If Elk Grove residents get upset about fence regulations, wait until the city starts inspecting garbage cans for organic waste

This weekend, the city of Elk Grove used social media to discuss fence regulations. Although the city’s efforts to communicate information are commendable, they don’t always go as well as intended.

Such was the case with fence regulations. The city posted the information on Facebook and Instagram.

While the comments on Facebook were relatively mild, there were some pointed responses on Instagram.

Here are a few of those comments.

As often happens, some people took the opportunity to comment on other bothersome city actions or inactions, as evidenced by this comment.

It should be noted, the Instagram post had 75 likes indicating most people support strict enforcement of city regulations.

While the negative comments are certainly revealing, for the 75 people who liked the post, a coming enforcement action might surprise many of these supporters. It has to do with garbage can inspection, specifically the organic garbage cans distributed statewide pursuant to Senate Bill 1383.

A visual check of your neighborhood might show that many households have not embraced the organic garbage recycling program for various reasons. Aside from lawn clippings, how many people diligently separate orange rinds, banana peels, or other food waste from regular garbage to place in their organic garbage cans?

Furthermore, how do garbage customers know if the organic waste is even being turned into the promised compost? As several mainstream media outlets have recently reported, consumers have been lied to about plastic recycling for decades, most of which ends up in landfills.

As reported by PBS, research found that worldwide, no more than six percent of plastic that enters the recycling system is recycled. See the NewsHour video report below and read the NPR report for more information on fraud perpetrated on conscientious consumers.

This leads to the city of Elk Grove’s garbage inspections to see if residents are placing food waste in garbage cans. Over a year ago, Elk Grove city manager Jason Behrmann reported that the city’s contracted garbage collector, Republic Services, is already inspecting garbage for compliance.

“At some point in the future, there will be more enforcement, and this is [a] requirement of the state,” Behrmann told Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her city council on January 25, 2023 (see first video below).

So, as residents support the city’s fence regulation enforcement, we can’t help but wonder how residents will react when they are fined for mixing their organic garbage with regular refuse.

Photo above by Denise Nys via Pexels