Lynwood Environmental Page

Please keep in mind that recycling is your least preferred option. Reducing the generation of waste so there is no waste left to recycle would be the ideal. Make it your goal. Also keep in mind the concept of “cycle” in the term “recycle”. For there to be a complete cycle, the things you send to be recycled must come back to you. So, look for recycled content products whenever you buy, otherwise you are not truly recycling.

Reduce

• Packaging
  • Buy food in large quantities or in bulk.Grains and cereal are especially easy to purchase this way. Avoiding small individual packages of any product or consumable greatly reduces the amount of paper or boxboard that you buy and throw away. Of course, don’t buy large quantities if the food would spoil before it is used.
  • Vote with your dollars.When comparing products of different manufacturers, consider giving preference to those that use less packaging.
• Unwanted Mail
  • Fight back! You can reduce the amount of junk mailyou receive.

Reuse

• Find uses for things you discard. Consult your phone directory to see if your community has a reuse center. Other options for reuse are as indicated below:
  • Computers
    • Consult the Electronic Products Management Directory.
  • Demolition Waste from Remodeling and Construction
    • Consult CalRecycle’s Facility Information Toolbox (FacIT)to search for recycling facilities by material type.
  • Electronics
    • Consult the Electronic Products Management Directory.
  • Everything Else
    • Consult the CalRecycle Reuse Website.
    • Donate to charity.

Substitute Reusable Items for Consumables

• Use towels, rags, and sponges for most cleaning and wipe-ups.Keep a large enough supply of rags and wash cloths so you will always have some clean ones. Even if you need to buy a supply of small towels and wash cloths to get yourself started, the initial cost will be quickly offset by your reduced need to buy disposable substitutes, and you might think they work better than disposables. (See the Reuse Products page.) If you frequently need a damp rag or wash cloth close at hand, just find an ordinary old plastic bottle or old spray bottle and fill it with your own home-made cleaning solution. You could mix up a mild cleaner of one part vinegar to seven parts water, or something much stronger with diluted alcohol, bleach, or ammonia. (Do not mix bleach and ammonia. The combination creates an asphyxiating gas.) See the Cleaning and Custodial Supplies page of the Waste Prevention Information Exchange for ideas.
• Use cloth napkins.Buy a large supply of inexpensive cotton napkins to use every day, the initial cost will be quickly offset by your reduced need to buy disposable paper substitutes. See the Reuse Products page.
• Are you still collecting bags every time you shop? STOP!Invest in a set of reusable shopping bags. They hold more, they make carrying heavy loads much easier, they hold larger volumes than most plastic bags, they protect glass jars and bottles better, they last seemingly forever (expect well over 15 years from cloth grocery bags), they save energy and resources, and they prevent litter. Even if you recycle your paper or plastic grocery bags, you consume some energy and resources. See the Reuse Products page.
• Collect and use plastic food storage containers.More durable than plastic bags, leak less, reduce odors in the refrigerator, keep moths out of dry goods in the cupboard.
• Invest in rechargeable batteries and a battery charger.You can run almost anything, from flashlights to digital cameras, with rechargeable batteries. In the long run it is cheaper and better for the environment. For more information on recycling and proper disposal of batteries, please visit CalRecycle’s Batteries home page.

Recycle

• Get Ready to Recycle–Set up your household to make recycling easy.  Each residential customer in Lynwood is provided two carts for collection.  The Green Cart is for tree trimmings and grass clippings only.  The Grey cart is for trash and recyclables. Don’t worry, the content on the Gray cart is taken to a Materials Recovery Facility to be sorted and recycled.

BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING

• People are using way more bottles and cans than ever before. Recycling them creates new products, conserves natural resources, reduces energy use, and curbs carbon emissions in the sky. Sure beats letting them spend the next few centuries just sitting in a landfill.
• Fortunately, doing the right thing is easy.
• How You Can Help:
•      Participate in the City’s curbside recycling program. Call City of Lynwood Public Works Department for more information at 310-603-0220, ext. 500.
• Or
•      Drop off beverage containers at Recycling Centers and receive cash. Consumers pay California Redemption Value (CRV) when they purchase beverages from a retailer, and receive CRV refunds when they redeem the containers at a recycling center. Most beverages packaged in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers are eligible for CRV. Notable exceptions are milk, wine and distilled spirits, which are not included in the CRV program. CRV is 5 cents for each beverage container less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for each container 24 ounce or greater.
• Visit the CalReycle website to find locations of Recycling Centers in Lynwood:
• http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/Reports/CertifiedRecyclers.aspx

In 2016 Governor Brown signed into law SB 1383, establishing methane emissions reduction targets in a statewide effort to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) in various sectors of California’s economy. SB 1383 establishes targets to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020 and a 75 percent reduction by 2025.

