Dive Brief:
- Los Angeles is in the midst of dividing waste collection into different territories, aka trash franchise zones. The changes reflect a new approach to expanding the city's recycling services.
- 15 haulers have submitted bids to the city, which will analyze the proposals before handing them over to the Board of Public Works for approval. The LA City Council will then receive the bids before transferring them to Mayor Eric Garcetti. City officials expect the new contractors to begin collection services by 2017.
- The plan calls for private firms to expand recycling services to businesses and apartment buildings with four or more units. Municipal haulers will handle waste collections at single-family residences and apartments with less than four units.
Dive Insight:
The selected haulers will provide solid waste, recycling, and organic pick-up services in their respective zones.
“The primary objectives of this process are to ensure the franchise system contributes to the city’s environmental and stainability [sic] efforts; identify processes to increase the city’s recycling rate and landfill diversion rates in order to achieve zero waste by 2025, and identify contractors to provide the highest level of customer service and satisfaction,” read a statement by the Bureau of Sanitation.
Opponents of the plan are worried that the exclusive contracts will force smaller haulers out of business. Others cite the possibility of unnecessary rate increases as a by-product of the franchise zones.
