San Francisco expands recycling program

San Francisco is implementing a new recycling program that allows more materials to be recycled at the curb, a report by the San Francisco Chronicle says. Fabric; soft plastics that include soap containers and newspaper bags; juice boxes; ice cream cartons; bagged bubble wrap; and coffee cups, including the lid and sleeve, are now accepted in curbside carts.

Recology, San Francisco’s waste hauler, tested the program for a few months along routes in the Sunset District. Residents were given 16-gallon refuse carts and 64-gallon recycling bins. According to the report, Recology also increased its education efforts.

The switch to smaller refuse carts and larger recycling bins will take place over the next two years throughout the city, the report says. The new program is part of the city’s efforts to reach zero waste by 2020.

Supervisor Katy Tang, who represents the Sunset District, spoke at a news conference announcing the program, encouraging residents to also be more aware of how much they buy and toss.

Recology also recently changed its fleet composition, combining its trash and compost in dual-chamber trucks and dedicating individual trucks to recyclables. According to the report, the change came about after a reduction in residential garbage and an increase in recyclable plastic and cardboard boxes.