by Mark Tarses
GARBAGE CANS
Do not leave garbage in bags on the ground, next to the garbage can, or sitting on top of the can. Garbage collectors will only pick up garbage that is in the can. Bagged garbage left on the ground attracts mice, rats, and stray dogs!
Put your garbage cans and recycling bins away as soon as the trash is picked up. Otherwise, passers-by will use them as public trash cans or they will be stolen or vandalized.
When putting plastic bottles or juice containers in the garbage can, take off the caps first! Plastic bottles with the caps on take up a huge amount of space in garbage cans because they cannot be compressed.
Prohibited items. Never put the following items in your garbage can: chemicals, used motor oil, anti freeze, pesticides, or liquid paint.
RECYCLING BINS.
Use your recycling bins! When tenants tell me that they need a bigger garbage can, I invariably find that a lot of the stuff that they are putting in their garbage can could and should be going into their recycling bins instead.
Do not put any of the following items in your recycling bins:
Can and bottles with food or beverages still inside.
Sharp objects, like broken glass and can lids with sharp edges.
Loose paper & newspapers. The wind blows this stuff all over the place. Paper must be put in paper bags or boxes or tied up with string.
Laundry detergent boxes and detergent bottles. They cannot be recycled.
Do not stack bottles and cans in the recycling bin above the rim. When they fall out, bottles break, and it makes a mess. If you need more recycling bins, you can get more of them at no cost from the city of Berkeley or Oakland