Solana Beach to implement automated green waste collection

The Solana Beach City Council approved a citywide automated green waste collection that will be implemented the week of Aug. 26.

EDCO, which serves as the city’s waste hauler, will provide the service, which helps the city comply with state-mandated goals for handling green waste and recycling.

“Much like the automation implementation in 2006, EDCO proposes to convert from the current manual collection of resident-provided cans and implement a source-separated automated green waste collection program for all single-family residential units,” City Manager Greg Wade said in a report to council members, who approved the item at their May 27 meeting. “The addition of this program would not change the balance of the collection program parameters but would supplement current efforts.”

Each green-wheeled container that will be distributed to residents as part of the program will have a capacity of 95 gallons, and each cart lid has information about the types of materials that are eligible for collection, according to city staff.

Residents will be able to get up to three of the 95-gallon carts for free, according to city staff.

EDCO’s outreach to residents will begin at the end of June, eight weeks before implementation. The company will use direct mail, email notifications, community meetings in the leadup to the program’s launch date and other methods of outreach to make sure residents are informed.