WASTE & RECYCLING NEWSLETTER FOR THE CITY OF LOS ALAMITOS

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Choosing the correct container

Los Alamitos residents may choose from a 35-gallon, 64-gallon, or 96-gallon curbside waste container. You decide which container size will best meet the needs of your family. Just call Republic Services at 800-299-4898 to request a complimentary container exchange whether you need a different size or a replacement for a damaged container. Don’t worry — if you aren’t

At-your-door service for household hazardous waste

Way to go, Los Alamitos!The 2016 Winter Wonderland was truly Blue Planet™ worthy. A total of 74% of all waste generated at the December event was diverted from the landfill by recycling and composting. At the event, Los Alamitos student, Kiera Fukuwa (pictured), was caught Blue-Handed when she guessed how many recycled aluminum cans were in the miniature bale of crushed cans being held by Republic’s Michelle Clark. For her correct guess, Kiera won a brand-new, blue BMX bike.

At the 2017 Los Alamitos Race on the Base, we diverted even more waste from the landfill. A total 77% of all waste generated was recycled.

Remember to recycle often at future Los Alamitos events and you may get caught Blue-Handed!

sure what size container you currently have, just read us the numbers printed on it; the size is included in the number sequence. There is no charge for exchanging a container, and your monthly bill will not increase.

Before requesting a different waste container, check to make sure that all of your recyclables are going into the blue All-in-One Recycling container and that all of your lawn clippings and yard trimmings are making it into the green yardwaste container. By keeping recyclables and yard debris out of your waste container, you ensure that they are turned into useful new products and also may discover that all of your containers are just the right size. All-in-One Recycling and yardwaste containers are included with your service. If you need an extra All-in-One Recycling container, you can request one at no additional charge.

If you have any questions about your containers and service, please call Republic at 800-299-4898.

Household hazardous waste, commonly referred to as HHW, is not accepted at the curb. However, Republic Services provides Los Alamitos residents with a convenient at-your-door service for proper disposal of automotive fluids, lawn and garden chemicals, paint and related products, cleaners and solvents, pool chemicals, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, batteries, medical sharps, and unwanted or expired medications. At-your-door service is by appointment only and all collections take place on the first Wednesday of the month. You may set out an unlimited amount of HHW.

To request at-your-door service, here is what you need to do:

1. Gather the HHW in your house and garage. Keep materials in their original, labeled containers. Do not mix chemicals together. Count and make a list of the items that need to be picked up.

2. Call Republic Services at 800-299-4898 to request HHW service no later than the Saturday before the

first Wednesday collection date (see box). You will be provided with instructions on how to prepare and set out your HHW.

3. On the first Wednesday of the month, place the items on your porch before 8 a.m. A certified technician will come to your home to pick up your HHW.If you are moving and need to

dispose of HHW right away, you can drop it off at an Orange County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center (HHWCC) at no charge. The HHWCCs are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday (closed on major holidays and rainy days). For details, visit www.oclandfills.com/hazardous or call 714-834-6752.

Los Alamitos At-Your-Door HHW Monthly Service Dates

Call to request service by: For HHW pickup on:Saturday, April 1 Wednesday, April 5Saturday, April 29 Wednesday, May 3Saturday, June 3 Wednesday, June 7Saturday, July 1 Wednesday, July 5Saturday, July 29 Wednesday, August 2Saturday, September 2 Wednesday, September 6Saturday, September 30 Wednesday, October 4Saturday, October 28 Wednesday, November 1Saturday, December 2 Wednesday, December 6

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Los Alamitos, it’s all for you!You will hear Republic Services’ Blue Planet™ messages during Los Alamitos High School’s Game of the Week on Los Al TV3. Republic Services is a major sponsor of Los Alamitos High School sports. Watch online at LosAlTV.com.

Spring has sprungHave you been busy with your spring cleaning? Maybe you found an old computer tucked into the back of a closet. Or perhaps you realized that the cat had ruined a rug or the guest room mattress was worn out. Bulky items, such as furniture, appliances, and old rugs, don’t fit into your waste container, and electronics don’t belong there.

Republic Services will pick up bulky items and electronics at the curb, but you must call to request this service so that the correct truck can be sent out on your collection day. Single-family residential customers may request free pickup for two bulky or electronic items per year. Additional pickups are available for a fee. Request this service by calling Republic at 800-299-4898 at least 24 hours in advance of your normal collection day. You may also use the My Resource™ app to request this service. Please don’t place bulky

items or electronics at the curb unless you have contacted Republic to schedule a pickup!

