REDUCE and REUSE what you can, then recycle.

Recycling is the last step after reduce and reuse. Buy quality products and repair items instead of buying new. Or, give items to an organization that can refurnish, repurpose and resell them, as Freecycle.org, Last Chance Mercantile or other reuse stores.

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Get the WHAT GOES WHERE App!
For iOS and Android, What Goes Where App is Monterey County’s guide to help you determine how to recycle everyday materials. Plastic containers, pizza boxes, coffee cups, bags, paint – the app will guide you to curbside programs and nearby drop-off locations to maximize reuse and recycling options. Play the What Goes Where Sorting Game to learn how to separate materials in your carts! Get this informative and helpful app today!

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RECYCLING GUIDES & signage
Residential Guide


Commercial Guide


Solid Waste Container Signage
  

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How to start a recycling program at your school
Contact us at (831) 646-5662 and we can set up an audit of your facility and help you design a program tailored to your school.

• Commit To Recycling – A recycling program needs approval and support from those at the top. And that means support by the school principal, staff and students or by Owners or top management.
• Recycling Coordinator – A Recycling Coordinator is vital to the success of the recycling program. The Recycling Coordinator should be someone who is enthusiastic and has good communication and organizational skills. The Recycling Coordinator serves as the point-of-contact between the organization and the waste hauler.
• Determine what you are going to be collecting, how and where – Are you going to be collecting just bottles and cans, or all recyclable materials. Make sure to communicate this fact to your classmates and/or office mates. Designate a specific location for each type of recycling container and require that containers be returned to its designated location after emptying. Always place recycling bins next to trash containers, otherwise recycling containers will have higher contamination. Explain to staff and students how to keep recyclables separate from waste, and where various containers are located.
• Plan how the recyclable will be moved from inside collection containers to the outside dumpster – Each organization is responsible for collecting recyclables from inside their building and placing them in the external recycling dumpster. Determine who (custodian staff, student club, etc.) will collect recyclables from the inside containers, and how and when collection will take place. Monterey City Disposal (or your local waste hauler) will pickup the recyclables from the external recycling container and transporting them to the Recycling Facility.
• Involve, train and motivate – Involve as many staff & custodial service representatives as possible. Distribute clear and easy-to-follow guidelines on what can and cannot be recycled. Where possible, provide incentives such as office and/or classroom competitions or integrate recycling into office and classroom curriculum, staff meetings or vendor contracts. Publicize the program's success.
• Monitor your Recycling Program – Monitor trash and recycling containers to ensure that recyclables are being placed in the recycling dumpster and not the trash dumpster. Also, check to ensure that trash is NOT going into the recycling containers.
• Buy recycled! – Purchase items that are recyclable and that have a recycled material content. Eliminate the use of disposables whenever possible. Remember you are not closing the loop on recycling unless you buy recycled materials again.

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the goal of zero waste
"If you are not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?"  - Gary Liss, Founder, National Recycling Coalition

Getting to Zero Waste means reducing consumption. The concept of Zero Waste is an end goal but with a caveat. The goal is to truly reduce total waste generation to zero, but the reality is average organization (Business, school, home, or city) attempting "Zero Waste" achieve approximately 90% diversion. The process entails the analysis of your total waste generation, then redesigning your business process to design the waste out. If you know that at the end you have large portions of X, then go upstream and change your process to eliminate all the residual of X. Design for obsolescence.

Reduce Food Waste

• Reduce food waste and help food insecure families by donating edible food. The list of local organizations accepting donations can be found on our Edible Food Recovery page. Please refer to the organization's website, or contact them directly, for information on accepted donations and any specified collection days prior to drop off.
• Utilize ingredients to their full extent. For example, vegetable scraps can be used to make vegetable stock.
• Shop your fridge before making a trip to the store. 
• Understand date labels. Learn the difference between "best by" and "use by" dates on packaging.
• Store food properly. Store produce correctly to maximize its shelf life. If an item in your household has been over-purchased, freeze it if possible.

More information on waste reduction:

• Choose to Reuse Single Use Carry Out Bags
• Environmentally-Friendly Food Packaging
• Organic Waste Recycling Program

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Facts