LOS ANGELES, Calif.–Angelenos may now recycle food and beverage containers under an expansion of the city’s curbside recycling program announced today by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The new rules allow residents to recycle milk and juice cartons and soup, soy milk and box wine containers.
“Los Angeles continues to be a national leader and environmental steward,” Villaraigosa said.
“The partnership with the Carton Council ensures that liquid food and beverage cartons are not left to the landfills, but are recycled in the most responsible and efficient way possible.”
The mayor said the expansion of the recycling program will come at no extra cost to taxpayers.
He said the program will also help the city get closer to his goal of diverting 70 percent of the city’s solid waste from landfills by 2013. The city currently recycles about 65 percent of its 10.1 million tons of solid waste per year.
The new carton recycling is expected to keep another 430 tons of garbage out of landfills each year.
The Carton Council is helping the city divert the cartons to paper mills, where they will be recycled into paper products and building materials.
“We commend the city of Los Angeles for setting an example for cities across the nation to recycle cartons and keep them out of landfills,” Carton Council vice president of recycling Jeff Fielkow said.
For more information visit Carton Council.
