Some Santa Clara County residents will see upgrades in recycling
services this summer while others will not.
Morgan Hill – Some Santa Clara County residents will see upgrades in recycling services this summer while others will not.
County garbage districts near Saratoga, Los Altos, Los Gatos, San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Lexington Hills and Monte Sereno will see upgraded service from twice-a-month recycling pick-up to weekly recycling services. District 2, however, which includes unincorporated areas near Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill, totaling about 4,500 households in mostly rural areas, will remain on the twice-a-month schedule until 2009 when its service contract expires.
“I’ve got five kids at home, and that generates a lot of recycling,” said San Martin resident Stu Carson, whose bins are often overflowing by the time he hauls them out to the curb. “Flattening cardboard boxes is one of my least favorite chores … but it’s well worth it to be environmentally aware.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage said there’s little he can do for his South County constituents to enhance their recycling services before 2009. Besides, the county is already meeting state requirements to reduce tonnage going into landfills, having diverted 55 percent of waste in 2005, according the latest numbers available.
“If we open up the contract, (South Valley Disposal and Recycling) would want to re-negotiate and it would increase rates,” Gage said. “People will just have to be patient.”
Santa Clara County Integrated Waste Management Director Elizabeth Constantino said the county hopes to synchronize its service contracts for all eight garbage districts in 2009 to provide residents with the cheapest possible rates.
On July 1, seven districts will be starting new service contracts and some will have a new hauling company. In those new contracts, garbage, recycling and yard waste will all be containerized and collected weekly. Additionally, residents will combine plastics, cans and bottles into an easy-to-roll single container to encourage more recycling by making it more convenient.
Another service upgrade South County residents won’t see for two years is curbside recycling for household batteries and fluorescent light tubes, which became illegal to toss in the garbage in 2006. The county entered into its contract with South Valley Disposal and Recycling in 2002, before the law changed. Residents who want to dispose of household hazardous wastes must call the county’s Household Hazardous Waste Program at (408) 299-7300.
Constantino said not all county residents are in favor of the new service upgrades because it means paying more attention to how batteries and yard clippings are tossed out.
“We’re trying to find a balance between what’s good and convenient for residents and what’s good for the environment,” she said, adding household batteries contain mercury that seep into groundwater. “By in large (the requirements) make the environment cleaner and safer.”
On the bright side, South County residents living in unincorporated areas won’t see a rate increase July 1 for their garbage services, unlike customers in other parts of the county. Rates will remain $20.72 per month for most households who use a single 32-gallon garbage can.
District 3, which covers Saratoga, Campbell, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos will have the highest rate with residents paying $32.31 per month.
While relatively cheap today, South County’s garbage rates will undoubtedly increase when new recycling services are added in two years, Constantino said.
