Montebello contractor to deliver 96-gallon blue recycling carts to households; curbside collection begins week of April 28

Athens Services told the Montebello City Council that every household will receive a 96-gallon blue recycling container delivered curbside between April 14 and April 25, and curbside recycling collection from those containers will begin the week of April 28.

Vicky Martinez Muela, vice president of government affairs for Athens Services, said residents will receive a multilingual mailer with a recycling guide and frequently asked questions. Athens advised residents to place the new blue container at the curb on their regular collection day beginning the week of April 28 and reiterated the city’s three-container system: black for trash, blue for recycling and green for organics.

Athens staff reviewed acceptable and prohibited materials and said lids will be hot-stamped with labels to reduce contamination. The company emphasized that organic waste (green container) should not include cactus or palm fronds because those materials are fibrous and can damage organics processing equipment; the company suggested those items be disposed of as trash and offered outreach to explain options for bulky or hazardous items.

Council members praised the multilingual materials and the decision to provide large carts, and asked for clarification on whether the existing black and green carts would be replaced; Athens said the blue cart is an additional container and the existing black and green carts remain in service. The presentation was informational; there was no vote on the item.