Solid Waste Frequently Asked Questions
Many of our Frequently Ask Questions are from the new column in our newsletter called "Dear Abbie". We are so lucky to have our Climate Corps Intern with us this year, working on our compost program and more. She answers your questions weekly and then we are archiving them here.
Abbie's email is climate@tamcsd.org please email her with any and all waste questions! She will respond directly to you and it is possible your question will be featured in the newsletter to help educate other residents.
How can I prevent my compost bin from being smelly and gross?
There are several ways to reduce the ick factor associated with separating your food scraps.
Personally, an issue I experienced was flies and gnats gathering around my compost pail. Since this kept happening, I made space in my freezer for my compost pail. Now my scraps have no odor, and I simply remove them from the freezer and throw them into my green waste bin.
Another strategy is to line your pail with brown matter. Cardboard, paper bags, and newspaper are all examples of brown matter. If you line the bottom of your pail, it reduces the mess that is left when you transfer your scraps to your green waste bin.
You can also line your green waste bin! If you are worried about food scraps decomposing in your bin, line the bottom with cardboard. As you fill your bin with food scraps throughout the week, you can continue to add brown matter. This includes your dry yard scraps, like leaves or branches. Having it incorporated throughout your bin helps to reduce the mess.
Finally, you can sprinkle both your kitchen pail and green bin with baking soda to absorb any odors.
How you can help make the drivers' jobs safer?
Every day, our community disposes of its waste in the trash, recycling, or compost bins. we rely on the hardworking people in teh waste management industry to keep our community clean. TCSD serves over 400 homes per day. Here is how we, as community members, can make small changes to make their jobs safer and more efficient.
Where does it go?
What if there is food in a plastic container? Can I put a milk carton in the green bins? Check out this helpful guide so help answer some of your questions about how to sort,
