1. Every Other Week Garbage Pilot
CRRA Conference 2016

2. Purpose of Pilot
Introduce food scraps diversion to residential customers
Determine if reducing frequency of garbage collection would:
Save money
Increase amount of food scraps diverted

3. 980 Homes, 1-8 units with carts
Pilot Area
980 Homes, 1-8 units with carts
Zone 1
415 homes
9% rowhouses
4% small MFD
Zone 2
565 homes
11% rowhouses
6% small MFD
Population: 76,000
Homes with cart service: 14,500

4. Service Changes Current Services Weekly Garbage EOW Yard Trimmings
EOW Recycling
Changes – Zone 1
Weekly Organics
Changes – Zone 2
EOW Garbage
Weekly Organics
Typical Rowhouses
24-gallon food scraps cart for Rowhouses

5. Garbage Cart Size Distribution
Pilot Parameters
No Opt Outs
Garbage cart upsize
subject to current rates
(14 during pilot, 2%)
Garbage Cart Size Distribution
20 gal
32 gal
64 gal
96 gal
25%
60%
13% 2%

6. Outreach Materials 4 free Garbage Tags for Zone 2
Side Saddle and 13 gallon bags

7. Data Collection Lid Flipping Collected Load Weights Cart Samples
120 Homes in each zone - checked carts 5 times
Looking for presence of food, contamination, odors, flies, maggots, evidence of rodents
Collected Load Weights
Cart Samples
Characterized waste from 40 homes
(20 each zone)
Customer Survey

8. Data Collection Visual Load Checks Cart Set Out Counts
Observed dumped loads 4x
Cart Set Out Counts
Once per month
Extra Garbage Bags and Overfull Cart Counts

9. Participation
Lid Flipping
Cart Samples
Survey

10. EOW Wrong Day Set Outs No Garbage Day First Second Third Fourth
Carts Out 62 23 21
% of Total
11% 4%

11. Collected Tons - Garbage
Average pounds per Household per Week
Pre-Pilot
July – Dec 2014
Pilot
July – Dec 2015
Decrease
Zone 1
19.4
14.8
24%
Zone 2
8.8
55%

12. Collected Tons - Organics
Average pounds per Household per Week
Pre-Pilot
July – Dec 2014
Pilot
July – Dec 2015
Increase
Zone 1
13.9
16.2
17%
Zone 2
20.1
45%

13. Waste Generation and Diversion Average Pounds per Household per Week
Cart Samples
Waste Generation and Diversion
Average Pounds per Household per Week
Zone 1
Weekly
Zone 2
EOW
Waste Generated
18.4
18.1
Food Scraps Generated
8.0
10.4
Food Scraps Diverted
(in organics cart)
5.2
8.6
Waste Diverted
29%
47%
Food Diverted
66%
82%
Total Food Available

14. Nuisances Zone 1 - Weekly Zone 2 - EOW
Vectors
Odors
Garbage Carts 6 4 3
Organics Carts 10 7 2
Totals from 5 field audits of 120 homes in each zone
Performed in August, September and March

15. Customer Survey Zone 1 Weekly Zone 2 EOW Households 415 565 Responses94
181
Response Rate
23%
32%
# of Comments 60
138
Post cards sent to all households with a link
to Survey Monkey
Call us for paper or phone survey
Offered three $100 gift cards as incentive

16. Special Wastes

17. Satisfaction - Overall

18. Satisfaction – EOW Garbage
55%
45%

19. Program Interest
Among Mountain View Pilot Participants

20. Garbage Cart Level - EOW
Field Counts – Overfilled Garbage Carts
Zone 2 – average 7% of homes weekly
Citywide – average 3-4% of homes weekly

21. Garbage Tags Used - EOW Field Counts – Extra Garbage Bags
Zone 2 – average 2.5% of homes weekly
Citywide – average of <0.5% homes weekly

22. Option Comparisons Option 1 Option 2 Weekly EOW
Annual Diversion (tons)
2,350 (?)
3,525
Overall Reduction to Landfill 4% 7%
Annual Costs
$435,000
$80,000
Cost per Ton Diverted
$185
$23
Monthly Rate Increase
$2.15
$0.30

23. City Council Direction
Yes to a food scraps program (6-1)
Prefer Zone 2 program - Weekly Organics and
EOW Garbage (4-2-1)
Explore “Opt In” to Weekly Garbage (for a fee)
Community Outreach
Decision in Fall

24. Current Work Rate Review Cart Sizes Messaging
Pricing to encourage a cart upsize over weekly service
Cart Sizes
Eliminate 20 gallon?
Add 48 gallon?
Messaging
Counteract perception - “half the service for the same price”
No decrease in overall number of cart collections – just different frequencies

25. Questions?
Contact Info:
Lori Topley
(650)