Methane emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to global climate change. Organic materials–including waste that can be readily prevented, recycled, or composted–account for a significant portion of California’s overall waste stream. Food waste alone accounts for approximately 17-18 percent of total landfill disposal. Increasing food waste prevention, encouraging edible food rescue, and expanding the composting and in-vessel digestion of organic waste throughout the state will help reduce methane emissions from organic waste disposed of in California’s landfills.

The SB 1383 regulations go into effect January 1, 2022. Following are the implementation dates and thresholds for the legislation:

• January 1, 2020: No later than this date, the state must achieve a 50 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level.

• July 1, 2020: By this date, CalRecycle, in consultation with the Air Resources Board, must analyze the progress that the waste sector, state government, and local governments have made in meeting the organic waste reduction targets for 2020 and 2025. If the Department determines that significant progress has not been made in meeting the targets, CalRecycle may include incentives or additional requirements in the regulations to facilitate progress toward achieving the organic disposal reduction targets. The Department may also recommend to the Legislature revisions to the targets

• January 1, 2022: CalRecycle’s regulations to meet the organic waste reduction targets for 2020 and 2025 take effect and are enforceable on this date.

• January 1, 2024: Effective on this date, the regulations may require local jurisdictions to impose penalties for noncompliance on generators within their jurisdiction.

• January 1, 2025: By this date, the state must achieve a 75 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level. In addition, not less than 20 percent of currently disposed edible food must be recovered for human consumption.

What does this mean for the City of Lynwood?

Because of the requirements set forth by SB 1383, compliance is required from:

• Residents
• Commercial businesses
• Commercial food generators
• Schools
• Government entities

Organic waste in municipal solid waste generally includes the following.

• Food scraps including all solid, semi-solid and liquid food such as fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, bones, poultry, seafood, bread, rice, pasta, tea bags, coffee filters, and oils.
• Food-soiled paper is the uncoated paper that is soiled by food waste such as napkins, paper towels, tea bags, paper plates, coffee filters and other paper and compostable food packaging.
• Yard trimmings include grass clippings, leaves, flowers, hedge clippings, and weeds.  Non-hazardous wood waste includes tree branches, tree trunks, and untreated lumber.

Compliance can be met by subscribing  to an organic waste collection service that either “source-separates” the waste (e.g. separate bins), or transports all unsegregated waste to a facility that recovers 75 percent of the organic content collected from the system. 

For more information on SB 1383 please visit the CalRecycle SB 1383 website at:

https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/climate/slcp

or

Watch a video explaining SB 1383

This Bill amended AB 341 and AB 1826

AB 827 is intended to educate and involve consumers in achieving the state’s recycling goals by requiring businesses subject to MCR and/or MORe to make recycling and/or organic recycling bins available to customers. This law targets businesses that sell products meant for immediate consumption. AB 827 states that businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste must provide their customers with recycling containers that are visible, accessible, and adjacent to each trash container. Details on full-service restaurants versus other types of food establishments are included since full-service restaurants do not have to provide properly labeled containers for patrons, but must provide properly labeled next to trash containers for employees to separate recyclables and organics for customers.

Click the link for more information on Customer Access to Recycling (AB 827). Examples of large and small labels made by CalRecycle can be used for compliance. For any other information, please go to the CalRecycle webpage or contact Jennifer Hernandez in Public Works at (310) 603-0220 ext. 827

State Mandatory Organics Recycling

Starting in 2016, businesses, including commercial or public entities like schools, hospitals, stores, restaurants, industrial businesses, for-profit or nonprofit organizations, residential dwellings with 5+ units[1], and others must recycle their organic waste (food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste) based on the amount of waste the business produces on a weekly basis, with full implementation realized in 2019.

Organics recycling requirements depend on the amount of organic waste generated by the business each week (see chart below). The minimum threshold of organic waste generation by businesses decreases over time, so a larger proportion of the commercial sector will be required to comply in the new organics recycling requirements in the coming years.

Compliance Date	Threshold to arrange for organic waste recycling services
April 1, 2016	Businesses that generate 8 cubic yards of organic waste per week
January 1, 2017	Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week
January 1, 2019	Businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week
Summer/Fall 2021	Businesses that generate 2 cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week[2]

The mandatory commercial organics recycling law (AB 1826) was signed in 2014 to help achieve California’s aggressive recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals. California landfills about 30 million tons of waste each year, of which more than 30% is organic, which could be composted or used to produce renewable energy. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills have been identified as a significant source of emissions contributing to global climate change.

