Consumer

Public Invited to Cleanup & Recycling Event

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The community is invited to join “America Recycles Day” on Tuesday, Nov. 15, with a neighborhood cleanup and recycling event, which follows an all day “EnviroFair” for students at LosCoches Creek Middle School in Blossom Valley.

The trash cleanup and recycling effort runs from 3:30 p.m. until sunset at the school at 9669 Dunbar Lane in unincorporated El Cajon. Everyone is welcome, and minors must have a signed permission slip. 

“Countywide, our residents and businesses have achieved a 57 percent recycling rate, and we’re going to work together to make it even higher,” said County Supervisor Dianne Jacob. “We hope East County residents will come out and show their commitment to the neighborhood and the environment on Tuesday for America Recycles Day.”

America Recycles Day is a national program by Keep America Beautiful. It was founded in 1997 to promote environmental citizenship and encourage action.

Las Coches Creek is an apt setting for the East County observation. When the middle school opened in 2005, County staff helped the school establish its campus-wide recycling program, with paper, can and bottle collection in every classroom and bins around campus.

The County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Planning and Recycling section, is sponsoring the school fair and cleanup, with I Love a Clean San Diego organizing.

The school’s EnviroFair is an all-day event, with students cycling through a series of booths, presentations and hands-on activities.

The Solid Waste Planning and Recycling section oversees recycling programs in the county’s unincorporated areas. School and community educational events like this one on Tuesday are an essential part of promoting recycling awareness and compliance with the County’s mandatory recycling ordinance.

Every year, the County funds between 25 and 50 school presentations. Last fiscal year, the Recycling section reached 3,751 students at 25 schools and donated 65 recycling bins.

The County’s recycling efforts include recycling assistance for businesses and multifamily housing. The Recycling section last year helped 90 businesses start recycling programs and over 15,000 residents start recycling, with the County donating 8,205 bins to households and property managers.

The County’s recycling hotline, 1-877-R-1-EARTH (877-713-2784), directs people to recycling centers and answers questions about recycling household and hazardous waste.