If you are clearing out a garage, doing home improvements, or just getting rid of a lot of winter clutter, call Republic at 800-299-4898 to learn more about renting a larger waste container. These can be delivered to your driveway and picked up when you have filled them.

If you live in a multi-family complex, check with your property manager to find out how to dispose of bulky items.

Spring is also a great time of year to change your smoke detector batteries and commit to conserving water outdoors.

Clearing out a lot of clutter? Contact Republic Services about renting a

large waste container.

Stay in the KnowFree community events, such as the Community Shred Day and the Compost Giveaway, are being planned for later this year. Watch for details about upcoming events at CityofLosAlamitos.org.

(562)430-1073 www.cityoflosalamitos.org

Saturday, April 15th 9-11:30 amLittle Cottonwood Park- 4000 Farquhar Avenue*Event will be canceled if there is inclement weather*

FREE ENtry! Hunts begin at 9:30 am

City of Los Alamitos Recreation & Community Services Department

Spring Carnival

Recycling at workReady to expand your eco-friendly habits to your workplace? You are not alone! Across California, businesses of all types are meeting the requirements of AB 341, the mandatory commercial recycling law, by providing recycling for office paper, cardboard, bottles and cans, off-spec materials, process waste, and much more.

Recycling at work can seem like a challenging activity to implement, but don’t worry — here are 10 tips to get you started!

1. Identify recycling champions and enlist their help.

2. Assess how your workplace currently handles trash and recyclables.

3. Create a written plan that

includes specific goals, such as recycling new materials or improving recycling rates.

4. Make sure the people responsible for emptying recycling and trash bins understand and embrace the plan. Address their concerns about how the changes will affect their work.

5. Clearly mark all of your recycling and waste containers so people know where to put trash and where to put recyclables.

6. Use appropriately sized bins for your goals. For example, if you know 75% of your waste could be recycled, make the container for recyclables bigger than the one for trash.

7. Avoid contamination of recyclables by locating waste and recycling bins together.

8. Convenience is key to successful recycling. Think about making recycling as easy as possible when you decide where to place your bins, how big they should be, how often they will be emptied, and so on.

9. Make it fun. Encourage co-workers to recycle with a contest or other incentives.

10. Celebrate your success. Be prepared to measure your progress and congratulate your staff for their efforts.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel — Republic Services can help establish, expand, or improve the recycling program at your business or multi-family property. Contact Customer Service at 800-299-4898 or use the My Resource™ app to request assistance.

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Republic Services partners with Food Finders and Waste Not OC

“Use by” doesn’t mean “throw away by”

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Empty. Clean. Dry.The right way to recycle

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Good food doesn’t belong in the trash, but sadly it often ends up there. At restaurants where a menu special didn’t sell well, bakeries with too many of yesterday’s bagels, or grocery stores rotating out older stock, edible food has often ended up in waste containers and then headed to landfills. Thanks to Republic Services’ partnership with Food Finders, we hope that more of this food goes to help feed hungry people.

Food Finders is a nonprofit food rescue organization that strives to eliminate hunger and food waste, while

improving nutrition throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. Since 1989, Food Finders has received more than 123 million pounds of donated, wholesome food, providing enough food for more than 100 million meals. This food is delivered same-day to nonprofit shelters, missions, senior and youth centers, recovery homes, and other agencies. Some businesses donate regularly and others just occasionally.

By donating edible food, your business may benefit from:

• Improved compliance with AB 1826, the mandatory commercial organics recycling law

• Tax deductions for charitable giving• Stronger ties with your community

Republic Services and Food Finders are partners in the Waste Not OC Coalition, whose mission is to feed the need in Orange County. The Coalition includes multiple agency partners and promotes food recovery and distribution, as well as training potential donors to handle food safely. To learn more or get involved, visit WasteNotOC.org or call 855-700-WNOC (855-700-9662).

If your business is interested in donating food through this partnership, contact Republic Services at 562-347-4100.

Most “expiration” dates on products, often noted with “Best If Used By,” “Sell By,” or “Use By,” aren’t really expiration dates. Instead, they are manufacturer suggestions about freshness and quality. In California, only two products truly carry expiration dates — infant formula and baby food. On all other products, use common sense. Ask yourself: Has the food been properly stored? Is the package undamaged? Does the food smell and look OK? To learn more about food product dates and food safety, visit Goo.gl/Z7r2ji.

