Sort Smarter Never put these items in your recycling container:

Aerosol Cans, Appliances or E-waste, Batteries, Light

Tubes, Bubble Wrap, Coat Hangers, Electrical Cords,

Food Waste, Garden Hoses, Styrofoam, Syringes

or Razor Blades, Tires, Wood or Wooden Pallets,

Cement Pieces, Yard Waste, Hazardous Waste,

Foil-lined or Wax-coated Containers (Milk

Cartons, Coffee Bags, Juice or Soy Boxes), Dirty

Containers. Call Customer Service and ask if unsure

(707) 747-0608 or When in Doubt, Throw It Out

Benicia Commercial News on Community Recycling & Waste Services

VOL. 2 • SPRING 2019 PH???

Empty. Clean. Dry. How China Has Affected RecyclingFor decades, China has been the largest importer of the world’s recycled commodity, and the U.S. was 40% of the inbound stream. In 2017, China announced efforts to clean up their country, which included dramatic changes for acceptance criteria of imported recyclables.

China required a significant reduction in acceptable contamination levels (From ~3% to 0.5%) in any recovered paper and plastic grades. The average price paid for recycling has plummeted, while costs to slow down conveyor belts and add staff to catch more contamination has increased costs.

Republic Services is proactively evaluating the need to adjust to these changes. Here is how you can help:

Empty. Remove any remaining food or

liquid contents from your recyclable item before placing it in a recycling container.

Clean. Lightly rinse the recyclable item to remove any remaining residue.

Dry. Gently shake out excess water or

let the recyclable item air dry before

placing it in a recycling container.

Attention restaurants, schools, and employee cafeterias!Republic Services is committed to helping businesses find the best solutions to divert plastic and foodwaste from the landfill. Consider these four easy options to reduce waste:

1. Ask the customer if they would like water or a straw instead of automatically delivering either. This saves water and reduces waste. Change to paper or other compostable straws.*

2. Find eco-friendly replacements for Styrofoam takeout packaging.* Styrofoam is not accepted in Benicia’s recycling program. Consider a cardboard substitute which breaks down in the landfill faster or is compostable.* Biodegradable brands made from corn or sugarcane products are not recyclable. These hybrid plastics (PLAs) are not compostable in Benicia.

3. Find eco-friendly replacements for single-use plastic utensils. Use real silverware. If that is not an option, consider bamboo single-use utensils. They break down in the landfill faster and are compostable.* Plastic utensils are not recyclable, and hybrid plastics are not compostable in Benicia.

4. Set up an organics account and divert your foodwaste, food-soiled paper, and bamboo utensils from your trash. This may allow you to have a smaller trash container. Foodwaste decomposing in landfills causes methane gas which is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

* Visit www.webstaurantstore.com for examples of compostable food takeout options. Avoid hybrid plastics.

Are you in compliance for AB 1826 Organics?*

The third threshold increase for the AB 1826 law regarding organics (foodwaste, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings) began January 1, 2019. This required all commercial accounts with 4 cubic yards or more of waste generated each week to have organics collection by law. The 4 yards of waste includes trash and recycling. Exemptions are only available until end of 2019.

Contact Marie Knutson, mknutson@RepublicServices.com or (925) 671-5814 for more information or visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov

printed on recycled paper

Biodegradable or Compostable: What’s the difference?BIODEGRADABLE: capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms

COMPOSTABLE: able to breakdown into a mixture of decayed or decaying organic matter used to fertilize soil with no toxicity left in the soil.

Many “Earth Friendly” tableware products claim to be compostable. These products are only accepted in a controlled industrial composting environment. Composting facilities vary, using different methods, so not all facilities accept what some companies market as compostable.

Corn, potato, and sugarcane-based products (Polylactic acid or PLAs) say they are better for the earth, but they contain mostly traditional petroleum-based plastic. They only break down in the landfill a little faster. By mixing natural products with plastic, a hybrid is created that is now difficult to compost and is not 100% plastic, therefore it is no longer acceptable in the recycling cart either. Saying it is biodegradable doesn’t help. Everything biodegrades eventually, but that could be 10,000 years in a landfill.

Single-use utensils are never recyclable, and unless bamboo, are not compostable in Benicia either. The best bet is to use real silverware and dishware whenever possible. Any “Eco or Earth Friendly” hybrid plastics go in the trash. Only 100% plastic products can go in the recycling.

— www.goodstartpackaging.com, Scientific American, Earth Institute of Columbia University, and Republic Services.

Plastic hybrid products go in the trash in Benicia.

Congratulations to our 2018 Eco Award Winners! Juice House Co. and Mary Farmar Elementary