Mid Valley Disposal reports contamination study results, names Juliana's Bakery Recycler of the Year

Mid Valley Disposal staff presented the company’s 2024 outreach and contamination-monitoring results to the Los Banos City Council on Feb. 9 and announced Juliana's Bakery as the city’s 2024 Recycler of the Year.

Billy Hanson, Mid Valley’s recycling programs manager, said outreach in Los Banos included school presentations, a binational backpack giveaway event, career-day visits and community festivals. Recycling coordinator Theresa (on staff since service began) completed more than 460 site visits in the city; the company distributed more than 95,000 pieces of educational material.

Because of statewide SB 1383 requirements for organic recycling and edible food recovery, Mid Valley performed contamination monitoring across 93 routes in Los Banos (a 5% sampling of containers on each route). The audit showed the recycling stream had the highest confusion (notably film plastics and bagged recyclables). Organics contamination was commonly caused by plastic bags (people bagging yard waste) and occasional pet waste (which is not allowed in organics). Mid Valley said compostable/“biobags” are not acceptable in the city’s permitted organics processing chain and recommended paper bags or countertop pails for food waste.

To incentivize better sorting, Mid Valley flagged high-performing containers with a “good job” tag and delivered countertop food-waste pails as a reward. Hanson said the contamination study will be repeated annually and that crews will return to Los Banos for another study in a few weeks.

Juliana's Bakery was recognized for switching container sizing, separating food waste, adopting organics collection and reducing contamination. The company will receive an award the company will receive an award delivered by Mid Valley staff.

Ending: The presentation was informational only; no council action was required.