Modesto approves big jump in garbage bills. How will this help climate change?
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect that Modesto’s residential garbage customers now have two containers that are picked up weekly, one for household trash and recyclables and one for organics, such as food waste and yard trimmings. Starting in January, residential customers will receive a third container for recyclables such as plastics and glass. While household trash will continue to be picked up once a week, the recyclables and organic waste will be picked up every two weeks.
Modesto residents are going to pay a lot more to have their garbage picked up as the city complies with a state mandate to keep more yard and food waste and other organic material out of landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The City Council on Tuesday, June 14, approved the higher charges to help Modesto meet the requirements of Senate Bill 1383, which was enacted in 2016.
Typical residential customers will see their monthly garbage bills rise from $37.45 to $51.25. The city is phasing in the increase. The bill will increase to $45.85 in July and to $51.25 in January.
Other local governments have raised garbage collection rates to help them comply with SB 1383.
Modesto’s residential customers also will get a third bin in January. It will be be for recyclables, including cans, bottles, plastics and clean cardboard. They will have a bin for household trash and a bin for organics, such as food waste and yard trimmings.
Residential customers now have one bin for household trash and recyclables and one bin for organics, and both bins are picked up weekly. But come January, household trash will be picked up weekly, and the recyclables and organics will be picked up every two weeks.
That drew concerns from several residents at the June 14 council meeting about the smell and flies from having food waste sit in a bin for two weeks. An official from Gilton Solid Waste, one of the city’s two trash haulers, raised the same issue.
Public Works Director Bill Sandhu said Modesto will closely monitor the collection program in its first year and make adjustments as needed. He said it would add about $3 a month to a residential customer’s bill to pick up all three bins each week.
Sandhu said customers are not getting the third bin and new collection schedule until January. He said the city will give residents three months to get used to the new system before gathering information on what is working and not working.
The residents also faulted the city for not doing enough outreach. Sandhu disagreed. That outreach included information on social media, an insert in the utility bills sent to the city’s 69,000 customers and an online survey that garnered 872 responses.
Still, Councilman Chris Ricci said he has been frustrated by the city’s efforts in general to engage with its residents and he’d like to see the city improve.
Sandhu said Modesto cannot use just two bins to comply with SB 1383 because the city does not have what is called a high diversion organic waste processing facility to recover the organic waste. He said it could take five to 10 years and cost $100 million to build one.
The three bins are for Modesto’s residential customers. The city also is raising garbage rates for its commercial customers.
The higher garbage bills will cover such costs as having the city’s garbage haulers remove contaminants from green waste before it goes to the city’s compost facility and for improvement to the facility. The higher bills also will pay for the city’s education, compliance and enforcement efforts regarding SB 1383.
Sandhu said Modesto offers a $35 discount for the water and garbage portion of its monthly utilities bills for low-income residents and seniors. He was not able to clarify at the meeting whether any senior qualifies for the discount or only those who are low income.
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 12:00 AM.
