Recycling

Recycling (Blue Bin)

The following items — as long as they are empty, clean and dry — can go into the blue Recycling bins:

Plastic containers (# 1-7)
Metal
Glass
Paper (NOT shiny)
Cardboard. (Large size and large volume cardboard should be disposed at the Corporation Yard. See details below.)

The following items do NOT belong in the blue Recycling bins:

Food scraps
Garbage
Paper towls
Green waste
Wood
Styrofoam
Hot ashes
Hazardous waste
Batteries
Electronics
Shiny paper (i.e. certain magazines, wrapping paper, etc.)
Milk cartons

Organics/Compost (Green Bin)

The following can go into the green Organics/Compost bins:

Yard trimmings
Fruits and vegetables
Dairy products
Breads
Food-soiled paper (including napkins and paper towels)
Meat and seafood (including bones and shells)

The following do NOT belong in the green Organics/Compost bins:

Plastic
Glass
Metal
Pet Waste
Diapers

Helpful tips when recycling your food scraps:

Empty food scraps into your organics cart every few days to prevent flies.
Cover food scraps with yard trimmings in your cart to avoid pests and odors.
Line kitchen pail with paper towels or newspaper to help keep your pail clean. The liner paper can be composted with the food scraps and yard clippings!
Use paper bags or certified compostable bags to keep the carts clean. Purchase compostable bags with the “Compostable: BPI—Meets ASTM 6400 Standard” label on the packaging.
Please only place organic items in the green organics cart. More information about acceptable items is on the front of your food scraps pail and in the service guide.
Prescription Drop off

Prescriptions

In an effort to assist residents in disposing of expired or unwanted medicines in an environmentally safe way, the Golden Rain Foundation has enlisted the help of At Your Door Special Collection, in creating and maintaining a drop-off collection box.

At Your Door Special Collection retrieves the medications on a regular basis and destroys them. Do not dispose of medicines in the toilet or sink. Medicines in wastewater cannot be removed by treatment plants, and directly enter the environment.

The prescription drug drop-off box is a yellow, tamper-proof box which is identified as a drop-off location for medications no longer needed. The box is located at Gateway between the Library and the Oak Room. The yellow box is only for prescription and over-the-counter medicine and vitamins in pill or capsule form. Liquid medications and needles cannot be put in the box. Pills can be left in their original prescription bottles.

Sharps Disposal

Used medical needles (sharps) cannot be placed in household garbage. Sharps can be disposed of in the red box at Gateway located in the lobby by the main parking lot near the Library and the Oak Room. It is next to the yellow drug disposal box. Only dispose of sharps in a sealed container designed for needles, follow the instructions on the box.

Corporation Yard/Dumpster Site Recycling

The corporation yard/dumpster site is located at the entrance to Mutual Operations on Rockview Drive. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. All eight of the recycling bins in the Corporation Yard, at 800 Rockview Drive, hold only recyclable material. There is no household garbage disposal in these bins. The “green- waste-only” bins are for 100 percent recyclable material. This material includes grass cuttings and tree and shrub trimmings from within the Rossmoor community. Wood products, such as plywood siding, decking and tree logs go in the two “wood-recycle-only” bins. The city requirement is that these bins contain at least 50 percent recyclable material.

Construction and demolition materials go in the final three bins. The requirement is that 90 percent of what goes into the construction material bins be recyclable. Dirt contaminates the recyclables and may not be put in these bins. In addition, Mutual Operations has another bin outside the corporation yard where all co-op appliances and water heaters are recycled.

To ensure that only the proper recyclables go into the bins, Mutual Operations has an employee on-site during hours of operation who monitors people going through the corporation yard gate, and keeps a log of everything that is dumped, including waste from contractors. Monitoring is necessary because Rossmoor has to provide documentation to the City of Walnut Creek that it is doing at least 50 percent recycling-permitted jobs. This recycling requirement does not apply to household garbage dumped by residents in their neighborhoods.

As a result of this extensive monitoring, residents are restricted as to what can be dropped off at the site. No household garbage is allowed — as it contaminates the recyclables. Household garbage should only be placed in the dumpsters at the entries or in the single-family garbage bins. Mattresses and electronics are not allowed. Mattresses must be taken to an outside dump site, such as Acme Landfill in Martinez. Some furniture items may be dumped in the construction and demolition bins, but an entire manor of furniture may not be left at the yard — there is not adequate room in the dumpsters. If an entire household is cleaned out, those materials must be taken to an outside dump site.

Electronics and appliance waste

Rapid Recycle offers pickup service on Mondays. To schedule a pickup, residents must call 925-671-9008, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

A minimum of 10 appointments a day is required for the truck and a technician to come to Rossmoor.

Items picked up include computers, TVs, refrigerators, washers, microwaves, printers and more. The rule of thumb for e-waste is if it has a cord or needs a battery, the company will take it.

Some items have a fee for handling and recycling, which must be paid by the resident at the time of scheduling. The recycle rates are:

Refrigerator/Freezer ($45)
Air Conditioners ($45)
Washer, Dryer or Dishwasher ($22)
Projection, DLP & Plasma TVs ($22)
Stove, Range or Oven ($22)
Microwave ($15)
Cooktop or Water Heater ($15)

The company also accepts small items made predominately of some type of metal, such as small tables, chairs and tools. It does not accept aluminum cans for recycling.

Hazardous Waste

For all hazardous wastes, use the Free County Facility at 4797 Imhoff Place, Martinez. It is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Hours are subject to change.) Call 1-800-646-1431. Photo I.D is required.