The Bay Area Bin Support field techs share tips they feel would be most helpful to keep trash areas clean and organized.
- Ask tenants to double or triple knot trash to avoid spillage. It’s much easier to keep a clean and sanitary trash room when landfill waste is bagged and sealed correctly. Avoiding trash spillage helps keep away rodents and foul odors.
- Breakdown boxes. Encourage and remind your tenants to always break down boxes before disposing of them in the recycle bins. Since the pandemic started, there has been an increase in online ordering leading to a much higher volume of cardboard boxes in trash areas. A lot of trash spillage and overflow is caused by space not being utilized properly in the bins due to bulky boxes. Post signage in the trash rooms and continuously send communication reminding tenants that boxes must be broken down. Leave twine or duct tape readily available in trash area so that tenants can bundle and stack cardboard when there isn’t sufficient space in the recycle bin. The recycle company will still collect bundled recycle if stacked neatly on top or next to bins.
- Compost correctly. The new law SB1383 took effect this year with the goal of keeping compostable materials and food out of landfills. Multifamily owners are among those affected by this new law. Food scraps, yard trimmings and plant debris, and food-soiled paper products are all compostable. Food service-ware should be Compostable – BPI Certified Products. Remind tenants not to use plastic bags to bag up and dispose of their compost materials as this will be considered contamination and collection service may be refused. BPI Certified Compostable bags are available for purchase. Pizza boxes should be placed in a compost bin instead of the recycle bin.
- Diversion. Encourage tenants to make full use of the recycle and compost bins available to them to help keep waste out of landfill. Use signage so that tenants know the proper bins to use. Have sufficient recycle and compost bins available for tenants even in common areas around the property. Make a list of commonly mistaken recycle items such as Styrofoam, electronics, clothing and plastic bags to avoid contamination notices and refused collection service. Contamination in recycle and compost bins which lead to refused collection service can have a domino effect in your trash area for weeks to come.
- Education. Send continuous communication, reminders and place signage around common areas to always encourage tenants to be active partners in the waste program efforts on the property. We have noticed that taking out the trash is often a chore given to children who may not know where to properly dispose the trash, recycle or compost. Ask parents to remind their children proper disposal instructions.