The SF Examiner recently ran a piece stating that SF Dept of the Environment would like to move to eliminating the black bin, leaving only the blue (recycling) and green (compost) bins for residences. http://www.sfexaminer.com/sf-moves-phase-residential-garbage-bins/
That day is some ways off, but in the meantime, there have been changes in what should be kept out of the black bin, and go into the blue or green bin. The list of acceptable blue-bin items in particular has got very long. New additions not everyone knows about below (and this is far from a full list, click here for that):
- Soy-milk type containers or other box-type milks or soups, that aren’t refrigerated when you buy them (UHT/tetrapack-type). Blue bin.
- Fabric, textiles, clothing not fit to donate — put into clear bag and into blue bin. No shoes or belts.
- Metal — basically anything metal and not full of some substance. Blue bin.
- Hard plastic — basically anything, including old CDs and DVDs and plastic pens! Blue bin.
- Soft plastic — plastic bags and plastic wrap — bundle into one bag and put into blue bin. Includes bubble wrap, outside wrappers of paper towels, toilet paper, etc, and those air-bags that come with delivered boxes. And more, see link below.
- Wood pieces — like chopsticks and unpainted scraps. Green bin.
- Pizza boxes — clean ones in the blue bin, greasy ones in the green bin.
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association 