The City of Lynwood-Public Works Department is here to help.

To know if your business is required to recycle organic waste or to learn more about this new law, call Jennifer Hernandez,  at 310-603-0220, ext. 827 or email her at jhernandez@lynwood.ca.us .   We will need the following information from you to determine if your facility is required to comply.

• Number of Part-Time and Full Time Employees______________
• Type of Business _______________________________

[1] Note: Multifamily dwellings are not required to have a food waste diversion program.

2 Takes effect if CalRecycle determines that statewide disposal of organic waste in 2020 has not been reduce by 50% of 2014 levels

[1] Note: Multifamily dwellings are not required to have a food waste diversion program.

[2] Takes effect if CalRecycle determines that statewide disposal of organic waste in 2020 has not been reduce by 50% of 2014 levels

Mandatory Commercial Recycling:

State law requires all businesses and multi-family complexes (5+ units) that generate four (4) or more cubic yards of waste weekly to recycle. This can be accomplished in a few ways:

• Self-haul to a recycling facility;
• Subscribe to a hauler’s recycling service;
• Sell or donate recyclables;
• Subscribe to a recycling service that includes mixed waste processing

The City’s franchised hauler offers recycling services at half the cost of solid waste collection service for the same size container. It may be to your advantage to subscribe to a separate recycling service for paper, plastic, glass, and metals.

Contact Jennifer Hernandez at 310-603-0220 ext. 827 or email her at jhernandez@lynwood.ca.us

You may also contact WRI to order your recycling bin at 1-888-467-7600

USED OIL RECYCLING   

Did you know that used motor oil never wears out? It just gets dirty and can be recycled, cleaned, and used again. Recycling used motor oil conserves a natural resource (oil) and is good for the environment too! Motor oil poured onto the ground or into storm drains, or tossed into trash cans (even in a sealed container) can contaminate and pollute the soil, groundwater, streams, and rivers. Recycling your used motor oil reduces this pollution threat. When you take your used oil to a certified center for recycling, you are protecting the environment, conserving a valuable resource, and getting paid for it. That’s a winning combination!

How Can You Help? You can participate in oil recycling by following these tips: ·         Drain your used oil into a clean container. ·         Do not mix any other materials, including water, with used oil. ·         Take your used oil to a household hazardous waste collection facility or a used oil collection site.

You can pick up your FREE used oil recycling kit at the City of Lynwood Public Works Yard, call (310) 603-0220 ext. 827 for more information

CalRecycle encourages the recycling of used motor oil by certifying used oil recycling collection centers throughout the state.  Certified Used Oil Collection Centers will take used motor oil from the public and will pay you 40¢ a gallon. Most centers will take up to 5 gallons at a time.

There is one catch.  Certified center managers will not accept used motor oil that has been contaminated with other fluids such as antifreeze, solvents, gasoline, or water. So please, don’t mix your used oil with anything. However, if your used oil accidentally gets contaminated, call the Los Angeles County Sanitation Hotline at 1-800-238-0173.

Below is a list of Certified Centers in Lynwood:

Autozone #4147 11833 Atlantic Avenue Lynwood, CA 90262 (901) 495-7217 CalRecycle #: 19-C-10065 Used oil filters accepted	AutoZone #5446 3200 E Imperial Hwy Lynwood, CA 90262 (310) 631-5184 CalRecycle #: 19-C-04821 Used oil filters accepted	AutoZone #5447 10721 Atlantic Ave Lynwood, CA 90262 (310) 638-0209 CalRecycle #: 19-C-04822
AutoZone #5448 3250 Tweedy Blvd Lynwood, CA 90262 (323) 567-4102 CalRecycle #: 19-C-04820 Used oil filters accepted	Jiffy Lube #0358 9901 State St. Lynwood, CA 90262 (323) 566-3797 CalRecycle #: 19-C-06346	O’Reilly Auto Parts #4145 10727 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood, CA 90262 (417) 874-7257 CalRecycle #: 19-C-06374

 

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ELECTRONIC WASTE PROGRAM   

What is Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)?

HHW is any product labeled: toxic, poison, combustible, corrosive, flammable or irritant that is disposed of.  A typical home can contain many household hazardous products for cleaning, painting, beautifying, lubricating and disinfecting the house, yard, and garage.  The health and safety of our families and neighborhoods and environmental is threatened when household hazardous waste is stored or disposed of improperly.

To learn more about HHW please visit the County of Los Angeles Public Works website by clicking on the following link:

http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/hhw/

TEMPORARY COLLECTION EVENTS

The County Sanitation and Los Angeles County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program (HHW) gives County residents a legal and cost-free way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals that cannot be disposed of in the regular trash.  Lynwood residents can come to the County HHW collection events.

