Los Angeles is banking on recycling

 
Los Angeles officials are trying to encourage more recycling of beer bottles, old newspapers, cardboard, plastic and other recyclables. RecycleBank, a city program, gives points to residents who recycle, worth as much as $400 per year per blue bin.

Angelenos already reduce, reuse or recycle about 65% of their waste, the highest rate among the country’s 10 largest cities. But Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who announced the L.A. RecycleBank program, wants to push the city toward a goal of zero waste.

About 15,000 single-family homes in the West Valley and North Central sections of L.A. are eligible for the program, which is to begin April 5. Participating residents’ bins will be equipped with identification tags that allow their waste to be weighed and assigned points that can be redeemed at various retailers. CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond and Ruby Tuesday are among the national chains participating in the program. Local businesses include El Pollo Loco, Tritsch True Value Hardware and Jollibee.

Throughout the nation, more than 1,000 stores accept RecycleBank points.“For too long, people viewed doing things for the environment as the right thing to do but costly,” said Ron Gonen, RecycleBank's chief executive, who co-founded the company in 2005. “I wanted to start a movement that said smart environmental decisions were also smart economic decisions. Recycling could have the biggest impact in terms of changing that view and behavior because it touches every house.”

Headquartered in New York, RecycleBank has contracts with more than 50 cities in the U.S., including Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta and now L.A.

Enrique Zaldivar, director of the city’s Bureau of Sanitation, said the pilot program would run for at least one year, possibly two. Northridge, Topanga, Sherman Oaks, Hollywood, Lincoln Heights and Cypress Park are among the neighborhoods that will be included in the pilot.

Residents along various routes will receive mailers this month that explain what they can recycle and how they can register for the program. Their existing blue bins will be equipped with a bar code and ID stickers incorporating microchips that include the home’s account number so they can receive their recycling rewards. The rewards are based on weight and will be evenly distributed among households along an entire route, not by individual participation.

A ton of recyclables brings the city $25 of revenue rather than costing the city $30 to dispose of it, Zaldivar said, adding that the city’s goal is to increase the current 65% waste-diversion rate to 70% by 2013. Part of that increase could come from the additional 745,000 single-family and small-apartment households expected to become part of the RecycleBank program as early as April 2011. The ultimate goal for the program is 1.2 million households.

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo: A recycling bin is emptied into a truck in North Hollywood. Credit: Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Michael]

Who cares if scavengers sift through your bin to take bottles and cans??
The whole point is to RECYCLE, and as long as that is what the scavengers are doing with the cans and bottles, that's all that matters.

[Jim]

@laparent - great idea Recycling vs Waste.

@OCRobD - Cities with different programs. In Pasadena they used to have a two or 3 tier system for the Waste can. The Recycling were all the same size... I think.

@SpecOly - business sometimes are not able to participate in residential waste programs. Being businesses they have to arrange for appropriate waste collection to ensure grease, or toxic waste don't get into the waste flow that is most likely, sorted by hand at some point. A mobile home park being a large business sounds like it would qualify. Condo complexes and apartment buildings might be required to do something depending on the city.

[SpecOly]

I know that mobile/manufactured home parks in Sylmar are not included in the city's recycling program. I lived there from 1984 til 2006, requested recycling programs innumerable times and was always refused. Any LA City program must include ALL city residents regardless of where they live. Otherwise it isn't truly a CITY program. LA City treats apartment and mobile home dwellers in many areas as second class citizens and that has to stop! This program may sound good in some ways but it's terrible in others. Let's get some equality here.

[Brett Dewey]

Fantastic idea. I'm sure it'll be a hit. They shouldn't take too long to spread it to the whole city.

[Green Power Inc]

We at Green Power Inc for now over 2 Years built and operate a Full Scale System converting all forms of Waste which have Hydro Carbons in it, so nearly everything you throw away with the exception of Metal, Glass and stones into High Quality Fossil Free Fuels. The Fuel can be straight filed into cars and engines, Airplanes etc. no modifications needed. Now you will ask why is this not all over, because of one Beaurocrat in Spokane Washington Ecology Office as he stops us all the way. Other Countries are contracting with us, but in US we are still not allowed to operate full time. We had to lay people off and are asked to move manufacturing overseas, we don’t want to but the local Government actions may force us to do so, so we would lose here in US cheap local Fuel out of waste and the Jobs as well. It feels very bad as we did not take any Government funding to build our system. Our system is ready at full scale and can be implemented anywhere in the world it can give countries fuel and energy independence out of local resources at a much lower price than regular fuel on the Market.
• We have the solution we believe check us out at http://www.facebook.com/greenpowerinc or on our website http://www.cleanenergyprojects.com.
We did it without Government help and we have it working to prove our claim, on full scale not just lab scale ideas. Why spend Billions of Government funding to develop something when we already have it.
Your Green Power Inc Team
And Garbage we have all over the world enough to do it!

