Apr 5, 2008

Why area trash service better but still not good

Editorial

While Allied Waste has improved its once dismal rate of missed curbside trash pickups in communities throughout the Peninsula, it has fallen short of commercial recycling goals and fared poorly in reporting requirements, a disappointment given that we can no longer disregard what we throw away.

These are not the kind of lapses we like to hear about in an environmentally conscious region like ours. We need more than just garbage collection. We need coordinated recycling efforts and accurate reporting, as well.

The findings from the South Bayside Waste Management Authority could complicate the company's future on the Peninsula. Following complaints about missed pickups, the waste management authority put its contracts for hauling trash for the region and running the Shoreway Recycling Center out to bid.

Trash collection is the most important part of any waste handling company's job, so Allied Waste probably had little choice but to improve its missed rate of curbside pickups. To its credit, Allied aced that part of a 2007 performance evaluation by the waste management authority, which oversees a service area that includes 10 cities and the West Bay Sanitary District. Missed curbside pickups that weren't corrected in 24 hours totaled 49 in 2007, well under the contract ceiling of 180. The improved service is much appreciated.

If only Allied had paid as much attention to the other parts of its contract with the waste management authority.

Allied flunked some of its reporting requirements under the contract, which by itself makes the company's efforts harder to evaluate. Furthermore, the company has missed commercial recycling goals since 2001, and last year even failed to develop and mail four required commercial recycling bill inserts. That's disappointing news for Bay Area communities trying to promote recycling.

The company also cannot account for 40,000 tons of organic plant material, according to the authority. Some was used to cover trash at a landfill in Milpitas, in violation of the authority's contract.

Whichever company is selected to handle the area's garbage collection and recycling is going to have to adhere to both the trash collection guidelines and the requirements for reporting and promoting recycling. We should expect nothing less.