Some examples of what you CAN bring to a HHW collection: ·         Motor oil, oil filters, brake fluid ·         Used antifreeze ·         Paint, paint thinner, turpentine ·         Cleaners with acid or lye ·         Pesticides or herbicides ·         Household batteries or car batteries ·         Pool chemicals ·         CRTs, old TVs, misc. electronics ·         Mercury thermometers or thermostats ·         Used Needles or Sharps (In a Sharps container or sturdy box labeled “SHARPS”) ·         Unwanted or expired prescriptions

What you CANNOT bring to a HHW collection: ·         Explosives ·         Ammunition ·         Radioactive Materials ·         Trash ·         Tires ·         Business Waste ·         White Goods (stoves, fridges, etc.) ·         Controlled Substances ·         Biohazardous Waste (blood, urine, etc.)

 

How should you prepare? ·         Bring the items you wish to dispose of in a sturdy box preferably in their original, labeled containers. ·         Do not EVER mix products together. ·         It is ILLEGAL to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste in your personal vehicle. ·         Be prepared to leave your containers. Because of permitting requirements, and the volume of people that utilize the program, items such as gasoline cans WILL NOT be returned.

COLLECTION CENTERS NEAR LYNWOOD&TEMPORARY LOCATIONS AND SCHEDULE

For location of permanent HHW centers and schedule and locations of Temporary HHW Collection Events visit the Sanitation of Los Angeles County website by clicking on the link below:

http://www.lacsd.org/solidwaste/swfacilities/recyclecontact/hhw_e_waste/default.asp
You can also visit the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works website for location of HHW/Electronic Waste Collection Events by clicking on the link below:

 PREVENTING STORMWATER POLLUTION    

Storm Drains are for Rain…

Waterway pollution from nonpoint sources comes mainly from our own backyards. This pollution is caused by rainfall, snowmelt or irrigation moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water.

These pollutants include:

• Oil, grease, toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production
• Sediment from improperly managed construction sites
• Bacteria from pet wastes

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems.

The City of Lynwood is implementing programs to reduce the amount of pollution entering our storm drain system, rivers, and oceans.  We need your help.

Here are some useful tips on how you can help:

• Dog Waste– Don’t leave animal waste laying on the ground. Dog waste washes from the ground and streets into the storm drain and flows straight to the ocean untreated.
• Used Oil– Take your used oil to State-certified used oil collection centers.  Dispose of used oil, antifreeze, paints and other household chemicals properly, not in storm sewers, or drains. Do not hose them into the street where they can eventually reach local rivers.
  
• Household Hazardous Waste – Not properly disposing of household hazardous waste can lead to water pollution. Batteries, electronics, paint, oil, gardening chemicals, cleaners and other hazardous materials cannot be thrown in the trash. They also must never be poured or thrown into yards, sidewalks, driveways, gutters or streets. Visit the following link to know more of upcoming LA County Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Waste Events where you can safely dispose of your Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste https://pw.lacounty.gov/General/eNotifyCalendar/PWCalendar.aspx?cat=13
• Home Improvement – Home improvement projects and work sites must be maintained to ensure that building materials do not enter the street, gutter or storm drain.
• Gardening– Pesticides, fertilizer and yard waste such as leaves and mowed grass wash from the ground and streets into storm drains and flows straight to the ocean-untreated. Do not use fertilizer or pesticides before a rain. Do not over-fertilize and do not use fertilizers or pesticides near ditches, gutters or storm drains. Use pesticides sparingly. When watering your lawn, use the least amount of water possible so it doesn’t run into the street carrying pesticide and other chemicals. Do not blow, sweep, hose or rake leaves, or other yard trimmings into the street, gutter, or storm drain.
• Painting– Clean water-based paint brushes in the sink, rinse oil-based brushes with paint thinner, and take old paint and paint-related products to a household hazardous waste-E-waste collection event. Call 1-888-CLEAN LA or log onto CleanLA.com.
• Pesticide– Never dispose of lawn or garden chemicals in storm drains. This is called illegal dumping. Taken them to a household hazardous waste roundup. Call 1-888-CLEAN LA or log onto CleanLA.com.  
• Sewer – Keep your sewers clean and prevent overflows. As a property owner, you are responsible for keeping your sewer pipes clear of clogs or blockages. 
• Fats, Oils, Grease – Fats, oils and grease solidify the sewer pipes and create blockages. Do not pour waste oil and cooking residue directly into your drain. Instead, place it into a covered container and dispose of it in the trash.
• Pool Care–  Make sure all pool chemicals are dissipated before draining a pool or spa.  Do not drain pools within 5 days of adding chemicals. Never backwash a filter into the street or storm drain.
• Recycle– You can help keep your community clean, protect our area waterways and make the beaches safe for ocean swimmers by putting recyclable plastic, glass and metal where they belong in a recycling container.

