic waste.
“This is a fatal flaw in the legislation,” Phillipe asserted. “And the additional requirements that would kick in to identify or create additional organics recycling facilities would be of no value to the city or county since our facilities and programs are already in place.”
On both a city and county level, multiple programs are in place to all but eliminate the disposal of green waste at the landfill, which apply to all residential and commercial customers who self-haul.
Programs include tipping fee incentives, non-recycling surcharges and the rejection of green waste at the landfill. Rejected green waste is redirected to Quackenbush Recovery Facility, which is adjacent to the landfill, or to floor sorting at the Lake County Waste Solutions transfer station.
Furthermore, residential curbside customers receive a 90-gallon green waste bin as part of standard weekly service.
The law also requires jurisdictions to implement a recycling program for businesses, as well as perform monitoring, public eduction and outreach.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
