|
Berkeley,
California (Thursday, August 16, 2007) - Starting
in September, Berkeley
residents will be able to send food and food-soiled paper to be
composted, instead of sent to a landfill.
The Alameda County Waste Management
Authority is helping to fund Berkeley’s program. The Authority and
Berkeley have set a goal to reduce the amount of landfill-bound
waste by 75 percent by 2010. Since food scraps and food-soiled paper
are, at 38 percent, the largest unrecycled portion of the County’s
residential waste, keeping food waste out of the landfills is key to
that goal.
When does it start?
Throughout the month of August,
residents who already have a plant debris cart will automatically
receive the food pails. Collection will actually begin in September.
Because the food waste will be mixed with the plant debris,
collection of the big green plant carts will be increased to weekly.
Who gets it?
Residents
in single-family homes or in buildings with up to four units who
already have a plant debris cart will automatically receive the food
pails. Residents who
don’t have a plant debris cart can order one, to participate.
Condominium
residents or residents of multi-family apartments with more than
four units will need to call customer service at (510) 981-7270 to
participate. Some special arrangements may need to be made for
larger units.
How does it work?
During the month of August, customers
will receive a
pail and lid to collect food scraps, a how-to poster, a bag of
compost and some other information to help get started.
Residents
will then collect food scraps and food-soiled paper (including paper
towels, napkins, coffee filters, bones and pizza boxes) in the
kitchen pail, then put the food scraps into their yard waste carts
for weekly pickup.
Collected
food scraps will then be turned into compost at a plant near
Modesto, and used by local farmers and landscapers to enrich the
soil and grow healthier crops.
For more information about
participating in the food waste recycling program, please call
Public Works Customer Service at (510) 981-7270 or visit http://www.CityofBerkeley.info/pw/swm/plntcomp.html.
|