For more information on keeping your environment clean:

Call 1-888-Clean LA or log on to www.888.CleanLA.com  or call Public Works Department at 310-603-0220, ext. 500

LOS ANGELES REGIONAL AGENCY (LARA)   

The Los Angeles Regional Agency is an agency approved by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) in January 2004.  The purpose is to assist member cities, including the City of Lynwood to achieve AB 939 recycling goals.  There is a Joint Powers Agreement between member cities to cooperate in implementing recycling and AB 939 related programs.

For more information on LARA please click on the following link:

http://www.laregionalagency.us/

Compost

To learn how to compost, please visit:

https://pw.lacounty.gov/epd/sg/bc.cfm

Waste Resources

For any questions about the City’s exclusive franchise hauler please visit:

https://wasteresources.com/lynwood-residents/

Food Donation Guidelines

To ensure your donation meets industry standards, please verify the following:

• Donated food will be from an approved source such as a restaurant, hotel, food distributor, etc.
• Donated food from individuals should be uncooked and pre-packaged
• The organization receiving food has a public health permit. If the organization does not have a health permit, the food will need to be served and consumed immediately.
• Donated food adheres to proper temperature requirements. Cold foods are required to be stored at 41 ̊F or below and hot foods should be stored 135 ̊F or above.
• Donated food is free of any contamination

More information concerning proper food donation guidelines can be found at the following link: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/docs/WhatsNew/FoodDonations.pdf

Local Food Bank Organizations/Resources

• lafoodbank.org
• foodpantries.org
• feedingamerica.org
• ampleharvest.org

Mattress Recycling

If you have an old mattress you wish to get rid of, you can find a local mattress drop off center near you. More information on recycling your mattress and a drop-off location near you is available at:

https://byebyemattress.com/find-a-facility/

You can also contact  Waste Resources to schedule a pick-up at no cost. To schedule a pick-up please call:

1-888-467-7600

Paint Recycling

Do you have old cans of paint you need to get rid of? Find a facility near you to recycle your used or old can of paint. For more information on paint recycling you can visit:

https://www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states/california/#/everyone

What do I do with my unwanted Bulky Items? 

BULKY HOUSEHOLD WASTE ITEMS COLLECTION

All single-family and multi-family residents living within the City of Lynwood are eligible to receive FREE “Bulky Item” collection service, with a limit of 5 items per collection. Bulky items include items such as furniture, appliances, wood waste, large yard waste, clothing, stereos, televisions, computers, monitors, cell phones, microwaves and other similar products.  Call  1-888-467-7600 to schedule your free pick-up.

Additionally, all bulky items can be taken to county and City clean-up events, see the events tab for more information on the next collection event

How do I properly dispose of sharps?

SHARPS

Hypodermic needles, syringes with needles, lancets and other sharps thrown into household waste present a great risk to sanitation workers, janitors, housekeepers and children-event pets.  Lynwood residents can conveniently and responsibly dispose of needles, lancets and other sharps from homes with mail-back containers in 4 easy steps.

1. Residents call Waste Resources Inc at 1-888-467-7600 to request a free Sharps Kits (includes container, pre-paid postage lable, and a for)
2. Waste Resources will deliver the kit to the residence the following wek.
3. Residents will fill up the container with Sharps
4. Residents mail the containers back for safe disposal by using the pre-paid postage label provided and sign the form included in the inside pocket of the kit.

What is my waste collection schedule?

You can see your waste collection schedule in the link below, and also visit our recycle coach webpage for more information:

http://lynwood.ca.us/public-works/street-sweeping-map-schedule/

When will my Holiday Tree be collected?

HOLIDAY TREE COLLECTION

Holiday trees discarded by residences will be collected beginning December 26 and continuing for 3 weeks for free. Place your holiday tree curbside next to waste carts on your collection day. Trees over 6’ tall must be cut in half and be sure to remove ornaments and stand.

What are the State laws that affect me?

For information on state mandated laws and requirements, please visit the CalRecycle Webpage below.

https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/

How do I get more information on the City of Lynwood’s environmental programs?

You can contact Jennifer Hernandez in Public works at (310) 603-0220 ext. 827

For any questions about the environmental programs in the City of Lynwood, you can contact Jennifer Hernandez at (310) 603-0220 ext. 827