Waste Management, which has the exclusive contract for residential garbage collection in Sparks, has started delivering 28,500 new curbside single-stream recycling carts to residents.
The new carts will allow customers to place all acceptable recyclable materials into a single cart. Waste Management said it expects to complete delivery of the carts by the end of January.
“Say goodbye to your crates, and hello to your cart,” said Sarah Polito, spokeswoman for Waste Management.
Residents can begin mixing all their acceptable recyclable materials as soon as their new cart arrives.
Single-stream recycling expands acceptable recyclable materials. This includes paper, glass bottles, newspapers, magazines, glass jars, junk mail, steel cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, paperboard and plastic containers
Customers may begin using their recycling cart as soon as they receive it. Carts must be placed at the curb on the next regular recycling collection day. Customers without new carts are encouraged to continue using their yellow and green crates for recycling.
After a new single-stream recycling cart is delivered, customers are asked to place their empty crates next to their new recycling carts on the next recycling collection day. Waste Management will collect the old crates.
Education materials will be attached to every new recycling cart. Instructions will also be printed on the recycling cart lid to help customers determine the acceptable recyclable materials that can be placed in the cart.
Customers found placing trash in their recycling cart will receive warnings. Repeat offenders will receive contamination fines and could eventually lose the privilege to recycle.
“We encourage our customers to read the educational materials to ensure they are recycling often and recycling right,” Polito said.
The Sparks City Council in October approved changes to the city’s agreement with Waste Management, clearing the way for the single-steam system.
As a result of the changes, residents will no longer be able to place six extra bags or bundles of trash next to their garbage can on collection days.
Instead, residents will receive 20 stickers that they can apply to excess bundles of trash during the year, beginning Feb. 1. They also can place up to six bags, bundles or boxes of additional trash outside their container on their collection day during the months of May and November without using a sticker. They also have four free drop-offs at Waste Management’s Reno transfer stations or at the landfill in Lockwood. Loads cannot exceed the size of a standard pickup truck bed.
For more information about the single-stream recycling program, visit Sparks.wm.com or call 775-329-8822.
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