Why Your Trash Rate May Have Increased In Mission Viejo

From the City of Mission Viejo:

Posted January 30, 2020

When the clock struck midnight on January 1, Assembly Bill 1594 went into effect, causing a spike to our trash rates. The increase comes after the state rolled out new regulations that limit organic waste going into landfills, reducing methane emissions that contribute to climate change.

The increases are reflected in your bills from Waste Management. For example, the single-family standard cart service rate went up by about 15 percent. Other rates vary.

So, why the increases?

In September 2014, then Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1594 mandating that as of January 1, 2020, the use of processed green material as alternative daily cover (ADC) at our local landfills will no longer constitute diversion through recycling and will instead be considered disposal. Green waste such as yard clippings was used as cover for local landfills and went toward a city’s state-mandated goal for recycling. Cities’ green waste was accepted by the county’s landfills for free, which helped keep down the cost of hauling away residents’ trash. Rates have been driven upward by California state rules that prohibit mixing of garbage and items earmarked for composting that will now have to be gathered and disposed of separately. This additional processing unfortunately comes at an increased cost, which is why your waste bill has increased.

For more information, contact Waste Management’s Recycling Coordinator Ashley Brunier at abrunier@wm.com or 949-469-2127.

This press release was produced by the City of Mission Viejo. The views expressed here are the author’s own.