We’ve all heard the saying, “One bad apple spoils the bunch.” Did you know that could be true with recycling, too? All of your recycling goes together into your blue All-in-One Recycling container. Your blue container and all of your neighbors’ containers are emptied into a truck that compacts the recyclables. At the Materials Recovery Facility, that load is dumped and mixed with loads from many other neighborhoods. So imagine what happens when you or someone else has tossed in a nearly full can of soda or a half-empty ketchup bottle. You can see it, can’t you? Soda or ketchup gets squeezed out and spills onto paper, cardboard, and other containers. Instead of being recycled, some of those items are now too contaminated to be reused by a manufacturer. And then? Well, they end up in the landfill instead of being made into a new product.

But here’s the thing — contamina-tion is a problem that we can quickly and easily solve. By taking three simple steps before you toss items into your recycling container, you can help keep everyone’s recycling clean. When you do this, you help ensure that your recyclables will become new products, conserving natural resources, saving energy, and creating jobs.

Here are the three easy steps:1. EMPTY. Make sure your recyclables

are EMPTY of their contents. 2. CLEAN. Make sure your recyclables

are CLEAN of any residue.3. DRY. Make sure your recyclables

are DRY before placing them in a recycling container.With EMPTY, CLEAN & DRY as a

guide, we can each do our part to help reduce recycling contamination and become better recyclers in the process. Together, we can make recycling work!

Copyright© 2017Republic Services, Inc. and

Eco Partners, Inc. All rights reserved. Funded by Republic Services, Inc.

Printed on recycled paper, using soy inks.

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We want your suggestions, questions and comments!

Republic Services12949 East Telegraph Rd.

Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670(800) 299-4898

RepublicServices.com/site/los-angeles-ca

Is your business or multi-family property recycling organics?

On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day worldwide, but at Republic Services, every day is Earth Day! No effort is too little and no act is too small to help preserve our Blue Planet™. Start doing something new this Earth Day and join us in the #1MORE pledge campaign. Here are some ideas: Carry and use reusable shopping bags on every trip to the store. Refill your own water bottle. Recycle the bottles you finish drinking at the park, beach, or event. Make sure your recyclables are EMPTY, CLEAN & DRY before tossing them in the blue All-in-One Recycling container. Let others know what you’re doing to make every day Earth Day! And don’t forget to share your #1MORE pledge with us on social media. Look for Republic on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

My Resource™ Makes Service Requests Easy!

Republic Services’ My Resource™ allows you to schedule bulky-item or electronics pickups, report a missed pickup, request container repair or replacement, and receive alerts from Republic Services. Whether you are a resident or a business, My Resource is for you. You can sign up online at RepublicOnline.com or download the My Resource app on your device. Just look for “My Resource” in the App Store or at Google Play.

Holiday Collection Schedule

There will be no waste and recycling collection services on these holidays:

• Memorial Day – Monday, May 29• Independence Day – Tuesday, July 4

If your weekly pickup is on or after the holiday, your pickup that week will be delayed by one day.

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About 40% of the material that Californians send to landfills annually is organic waste, such as food scraps and yard debris, and much of that comes from businesses and multi-family complexes. To reduce the amount of organic waste heading to landfills, a state law (AB 1826) phases in a requirement that businesses and apartment complexes which generate organic waste must arrange for organic waste recycling. Already affected are those that generate 4 or more cubic yards of organic waste per week. As of January 1, 2019, all businesses and apartment complexes that generate 4 or more cubic yards of solid waste per week will be required to recycle organics.

Organic waste includes food waste, food-soiled paper, landscape and pruning waste, and nonhazardous wood waste. However, apartment complexes and other multi-family complexes will only be required to have a landscape and pruning waste recycling program and will not be required to provide food waste or food-soiled paper recycling.

For a complete list of frequently asked questions about AB 1826, please visit CalRecycle.ca.gov/Recycle/Commercial/Organics.

Republic Services is here to help you meet the mandatory commercial organics recycling requirements. Call Customer Service at 800-299-4898 for more information.

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Attention: BusinessesRepublic Services makes it easy to recycle your universal waste safely and responsibly

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Businesses must handle fluorescent, LED, high-intensity discharge (HID), and neon lamps and bulbs as universal waste for recycling. Other universal wastes include batteries, ballasts, and mercury-containing devices, such as thermostats. By law, universal wastes are not allowed in California landfills because they contain harmful materials, such as mercury and lead.

Republic Services offers commercial customers convenient options for universal waste recycling, including mail-back kits for small quantities and pack-up and pick-up services for large generators. To learn more about the best alternative for your business, call your Republic Sales Representative or visit RepublicServices.com.