RecycLA: Transitioning to the New Garbage Management Program in LA

The City of LA contends that most people get garbage production services from unregulated private haulers who may not do a great job at the end of the day. RecycLA is a new program that the city claims will bring order into the recycling business. Using the divide and conquer approach, the city has divided Los Angeles into eleven zones for easier management of trash. All businesses and commercial properties in each area of the city will be served by one company. This means, they tell us, that fewer trucks will be moving around the city for the purpose of collecting trash. Makes sense, right? This will also apparently reduce the congestion of having numerous trucks on the roads. Moreover, these vehicles will be clean-fuel burning. This will help reduce the dense air pollution that has taken place over the years and improve the air quality. As you can see, LA is on the march towards sustainability!

Each service provider will offer garbage collection services as well as processing of solid waste. Regular maintenance of bins will also apparently be done to ensure they serve their purpose well. New trash bins will be provided where the old ones are not efficient. Besides commercial properties, businesses will include:

• Retail establishments
• Hotels and motels
• Entertainment venues
• Wholesale operations.

How did all this take shape? Well, there was an open bidding process that took place to figure out the exact franchise service providers (FSP) that would be involved in garbage collection within Los Angeles. Settling on the particular companies involved looking into aspects such as experience, financial resources, and their environmental record. The interested companies had to have a work plan that showed how they could achieve the goals of the city. A total of seven service providers were offered contracts to carry out trash management.

The rates offered by this team (yes, new rates!) are uniform throughout Los Angeles. To determine the specific rates, garbage assessment of the commercial or multifamily spaces must first be done. The client will then be informed of the kind of work that needs to be done. A rate table to serve for the year 2017 was created. It enables clients to understand how the rates are calculated. It can also help them learn how to reduce their costs. These service providers have partnered with food rescue organizations across Los Angeles. This helps them coordinate the food donations they receive from clients. The food rescue program reduces the solid waste clients have as food is given to those who cannot afford anything to eat.

Roll off and compactor services are available for those who generate large amounts of recyclable material. This is helpful for individuals who produce a lot of garbage that may be beyond their capacity. Fees will be charged for collection and delivery of the bin but not for the weight of recyclable material one has. Most multi-family residential areas already have trash reduction services. Owners of such residential areas can still keep those services as they have been using them for a while at no additional cost.

Through this new program, haulers are accountable for the management of trash in the area. There are signed agreements that keep them in check. Customers can be assured of accountability and high-quality services, unlike previous times when dealing with unregulated services. Such signed agreements define the rates, customer service and environmental care that should be part of waste collection. Some trash hauler requirements include:

• Efficient truck routing
• Clean fuel and low emission vehicles
• Transparent and predictable rates
• Accountability and customer service
• Enhanced recycling opportunities

The Zones and Program Implementation Specifics.

The 11 zones that LA has been divided into have further been divided into sub zones. The FSPs will keep in touch with businesses in each subzone to know what needs to be done. This will help in efficient service delivery and provide customer satisfaction. The service providers will provide clients with a service packet that has detailed information about the recycLA program. The information will be based on where the customer is located. The package will help individuals be aware of the particular zone they belong to. Each zone has a specific team of experts that will be on call for necessary services. The service information enables individuals to know when FSPs will be contacting those in a certain region for assessment purposes.

Individuals interested in setting up these services should contact the 24-hour customer care center at LA Sanitation (if you don’t the city will likely impose it anyway). The service providers for each particular zone will get in touch and arrange for an appropriate time to carry out an assessment. Bins will be provided depending on the kind of trash that is being handled. Green bins are for organic materials whereas those that are to be recycled will be thrown in a blue bin. Black bins are for trash materials that do not fit either of the mentioned categories. A service agreement will be drafted for the client to understand the terms and conditions of the service before approving. The rates for services will not be higher than what has already been listed in the contract.

Before recycLA was formed there were existing companies that handled garbage collection in different parts of Los Angeles. Those that were not part of this program were given up to August 1, 2017, to continue with their services. After this time, the new service would be implemented in the assigned regions. Transitioning into this new way of doing things will not be easy for most people. Luckily there is a customer transition schedule which states the time period necessary for individuals to understand the new way things will be done. The new FSP will offer the current level of service people are used to receiving. These old services will be used until a full transition is possible. Interested individuals can call the Public Affairs Office and schedule presentations to help them understand about the new service. Group presentations with opportunities to ask questions are provided. This is a great way to ensure that every area is properly covered. Customers are encouraged to call LA Sanitation’s 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489 with any questions or service concerns. Billing questions are handled directly by the FSPs.