Berkeley trash collectors mix compost and landfill bins
My son is obsessed with garbage trucks, so we spend a lot of time watching the trucks and the collectors do their work. I noticed last year that they were taking our compost and trash and throwing it in the same truck. I called the city and they asked for my address so they could look into it. The collectors stopped combining the trash and different trucks and collectors started coming for each (although trucks all have same look and design—white trucks).
Yesterday I went for a walk with my son on a different street, when we saw a garbage truck ahead so we went to watch it. The collector proceeded to grab both the gray and green bins and throw them in the same truck. So now I’m wondering if they only stopped combining them on just my street.
Has anyone noticed this?
Parent Replies
No, I have never witnessed this. They always send two trucks to our neighborhood; I know because I try to bring in the cans immediately after they empty them.
Yes, I recently noticed this on our street. It seemed random. The trash truck and staff grabbed some of the green bins but not all of them, including mine and my neighbors. I’ve been meaning to call the city of Berkeley about this too.
I too have noticed this for the same reasons. I never thought to do anything about it, but I'm very impressed you did. I wonder what the full story is...seems like it's possible that composting isn't really happening??
Never seen this happen. We see three trucks each week: gray bin, green bin, blue bin [the last not the City, obviously].
Oh, that is wicked! Haven't noticed it on our street (Allston near California), but I'd call your City Council rep, plus Leticia Jauregui, Zero Waste Operations Manager, Public Works, Department, 510-981-6362, ljauregui [at] CityofBerkeley.info (ljauregui[at]CityofBerkeley[dot]info)
i believe the berkeley ecology center is responsible for trash, recycling and compost pick-up. I would contact them about this.
Hm, that's troubling. We are in southeast Berkeley and our trash and compost bins are always picked up at different times. That is not to say that the garbage truck doesn't come back later and throw the compost in the same truck (I haven't noticed if the drivers are different), but I have never seen the trash and compost being put into the same truck. Hopefully it is an anomaly?
My son, is also very into garbage trucks. I can definitely say this is not something that happens in our Elmwood Berkeley neighborhood. The trash and compost trucks come at opposite ends of the day. But I sympathize - it would be So Weird to see one truck grab two different cans. I will be watching your post with bated breath for other responses.