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Republic Services cites big jump in composting use, awards three sustainability scholarships to local seniors
Summary
Republic Services told the Citrus Heights City Council that city diversion rates exceed contract minimums and backyard compost pickup grew 383% year over year; the company also awarded three $1,000 sustainability scholarships to San Juan Unified seniors.
Megan Smith Fajardo, Republic Services’ sustainability advisor, told the Citrus Heights City Council on May 27 that the city’s material diversion is trending above the contractual 40% minimum and that backyard compost pickup had increased by 383% year over year.
“At three residential compost sites in the city and seasonal pickup at City Hall, we’ve seen residents dramatically increase composting,” Smith Fajardo said, summarizing outreach, school curriculum partnerships and the company’s contamination-auditor Super Sorter incentive program.
Republic Services reviewed recent operations investments that it said are intended to increase diversion: acquisition and upgrades at a North Highlands material recovery facility (new control panels, metering bin, robots on sorting lines) and acquisition of an anaerobic digester where the company reported cleaning a settling lagoon and removing about 3,000 yards of digestate. The presenter said those changes, combined with education and curbside services, support higher diversion rates.
The company also described its community engagement work in Citrus Heights: bulky-waste cleanups, additional leaf pickup, curbside motor-oil and battery collection, indoor/outdoor event support, a student poster contest for the service guide, and volunteer days at community gardens and nonprofits.
Colleen Cadwalader, executive director of the San Juan Education Foundation, joined Republic Services to present three $1,000 sustainability scholarships to local seniors: Madison Martin (Mesa Verde High School, plans to study environmental law at Lewis & Clark College), Jonathan King (Mesa Verde High School, San Diego State University), and Lucas McCaskill (Bella Vista High School, future California State University student interested in ocean science).
During council Q&A, members asked whether Republic Services participates in producer-responsibility lobbying or partnership efforts to change packaging and product design. A company representative said Republic Services works with industry and legislative partners and noted producer-responsibility legislation is being developed to shift costs and incentives to manufacturers, encouraging more recyclable product design.
The council thanked the students and the company for the report and the scholarship awards. The presentation concluded with recognition photos and no follow-up action required.
