WOODLAND, Calif. — People in Woodland will be charged fees for not properly sorting their recycling bin and overfilling their trash cans starting June 1.
Residents will have to pay a $15 contamination fee for putting non-recyclables such as food, liquid and plastic bags into a recycling container. The contamination fee will "offset the additional processing and disposal costs," according to Waste Management.
They can also be charged an additional $15 fee for overfilling their trash carts. The bin overage fee is to discourage overfilling of bin containers.
"Overfilled containers are a problem as they contribute to litter in city streets and make collection of containers unsafe," according to a statement from Waste Management. "Applying this surcharge to residential customers helps raise awareness and keep Woodland's streets clean."
The surcharge was originally implemented more than two years ago, but went through various phases before the city council approved it in December 2018.
Customers will receive two warnings before a surcharge is applied.
Here's some tips to avoid contamination:
- Recycle only empty plastic bottles/containers, aluminum containers, glass jars/bottles, and clean paper and cardboard.
- No plastic bags. Place recyclables directly into your container.
- Keep food and liquids out of the recycling.
Here's some tips to avoid overages:
- Breakdown cardboard boxes
- Place recyclables loose in container - never bag
- Keep appliances and HHW out
- Contact WM for bin locks to avoid illegal dumping
- Increase container size if recurring problem.