Los Angeles launches recycLA program to reduce landfill waste
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The city of Los Angeles is rolling out a new recycling program called recycLA, and it's making the color blue the new way to go green.
Through a public-private partnership with companies such as Ware Disposal, Inc., the city will extend recycling opportunities to businesses, institutions and large multi-family buildings by providing blue bins.
"We're going to be diverting up to a million tons each year of waste from our landfill," said Heather Repenning, with the city's board of public works. "All of the contents of the black bin - they're going to the landfill. Our landfills in L.A. are at capacity. It's not sustainable for us to continue adding more."
About 80,000 businesses will be taught on what they can put into the blue bins - most cardboard, glass, paper and plastic.
The program divides the city into zones that will be served exclusively by one waste collection company, which means fewer trucks congesting neighborhood roads. The companies will also be required to use only clean-fuel burning vehicles.
"We're going to be running compressed natural gas trucks throughout the city - near zero engines. We're going to be reducing the traffic patterns throughout the city to help with congestion," general manager of Ware Disposal, Jay Ware, said.
The program partnered with seven waste disposal companies and supporters said recycLA is a huge step in protecting our environment and making waste history.
