New Deal Extends WM Service in Alameda County’s third largest city for a decade. Includes new cart delivery and other SB1383 enhancements.
HAYWARD, Calif., – Hayward residents and businesses will see new trash and recycling carts, more public trash cans and a new fleet of recycling trucks through an agreement between the city and WM that was recently approved by the Hayward City Council.
The 10-year agreement is an extension of the current contract between Hayward and WM and maintains or enhances many popular services including curbside bulky collection, distribution of garden-ready compost, and coupons allowing for free disposal of self-hauled trash at the Davis Street Resource and Recovery Complex.
“One of my favorite days is Tuesdays, not because of City Council… it’s because that is my garbage day,” said Council member Elisa Marquez. “It’s the one service I can guarantee will come every Tuesday. It’s an excellent service.”
The contract extension also ensures Hayward will be compliant with a new state law (SB1383) which mandates many aspects of curbside collection of trash, recycling and organics.
The most visible change will be the color of the carts used to collect materials. The new law requires every community in California to have the same-colored carts for trash (black or gray), recycling (blue) and organics (green). WM will deliver new carts to customers and remove the old carts later this year. (More details to follow later this year.)
The new law also requires Hayward to increase its diversion of organic material away from the landfill and into more sustainable disposal options such as compost. WM will work to achieve those goals with education and using its Smart TruckSM technology.
The technology allows WM to view contents of an organics cart as it is being serviced helping to educate customers about what is acceptable and what is considered contamination. The technology will also help Hayward comply with state mandates that require the auditing of trash and compost collection to ensure organic material is being diverted from the landfill.
The popular bulky collection program remains in place for single-family homes and multi-family properties. The multi-family program must be administered by a property manager or property owner, but tenants have the right to request the service from their landlord.
Household batteries are hazardous waste and it’s important for them to be disposed of properly. A new addition for multi-family properties will be for property managers to order battery buckets for the proper disposal of tenant household batteries. (More info to come in 2023)
The contract extension will include a rate increase to offset the cost of state mandates under SB1383 and to keep pace with inflation. The new monthly rate for a 35-gallon cart will be about $5 more than current rates. It may increase up to $42.90 per month from $37.67. That rate increase will take effect next year on March 1, 2023. (The increase could be lower depending on the consumer price index and other factors).
“WM is proud to continue to service the Hayward community,” said Virginia Harrington, public sector manager for WM. “ We’ve been part of the community for more than 70 years and we hope to continue servicing and supporting the community for many years in the future.”
