Thanks to your recycling efforts, Long Beach is tied for number one in Solid Waste Diversion among the 50 largest cities across the United States. In Long Beach, 62 percent of the City's waste is diverted from landfills through recycling, reuse and waste reduction programs. SustainLane, an on-line media company which prepares a nationwide annual benchmark study on urban sustainability, prepared the 2006 rankings.

The City hopes to increase its diversion rate beyond the current 62 percent by expanding the types of recyclables accepted through its recycling program. Previously, plastics marked with category numbers 1 - 4 were accepted. Now, the residential recycling program accepts all plastics marked with category numbers 5 - 7, which include items such as catsup bottles, yogurt containers, margarine tubs, medicine bottles, egg cartons, aspirin bottles and rigid polystyrene.Styrofoam will not be accepted.

The Environmental Services Bureau thanks the residents and businesses of Long Beach for creating a successful program through your continued recycling efforts.

This article was taken from the June/July 2007 edition of the Wave. View this issue by clicking here.