Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Residential Garbage Cart Pilot
Status Report
Transportation & Environment Committee
April 3, 2023
Kerrie Romanow, Director, Environmental Services Department Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Department Jeff Anderson, Senior Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Services Department Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Residential Garbage & Recycling Services
2 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
History of San José's Residential Program
1993
2002
2008
2014 2021
2019
Multi-Container
Recycling System
Change to Single-Stream
Recycling System
Start of MFD and City
Facilities Garbage
Processing
Start of SFD
Garbage Processing
Amended and Restated
Agreements
Outreach
Responsibilities
Transferred to City
3 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Residential Garbage Cart Pilot
•Single-family recycling contamination was 32% in 2015 and 51% in Fall 2020
• 85% of homes subscribe to a 32-gallon garbage cart
•Pilot tests correlation between larger garbage carts and recycling contamination
4 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Residential Garbage Cart Pilot
• 4,200 homes offered larger garbage carts at no additional charge • Recycling route selection based on:
• Contamination rates
• Location
• Route coordination between garbage and recycling service providers • Number of homes per route
• Spring 2021 recycling lid pilot
5 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Single-Family Recycling Composition
68 66
49 43
32 34
51 57
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
2015 Estimated 2020 (without COVID) 2020 2022
Single-Family Dwelling Recycling Composition Changes
Recyclables Contamination
6 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Pilot Analysis: Third-Party Study
•All pilot routes showed decreased contamination
• Most routes’ contamination rates remained above citywide 57% average 37 43
27 33
18 40
31 46
13 42
63 57
73 67
82 60
69 54
87 58
2020 2022 2020 2022 2020 2022 2020 2022 2020 2022
Route 102 Route 208 Route 346
(Lid Pilot)
Route 413 Route 543
PERCENT
LARGER GARBAGE CART PILOT ROUTE
PERFORMANCE
Recycling Contamination
7 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
Pilot Analysis: Tonnage and Visual
Assessments
• Garbage tons increased and recycling tons
decreased
• Material shifted to appropriate cart,
supporting contamination study results
• Visual assessments of garbage carts
• 45% of pre-pilot carts were “full” or
“overflowing”
• Almost all “overflowing” addresses
reduced cart fullness after pilot
• Visual assessments of recycling carts
• Less conclusive
• 55% of pre-pilot carts contained bagged
garbage or other contaminants
• Mixed results for pilot carts containing
bagged garbage and/or contaminants
8 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
•All participants mailed a postcard to take a trilingual online survey •Staff conducted in-person canvassing to 30% of participants in District C • 259 survey responses (227 English, 25 Spanish, 7 Vietnamese) • 77% felt their experience was “good” or “excellent”
• Most selected “3/4 full” for recycling and garbage carts • Majority said they “sometimes” use the extra space in the larger garbage cart, followed by 26% who said “always”
• Interest in keeping the larger cart after the pilot but sited cost as a challenge
Pilot Analysis: Resident Response
9 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve health, environment, and economy.
• 2023-24 budget proposals
• Pilot expansion
• Contamination response team
• Continue installing educational recycling cart lids
• Recycle Right outreach updates
• Return to Council in June 2023 for proposed 2023-24 customer rates • Return to Council and Transportation & Environment Committee with any future recommendations of programmatic changes
Next Steps and Areas of Future Study
10 Delivering world-class utility services and programs to improve health, environment, and economy.
Residential Garbage Cart Pilot
Status Report
Transportation & Environment Committee
April 3, 2023
Kerrie Romanow, Director, Environmental Services Department Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Department Jeff Anderson, Senior Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Services Department