[Riklmx]

Having been a volunteer for CD2 for the past 8 years I have made an effort to evaluate the neighborhood regarding the value to the City in the Blue cans,
It appears that SCAVENGERS, remove approx. $10.00 worth of recyclables from every 20 Blue cans???
Count up the blue cans in the city and evaluate my estimate??

[Cathie]

Want for info on LA City recycling programs like this .. Follow the City of LA at www.facebook.com/larecycles or on twitter @larecycles.

[OCRobD]

Karen - are you saying that there IS a program in place in Orange County that charges you based on the size of your bin? I am not aware of such a program - in what city? It must be a pilot program that is not widely available. When I commented earlier about the multiple size of cans available here, I don't know if there was an assumption that the smaller cans cost less, because that is not the case. Waste Management charges residential customers (in Lake Forest) the same price regardless of the size of your cans (no pun intended, but it made me laugh anyway).

[Mike]

What about the scavengers who take our recyclables? My understanding is that what they take represents revenue lost for the city, which would otherwise sell it. Now, these scavengers will be stealing not only that revenue from the city, but also some of what I would get from this program, since it's based on weight, and my bin will weigh less after the scavengers remove what they want. So now, we both lose! Can't something to be done to address what is obviously a problem? First they steal the shopping cart from the supermarket to use, then they steal the recyclables.

[karen green]

What about a plan like Orange County's - if you are a small household, get a small bin and be charged LESS for trash/greenwaste/recyclable collection than a larger household using huge bins for lots of waste and recyclables. We put our bins out only twice a month, but pay for weekly trash collection service. What about a tiered system that rewards those with less garbage?

[Recycling Counts]

It states that rewards will be evenly distributed to all residents on the route. Does that mean if you are diligent about recycling and your neighbors aren't they get a share of the rewards as well?

[Greg]

My neighborhood has multiple crooks going thru the blue cans. And what about my "local" City Attorney doing anything about it? No was the answer at my (useless, moneywasting) (Valley Glen) neighborhood council meeting because "how can you get 12 jurors to convict a homeless person for taking out bottles and cans." When the City is hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of million dollars in the hole, do everything you can to protect "city assets" and city revenues! OK, LA city leaders/officials do something to back up these (otherwise useless) words with strong actions.

[Bryan]

Here in El Segundo, houses have blue bins, but apartments do not. Apartment dwellers have to lug recyclables down to the local Ralph's parking lot. Unfortunately, the collector there is closed often as not for being full or broken or whatever.

[Jeff]

I live in an condo. Why are residents in condos and apartments not allowed to particiapte? Are we second class citizens? How much is the City Paying Recyclebank to operate this program. How much does it cost to put scales and id tags on the carts? Lets get the whole story out.

[K.E.]

@ Joe, who said: "Recycling with a few exceptions (most notable aluminum cans) is a money losing proposition with no benefits and in many cases harmful to the environment."

Joe, did you skip over the part where the article said: "A ton of recyclables brings the city $25 of revenue rather than costing the city $30 to dispose of it..."

Do the math. That means, as of NOW - that is, even at current rates of dumpster diving - the city MAKES money on recyclables, while it LOSES money on disposing of trash.

Even if the city made $0 on its recyclables, that would still be cheaper than PAYING $30/ton to dispose of it. But it makes $25/ton for recyclable - which definitely helps everyone, including the City's budget.

Reduce, reuse, RECYCLE!

It ain't that hard!

[OCRobD]

I don't know if you have this option in L.A. County, but homeowners down here in O.C. can choose from 35, 64 or 96 gallon can sizes. Any opinions regarding whether it would be more efficient for those who don't regularly fill their cans trade them in for smaller cans...or should we should all get larger cans across the board so the trucks work smarter by picking up the most items possible at one time (and only when the can is full)? I'm all for being more efficient with my recycling can size, but there is NO way I'm holding onto my stinky trash for more than one week.

[Bill]

We recently built a compost bin and that hase reduced our waste stream dramatically. Now, like John, I am able to put our black and green bins out every other week and we are a family of five. While I support the idea of this program I would much rather have reduction in my bill.

They started a similar program in England somewhere and there are concerns that the trash police are the next step, monitoring how much you trhow away and charging based on weight.

