SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – New meals recycling guidelines went into impact on July 1 for some San Diego County residents.
Chula Vista and Carlsbad residents in single-family properties had been requested to start out dumping meals scraps like fruits, greens, bones and eggshells of their inexperienced bins together with yard waste. Meals-soiled paper objects, comparable to napkins and paper plates, are additionally acceptable.
Kitchen carts got to residents to assist acquire that waste.
“You are lowering greenhouse gases, you are diverting inexperienced waste, meals waste, out of the landfill and again into the local people,” stated Chris Seney, director of Natural Operations for Republic Providers. Seney gave ABC 10Information a tour of the Otay Landfill to indicate what precisely occurs to that waste as soon as it is collected.
“We take yard waste combined with meals scraps and we grind the stuff up, and we add water to it to make it 50-60 p.c, after which we ship it to our composting plant,” he stated.
As soon as taken to the solar-powered composting facility on the identical property, an eight-week compounding course of begins and the product is separated into three totally different sizes. That mulch then returned to the group.
Seney says that in California cities, it is usually a further cost of $three to $5 per 30 days for residents.
This comes as a part of Senate Invoice 1383, a brand new regulation that started this 12 months that requires cities to supply curbside natural recycling.
Cities and counties have time to implement the adjustments, however people who do not comply might face fines by 2024.
“SB 1383, the intent is to cut back emissions all through the state of California,” Seney stated. Noting that meals waste in landfills accounts for about 20 p.c of California’s methane emissions.
Seney stated the bins might be monitored to ensure persons are taking part, although for now they’re primarily specializing in training.
He suggests stacking meals scraps with yard waste within the inexperienced assortment bin. The inexperienced bin will proceed to be collected on common assortment days.
He stated they hope to roll out a distinct plan for companies within the coming months.