Thursday June 5, 2008

The City Council approved an expansion of Napa’s recycling program at their meeting June 3, 2008. Beginning July 1, additional types of plastic can be placed in the single-stream recycling containers at homes and businesses.

The plastics that will be accepted for recycling include:

• wide-mouth containers, like those used to package yogurt or margarine
• clamshell trays and other trays, buckets, crates and pots
• irrigation pipe and large “sheet” or clear packaging up to 36”
• plastic furniture, baskets or toys up to 36”

This expansion means essentially all plastics numbered #1 through #7 can be recycled, and the only types of plastic that should not be placed in recycling carts are Styrofoam, plastic bags or other non-rigid film plastics, such as bubble wrap.  “This program expansion should help take the guesswork out of recycling plastics for Napa residents” said Sara Gallegos, the City’s Recycling Coordinator.

The Council also approved a Recycling-Solid Waste fund contribution toward an additional Code Enforcement officer. This staff person will be focused on responding to citizen or business complaints of scavenging and theft of recyclable materials, illegal dumping and odor from solid waste bins or enclosures, and enforcement of the new solid waste and recycling enclosure ordinance that is being developed by the City. 

Despite the rising price of fuel which has driven up costs in all sectors, the recycling-solid waste collection rate will be increased only 3.45%, effective September 1, 2008. That translates to an increase of just 71 cents a month for a Napa household using the 35-gallon cart service for solid waste.