Alameda Co. To Fine Businesses, Multi-Family Property Owners Who Don't Recycle
ALAMEDA (CBS SF) – Business and property owners in Alameda County who don't recycle their waste may soon be receiving hefty fines.
The Alameda County Waste Management Authority will begin issuing fines for the first time to businesses and multi-family property owners who are in violation of the county's mandatory recycling ordinance, waste authority officials said last week.
The law, which requires businesses and multi-family property owners to have an adequate recycling collection service and separate recyclable and organic materials into the correct containers, went into effect in 2012, waste authority officials said.
So far, over 100 citation notices have been issued to violators of the ordinance. Businesses and properties that received the notices and have not taken corrective measures are facing the fines, according to waste authority officials.
Fines will vary from $100 for a single violation to $400, depending on the number and type of violations, waste authority officials said.
"The Mandatory Recycling Ordinance has been in place for almost three years, and the primary goal of the Authority has been education," enforcement officer for the waste authority Brian Mathews said in a statement.
"We are now only issuing the first citations. The cities, hauler and Authority have given businesses and multi-family property owners ample time to comply or seek assistance, before issuing citations," Mathews said.
All citations issued by the waste authority will be reviewed and approved by staff in the city of unincorporated county area where the business of multi-family building is located. In addition, fine recipients will get a 30-day appeal period to contest the citation, according to waste authority officials.
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