NEW FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING, RECYCLING AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM - Program Will Save $55,000 Each Year for Schools
FOR RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 8
Contact: Beverly James, Manager-Engineer (415) 892-1694
February 8, 2010
Novato Sanitary District is announcing implementation of a new food waste recycling program that decreases trash hauling costs by about $55,000 per year for Novato Unified School District. The program will reduce costs for schools, increase the recycling rate and help the environment.
Currently, Novato schools are paying about $110,000 per year for trash hauling.
This program will immediately cut that in half to about $55,000 per year! The program is being implemented and funded by Novato Sanitary District’s franchise trash hauler Novato Disposal.
"The local schools are really struggling with budgets and this is our way of helping them out during these tough economic times," said Steve McCaffrey, Director of Government Affairs of Novato Disposal.
In addition to the rate reduction offered by Novato Disposal, the Sanitary District will work with Novato Disposal to help the schools kick-start the food composting program and increase overall recycling by working with students, faculty and staff.
“I am thrilled that Novato Sanitary District and Novato Disposal have made this creative cost saving recycling program possible”, said Dr. Jan La Torre-Derby,
Superintendent of the Novato Unified School District. “With the extreme budget pressures we are facing, the $55,000 cost savings will really make a difference”.
To provide an ongoing incentive to increase recycling, the new program will continue to lower the cost of garbage service to the schools for each incremental increase in recycling and decrease in trash volume. The more that the schools recycle and the less trash they create the lower their waste disposal bills will be.
“The school recycling and cost reduction program is a real win/win/win situation, with the public, schools and environment all benefitting. I am proud of the many recycling programs that we have been able to make available to the community through our franchise relationship with Novato Disposal”, commented Mike DiGiorgio, President of the Board of Directors of the Sanitary District.
The program will be developed over time. Initially, it will start by collecting food preparation scraps from cafeterias that will be mixed with green waste, and composted at the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center in Novato. All of the compost from that facility is sold as an ingredient in commercial soil amendments.
Novato Disposal is implementing a similar recycling program in Petaluma City Schools this year.
Mike Di Giorgio and Steve McCaffrey will present the program to the Novato Unified School District School Board of Trustees at its special meeting to be held on Tuesday, February 9at 6:30 p.m. at the Novato Unified School District Offices, 1015 7th Street in Novato.
For more information about the school recycling and waste disposal cost reduction program, please contact Beverly James, Novato Sanitary District General Manager at (415) 892-1694 or by e-mail at info@novatosan.com.