STOCKTON, Calif. — The city of Stockton is warning people to clean up their waste bins or face fees.
Overflowing trash and contaminated recycle bins are a problem in Stockton. And now, anyone caught overloading their trash, recycle or yard waste bins could face extra fees.
Grace Smith, Stockton’s Solid Waste Manager, says the fees don’t stop there. Stockton residents could face fines for “contaminated bins."
“Contamination charge ranges from $6.09 to $18.20,” Smith said.
Waste bin fees are part of Stockton’s new contract agreement with trash collecting companies Waste Management and Republic Service. The fees are part of an effort to send fewer recyclables to a landfill.
“So once a contaminated cart has been placed in the hopper it can essentially contaminate the whole truck,” Smith said.
Contamination in a recycle bin can be things like food, oils, and non-recyclable trash. Once recyclables are contaminated they have to go to the landfill. That’s why waste collection companies are cracking down and charging offenders.
“They have smart tucks that can take photos and video of bins,” Smith said.
If you want to avoid those fines here are three tips Republic Services suggests to their clients.
- Know What To Throw: Things like clean cardboard, bottles and paper can be recycled.
- Empty, Clean, Dry: Make sure you clean out all your containers. A dirty salad dressing bottle could contaminate the whole bin.
- DON’T Bag It: Make sure you remove all your plastic bags, including the garbage bag from the bin.
The city says these fees are really meant for repeat offenders. For the next few months, there will be lots of warnings. The whole goal is to get people to close their trash lids and recycle properly.
