California Waste Authority Approves Specialized Collection Services

The South Bayside Waste Management Authority has approved a master agreement with Curbside Inc. to provide door-to-door household hazardous waste, universal waste, electronic scrap, sharps and medicine collection services to its participating Member Agencies. The SBWMA anticipates that the program will be launched in early spring 2010.

“This is a critical and timely initiative to address problem materials that are disposed of improperly and impact the environment,” said Kevin McCarthy, SBWMA’s executive director. “We believe local government needs to do its part to facilitate more convenient recycling options for these materials, while supporting product stewardship efforts to reduce the harmful chemicals in consumer products in the first place.”

The program will be rolled out to single-family residents of those SBWMA member agencies that elect to participate. Participating jurisdictions will have the option to include multi-family residents in the program as well. The new program will provide a safe, convenient and easy way for residents to properly manage items such as paint, solvents, insecticides, cleaning products, fluorescent lamps, laptops, computer monitors, TVs and sharps. Residents will order a “kit bag” from Curbside to place these types of items inside and schedule an appointment for its collection. Curbside will then properly recycle, reuse re-refine or dispose of the materials collected.

The program is currently being considered by several SBWMA Member Agencies, including the cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo; the Town of Hillsborough and the West Bay Sanitary District. Costs for the services will be $0.45 per household, per month for single-family residents and $0.20 per unit, per month for multi-family residents.

Curbside was selected following a request for proposals process initiated by the SBWMA in March 2008 due to being one of the few companies that currently provides the comprehensive level of services requested by the SBWMA, its experience and safety track record. The Southern California-based company was founded in 1995, and provides door-to-door services to more than 40 jurisdictions across the country. Materials collected from the SBWMA service area will be processed at its Richmond facility in the East Bay, and Curbside will be considering opening another facility in San Mateo County based on program participation. The term of the agreement is for three years.