Keeping food waste out of trash in South Lake Tahoe - Wednesdays are free food collection days

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Food thrown away in California is a growing problem and there is nearly six million tons of food scraps or food waste tossed each year. This is about 18 percent of all materials that go into landfills according to CalRecycle.

In order for California to reach its goal of 75 percent source reduction, recycling, and composting, food waste must be addressed. Not only is redirecting organic waste the right, and needed thing to do, there is a law in California requiring local jurisdictions to implement organic waste recycling programs.

Beginning in 2022, SB 1383 requires every jurisdiction to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses. Organic waste is not only food, but also pine needles and other yard waste. Being in South Lake Tahoe, residents already leave out bags of pine needles all spring and summer long, and South Tahoe Refuse built its Resource Recovery Facility to take it all in. It is always free to bring in personal clean yard waste that isn't in trash bags. Visit HERE for more information.

South Tahoe Refuse needs the public's help in keeping food waste out of landfills, and when it is deposited at their facility, it goes directly to the STR composter for 100 percent diversion.

South Tahoe Refuse is accepting food waste from residential customers every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The customers first stop by the Resource Recovery Facility booth at 2121 Eloise Avenue to verify the address. There is a limit of five gallons of food trash a week. It can be brought in a garbage bag but a bucket or other reusable container is preferred.

Many South Lake Tahoe residents are already expert composters, but those that can’t do that at home and have leftovers that are not garbage disposal friendly, have already been bringing down food waste on Wednesdays.

Only food is accepted - no paper, trash, compostable materials, or anything but food. All types of food scraps are accepted, including dairy, meat, bones, etc.

"We are closing in on about .75 cubic yards per week which is great," said Jeanette Tillman, South Tahoe Refuse's sustainability manager. "That equals about 95 pounds of methane that might have been emitted into the air at the landfill."

Tillman said they are not compensated for the extra work to keep food waste separate. She said their charges for dumping all organics have varied and are dependent on labor costs to process the material. For example, if people dump pine needles in bags there is an additional debagging fee.

For more information, https://southtahoerefuse.com/str-residential-food-waste-flyer/.

Guidelines for all residents, businesses, apartments and schools can be found HERE.