Ceres recycling rule changes in limbo. How residents could be fined for improper sorting
Changes to Ceres trash and recycling collection rules remain in limbo after the City Council last week failed to adopt an ordinance designed to comply with state laws.
Ceres residents would receive a third waste collection bin and face fines for repeatedly improperly sorting their trash, recyclables and organics under the pending changes.
The council on June 14 voted 2-2 for the ordinance updating municipal codes regarding waste collection, despite passing the first reading May 24. Council Member Linda Ryno joined Couper Condit in opposing the changes after initially supporting them.
Ryno did not immediately respond to requests for comment via phone or email, nor explain in the meeting why she changed her vote. Condit previously said he opposed proposed fines for putting waste in the wrong collection bin. After a warning, Ceres residents and businesses could face a $25 fine for the second, $100 for the third and $250 for fourth and subsequent violations. Under the proposed changes, recyclables like glass bottles would go in the blue cart, garbage would go in the black cart and organics such as grass clippings and food waste would go in the green cart.
Putting a non-recyclable plastic bag in the blue cart would count as cart contamination, Public Works Director Jeremey Damas said during the May 24 meeting. Senate Bill 1383 regulations go into effect in January 2022 and require the city to regularly determine contamination levels in organics and recycling collection containers. City staff plan to educate residents and give notices and warnings before issuing any fines, Damas said.
“I don’t feel comfortable voting to affirm this with current fine structure, especially if they’re not required,” Condit said on May 24. “We could always bring this back in two years to implement the fines (after) a two year-grace period for education.”
State laws do not require cities fine residents for cart contamination, Cara Morgan of CalRecycle said, but Ceres staff said fines are a way to get compliance. Relevant state laws such as Senate Bill 1383 on organic waste reduction are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and landfill trash, per the CalRecycle website.
What are next steps for Ceres trash collection changes?
For the new waste collection rules to become effective, the council first needs to cast a majority vote for the final adoption of the ordinance. The ordinance will take effect 30 days after officials pass it, and the council could vote on it again during the next regularly scheduled meeting on June 28.
After updating the municipal code, the city needs to revise its agreement with Bertolotti Disposal, Damas said. Ceres will also need to work out how the company will deliver the third collection cart for organics, which Damas said may be delivered in September or October.
Then the city would start required contamination assessments twice a year. A Bertolotti truck will collect the contents of carts from 40 random addresses in Ceres, Damas said, and evaluate the waste at a disposal facility. Ceres will use the analysis to determine where to target its education program, but not to fine residents, he said.
Information on the city’s current recycling rules can be found on the Ceres website.
This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
