At the close of 2019, Recology Sonoma Marin (Recology), West Marin’s waste hauler, proposed a 30% rate increase that once approved in 2020 increased the cost of a 32-gallon can in West Marin from $9 to $41/month. Recology, who took over the contract from the prior waste hauler, the Ratto Group, justified the increase to bring rates in West Marin up to standard market-rates.

EAC took notice of the dramatic rate increase, as we have been monitoring the rule-making and implementation of the 2016 California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) and understand that rate increases and changes to the way we sort and manage our trash are about to significantly change. The goal of SB 1383 is to reduce short-lived climate pollutants or greenhouse gases (GHG), like methane, from entering our atmosphere from dairy, livestock, and organic waste in our landfills.

EAC supports SB 1383's ambitious goals to achieve a 75% reduction in organic waste by 2025, and we took the Recology rate increase as an opportunity to raise awareness about this key move towards zero waste and other concerns when it was considered and approved by the Board of Supervisors last month.