City of Berkeley, CA

11/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/18/2024 17:09

Reduce waste this Thanksgiving

Plan ahead to reduce trash that goes to the landfill. Recycling, landfill waste, and compost pickups normally on Thursdays will be pushed to Friday. Regular Friday pickups will be collected on Saturday.

Published:
November 18, 2024
Last Updated:
November 18, 2024

Plan ahead to not only reduce what goes from your Thanksgiving table to the landfill, but also, for those with Thursday or Friday pickups, to put out your carts a day later.

Residents with regular Thursday collections should place their recycling, compost, and trash carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Friday, November 29. Those with regular Friday pickups should place carts curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 30.

Collection may occur later in the day than usual. Please report any missed pickups on Monday, December 2 by submitting an online form or dialing Customer Service at (510) 981-7270.

Tips to reduce holiday waste

Think through what can be re-used. Sort your recyclables and compost. Cutting back on waste at the end of the year helps you and Berkeley be more sustainable. Learn best practices to reduce waste this holiday season at StopWaste's Sustainable Holiday Guide.

Prevent wasted food by making small changes in how you plan, store, and eat your food. When we waste food, we waste the energy, water, and resources that went into producing that food and getting it into our kitchens.

Compost the following items in your green cart:

You can compost:

  • Turkey carcass: All meat bones, fish bones, and shellfish shells.

  • Stuffing, veggies, and pie: All food scraps from food prep or plate scrapings.

  • Coffee grounds and filters: Coffee grounds, paper filters, and tea bags.

  • Food-soiled paper products: Paper napkins, towels and other food-soiled paper products should be placed into the compost cart. Seemingly plastic tablecloths, plates, and cups that are marketed as "compostable" must have the BPI symbol to prove it is BPI-certified.

  • Wine corks: If the cork is natural, place it in the compost cart. Plastic or synthetic corks should be placed in the trash.

  • Small amounts of fats, oil and grease: For small amounts, let it cool, then wipe with a paper towel and place the paper towel in the compost cart.

Take large amounts of oil or grease to an oil and grease drop-off location near you. Use the Re:Source search tool to find the nearest drop-off location.

Recycle the following items in your blue cart:

Wipe, scrape, and empty various items before recycling.

  • Aluminum pie and baking trays: Wipe your tray clean before recycling.

  • Steel cans and aluminum foil: Ball up your foil before tossing it in the recycling.

  • Plastic containers: Wipe all plastic containers before placing them in the recycle bin.

Help reduce what Berkeley sends to landfills by planning ahead, reusing what you can, and properly sorting your recycling and compost.

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