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Community Corner

Residents Redouble Their Recycling Efforts

Residents attend recent eco-conscious events

Over the past couple of weeks, Foster City residents have worked hard to do their part to help the environment by spending time at two recent events dedicated to safe recycling. 

Receiving compost derived from their own yard waste and disposing of used electronic waste and personal documents, residents came together to help conserve local resources.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, yard trimmings and food waste account for nearly 25 percent of  waste – around 50 million tons per year. 

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But rather than being trash, organic waste can decompose into dark, earthy compost, which can be mixed with topsoil to add nutrients, improve texture and retain moisture. 

"We don't want to use fertilizer.  Compost is rich and natural," said Foster City resident Sue Xu.   

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Along with a steady stream of other Foster City residents, Xu stopped by Boat Park on Saturday, Sept. 11 to pick up their share of what their yard waste had become: rich, dark compost. 

The event was organized by the city in partnership with RethinkWaste, the South Bayside Waste Management Authority.

The compost was made primarily from leaves, brush and yard waste collected at the curbside and was composted at a local facility. 

Residents came prepared with their own shovels and containers to haul away their bounty.  Each person was allowed to take up to one cubic yard of compost for use in their personal landscaping projects.  

"I'm going to use it on everything from the lawn and the roses to the apple tree," said resident Tom Traub.

In another recent recycling effort, this past Saturday residents attended the Electronic Scrap Recycling and Community Shred Event at the City Hall parking lot, which was arranged by RethinkWaste, e-Recycling and Shred-It, teamed up with the city of Foster City. 

With such quick advances in technology, an increasingly large surplus of unwanted electronics, known as "e-waste," has collected.

This waste contains hazardous materials such as lead and mercury, which pose potential health risks when disposed in landfills. 

To avoid these risks, e-Recycling allowed residents to drop off their e-waste for free at the City Hall Parking lot, to be safely and responsibly recycled. 

Taking advantage of the opportunity, people cleared out their basements and came prepared with their old electronic equipment. 

Attendees included Foster City resident Tammy Shueh, who brought along used radios and Christmas lights, and Tracy Sagara, who dropped off two monitors, a television set and old fluorescent tubes. 

"We take the televisions apart back at our Hayward plant, breaking them down to the base components," said e-Reycling coordinator Frank Karasson. "We shred the miscellaneous items using magnets to separate the metals out from the plastic." 

At the same location, individuals brought confidential and personal documents to be shredded, as a way to prevent consumer fraud and identity theft. 

"It's easier than doing it yourself one sheet at a time," said Foster City resident Betty Moy. "I brought everything to shred, even my junk mail." 

The company Shred-It worked out of their mobile shredding truck, spending the day destroying documents.

"We shred it, take it back to the office to recycle and it becomes other recycled goods," said Shred-It employee Robert Clarkson. "We do it as a service to the community." 

If you missed the event, electronic waste can also be dropped at the San Carlos Transfer Station, 6am to 6pm on weekdays or 8am to 5pm on weekends. 

Don't miss out on the next compost event, which will be held between 8am to 5pm – or until the compost runs out – on Oct. 9 at Boat Park, located at the intersection of Foster City Boulevard and Bounty Drive. 

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