<B>California City Moving Toward Commingled Recycling</B>

The city of Santa Clarita, Calif., is looking to improve its already successful curbside collection program. According to Jill Fosselman, Santa Clarita’s interim environmental services manager, says the city already is reaching a 51 percent diversion rate, greater than the prescribed level required under California’s AB 939.

The city, with a population of around 150,000 people, is working with Waste Management and Republic Industries, the two exclusive franchises for the city, to go toward a commingled recycling stream.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the move would lower residents’ trash collection fee by 5 percent to $18.50 per month per household.

The city has been running a pilot program with the two waste haulers since July, and hopes to have the pilot operation completed by next month. After completing the pilot program, Fosselman feels that the two companies can go toward a city-wide commingled program within 3-6 months.

Presently the city has been running a curbside collection program using two containers. With the new program, residents will place all the recyclables in one container.

A criticism of this move in the past has been the degrading of the recyclables when they are lumped together. However, this problem could be remedied with proper compacting by the collection vehicles.

The deal also would include the pick-up and drop-off of large Dumpster- type trash containers from businesses in the city's trash franchise agreement, and begin the process of developing an alternative fueling station in the city.

The city would also begin to develop a plan for a materials recycling facility, which could consolidate the haulers' operations, according to the article.