Multi-family and Commercial Recycling Program Information:

State law (AB341) requires apartment complexes/multi-family housing communities with five or more units and businesses to recycle. These properties receive trash collection services from the City of Pasadena's franchised haulers. The franchise agreement with these haulers and Chapter 8.61.175 of the Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) requires each franchised hauler to collect recyclable materials at least once per week and meet a minimum recycling diversion rate of 60% on a monthly basis and on an annual basis.

Currently, the majority of recycling for apartment buildings and businesses happens behind the scenes. Instead of separating trash and recycling collection containers, customers commingle waste in the same collection container. The franchised hauler sends the commingled waste to a material recovery facility (MRF) where manual and mechanical sorting processes separate out recyclable materials.

The sorted recyclable materials undergo further processing required to meet technical specifications established by end-markets. Recovered materials include paper, cardboard, and chipboard, plastics (1-6), glass bottles and jars, metal and aluminum cans, bundled plastic bags and dry cleaner bags and Styrofoam. The remaining balance of the mixed waste stream is sent to a disposal facility such as a landfill.

The City's franchise agreement and PMC Chapter 8.61.170 requires franchised haulers to provide education and informational literature to its customers describing the recycling services provided, materials to be recycled, participation instructions, and the franchisee's telephone number. This must occur at intervals no greater than six months.

Apartment property managers and business owners may request dedicated recycling bins on site. Franchised haulers can provide separate recycling receptacles upon request for an additional fee. Dedicated recycling bins may yield a higher percentage of material recovered and increase customer awareness and satisfaction with the program.

Contact us info@missionrecycling.com
WHAT IS AB341?
UPDATE (10-06-2011): Governor Brown signs AB 341.
UPDATE: Recycling industry efforts help preserve rights of businesses and recyclers.

Introduced on February 10, 2011, AB 341 would make some notable changes to California law. Currently, businesses are not directly subject to the requirements of the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939, Sher) to divert waste from landfills. AB 341 would change that by, among other things, requiring businesses to recycle.

After input from the recycling industry, amendments were made to AB 341 that expressly preserve the existing right of a business to sell or donate its recyclable materials.
More specifically, the bill now provides, among other things, the following:

(a) On and after July 1, 2012, a business that generates more than four cubic yards of commercial solid waste
per week or is a multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more shall arrange for recycling services, consistent with state or local laws or requirements, including a local ordinance or agreement, applicable to the collection, handling, or recycling of
solid waste, to the extent that these services are offered and reasonably available from a local service provider.
(b) A commercial waste generator shall take at least one of the following actions:
(1) Source separate recyclable materials from solid waste and subscribe to a basic level of recycling service that includes
collection, self-hauling, or other arrangements for the pickup of the recyclable materials.
(2) Subscribe to a recycling service that may include mixed waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation.
(a) This chapter does not limit the authority of a local agency to adopt, implement, or enforce a local commercial solid
waste recycling requirement that is more stringent or comprehensive than the requirements of this section or limit the authority of a local agency in a county with a population of less than 200,000 to require commercial solid waste recycling.
(b) This chapter does not modify, limit, or abrogate in any manner any of the following:
(1) A franchise granted or extended by a city, county, or other local government agency.
(2) A contract, license, or permit to collect solid waste previously granted or extended by a city, county, or other local
government agency.
(3) The existing right of a business to sell or donate its recyclable materials.

Additional recycling containers, capacity and frequency, will be offered at a fair price for the same type of trash collection service.

At AAA Rubbish zero percent of the trash we collect is land filled.

How can I arrange for recycling service?
Please contact our customer service department at 562-927-9669 between 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday to arrange for recycling services. Also, we will conduct a free on-site evaluation aimed at starting or enhancing recycling activities on your premises.. The visit will help customize recycling service and containers to meet your needs.


The full bill, analysis, history, etc. can be found at:
http://leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_341&sess=1112&house=B&author=chesbro