Is Piedmont Recyclable Waste Merely Going to Landfill?
Piedmont’s “new waste disposal contract” with Republic Services relies heavily on the company’s ability to properly recycle garden cuttings, kitchen waste, paper, plastics, glass, etc. Questions have arisen as to whether Piedmont’s waste is actually being recycled or is merely headed to a landfill site?
Republic Services apparently was sending recycling to China. Recently China has decided to stop accepting it and our “recycling” will end up in landfill. At premium prices!
https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/568797388/recycling-chaos-in-u-s-as-china-bans-foreign-waste
“Western states, which have relied the most on Chinese recycling plants, have been hit especially hard. In some areas — like Eugene, Oregon, and parts of Idaho, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii — local officials and garbage haulers will no longer accept certain items for recycling, in some cases refusing most plastics, glass and certain types of paper. Instead, they say, customers should throw these items in the trash.”
The Piedmont Civic Association made an inquiry to Piedmont’s provider, Republic Services in Richmond, asking about the destination of Piedmont’s recyclable waste. There has been no response. Our email, which was copied to the City Council, is below:
~~~~~~~
PCA
PIEDMONT CIVIC ASSOCIATION
June 1. 2018
——Media Inquiry—–
Republic Services
Richmond, CA 94806
Manager: Richmond, California, Republic Services
RE: Actual disposition of Piedmont, CA recyclable waste
Recently, the Piedmont Civic Association was informed, as validated by the New York Times on May 29, 2018, that much of Republic’s collected recyclable waste is going to landfills rather than going to reuse.
We are asking what is the disposition of Piedmont recyclables including glass, paper, plastic, etc.
The residents of Piedmont have exceeded their goals set for recycling waste materials and keeping reusable materials out of the landfills.
Please promptly reply to our inquiry so we may include your response in the forthcoming article on our well established website:
Thank you,
PCA Editors
And we will be paying SO MUCH MORE for this to happen, too!
Ain’t life wunnerful???
Republic is a national corporation. If you send it to national HQ, the CEO by name and spread CCs around to state and national recycling agencies, maybe you won’t be ignored.