[laparent]

I hope that weighing the cans rewards those with the least amount of waste or perhaps based on a percentage of recyled to black bins items. I would hate to see those who produce the most trash be rewarded with store coupons so they can go buy more items which will just end up in the trash. I personally would like to see those who generate very little waste to be rewarded.

[Boodie Blook]

Well, this is a great plan in theory. However, in Los Angeles, there is no enforcement of the law prohibiting the removal of materials from the blue bins. Every night before trash collection in neighborhoods across the city, armies of scavengers swoop in and remove California Redemption Act eligible bottles and cans robbing the City of millions of dollars a year in revenue. There is no enforcement of the law against this activity because the police can only arrest the perpetrator. There is no citation that they can write. Wisely, the police choose not to arrest these people as it would take an officer off the street for several hours to process the booking leaving the streets open to more dangerous criminals. The city can fix this. They simply have to modify the anti-scavenging ordinance so as to allow the police to write citations. What are they waiting for?

[Katarina]

good point Beauty Queen.. and yes the major issue is what is the point when tehre are now people driving around in trucks the night before collection athat are taking your recycles out of your can? And yes we have chased tehm off.. so great idea... if you also add patrols in the neighborhood to keep anyone other then residents out of you trash... so there goes that savings.. oh well.. good try

[Tommy Tuck]

A good idea, but might it not provoke a war between RecycleBankers & bincombers?

[Anthony]

This is great, but I have people looking through my bins every trash day, taking out cans or bottles or whatever they're looking for. Is it going to be become a crime to root through someone else's recyclables? This is going to cause some homeless people to not get as much for collecting, and cause people to be more protective of their recyclables if there's cash involved.

[BeautyQueen]

Hey, L.A. - If you're getting so much money from all this recycling, without having to spend money for disposal, why haven't trash collection fees been reduced since the onset of recycling?!?!?

[Tom]

That's all well and good, but doesn't take into consideration the scavengers that come through the neighborhoods taking recyclables out of the blue bins.

[Steve]

I think this will be great if they make it happen. We had 3 recycle bins at one time, but the city has reclaimed all but 1. WTF?

[John]

I'd like to ad a plea to this effort.

PLEASE, don't put out a can that is less than 1/2 full.

Imagine a truck having to stop and then accelerate less often.

Imagine the savings that might be realized if the mechanical lifting arm had to work 20% less and therefore needed less diesel supplied energy, less lubrication, less maintenance and less repair.

Imagine the expenses of fuel and payroll that might be saved if routes took a little less time each day.

I put my cans out every other, or every third week, and generally, they are still not full. (There are only two of us)

I plan ahead. Do I anticipate needing extra room in the trash because I will have visitors or a party? No, then hold off for another week... unless..

I don't compromise safety. If my trash is decomposing or smelly, it will be put out. But I try to ensure all of the trash is in an tightly sealed bag, and the can out of the sun most of the day.

Recycling, I break down my boxes, so the truck doesn't have to lift and shake a can full of air, and a little cardboard held in by suction.

Green waste, my gardeners know the can may be near full, and will put a bag aside should they need. I will then empty these into the newly emptied can and place out when full/near full.

I'd love to get some feedback from the City of Los Angeles and or their contractor (WMI?) and if a union is involved, their thoughts.

[Joe]

Great, this will probably increase our garbage rates to an even higher price! Recycling with a few exceptions (most notable aluminum cans) is a money losing proposition with no benefits and in many cases harmful to the environment.

[jim]

Ok, my family is active and diligent at recycling. I'm all for doing our part.

However, doesn't this penalize people who do not generate as much waste to begin with?

Also, it says these retailers are "participating", but what does that mean?
The RecyleBank website says

"What budget should I allocate towards a rewards partnership with RecycleBank?
There is no cost to participate in the RecycleBank rewards program. Local and National businesses participate in the RecycleBank Rewards Program simply by honoring a reward that encourages households to recycle. "

What does that mean? Aren't their products a cost of doing business? The city says what the difference in cost regarding waste disposal, but what is the cost to us taxpayers for this program? Sorry for the negativity, but given the scams the govt has foisted upon us lately I think it is worthwhile to be skeptical of everything....

[asan]

good luck with that idea. as great as it is, most residents of those targeted areas see numbers of transients sifting thru their blue bins before the city picks their recyclables up...

[Maurizio Maranghi]

Congratulations LA for taking recycling so seriously, as many other cities and states across the world should. It may take some time to catch on, but this recycling incentive program will definitely catch on.

- Maurizio Maranghi -

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

[D. Wilson]

Sounds fantastic! I can't wait till this thing goes citywide.