RecycleSmart

06/19/2026

How are we doing? RecycleSmart conducted a waste sorting study at Republic Services Transfer Station in Martinez last fall to see how our sorting is going at home. Here are our green cart findings! Single family homes are doing great with yard trimmings! Now we need to put our food scraps in the green organics cart 🍌

Check out what we saw in the blue recycling carts and black landfill carts in our newest RecycleSmart newsletter: www.recyclesmart.org/newsletter-spring-2026

06/16/2026

Do you know an individual, nonprofit, government program, school, or business that deserves to be recognized for its good work? Nominations for the Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Award are now open and will close on July 3rd, 2026. Nominating is fast and easy, but don’t miss the deadline!

The awards will be presented at the 18th Annual Sustainability Awards Event on September 16, 2026.

All the details are here: https://sustainablecoco.org/sustainability-awards/

06/11/2026

The Sustainability Division at the City of Walnut Creek - City Hall is hiring! ♻️💧⚡️☀️

The City of Walnut Creek is hiring: Office Assistant I – City Clerk’s Office & Sustainability Division
We’re excited to announce a full-time career opportunity for an Office Assistant I to join the City Manager’s Office, supporting both the City Clerk’s Office and the Sustainability Division. This teammate will contribute to vital civic functions, public transparency, and the City’s environmental and climate action initiatives.
Salary Range: $64,147- $76,661 annually (as of July 1, 2026)
Application Deadline: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST (apply ASAP, recruitment may close sooner!)
What’s great about this opportunity:
-Support meaningful efforts in both civic administration and environmental sustainability as part of two close‑knit, mission‑driven teams.
-Serve the community by responding to public inquiries and supporting transparent, accessible local government.
-Enjoy the stability and reliability of a public‑sector career in the heart of vibrant downtown Walnut Creek.
Apply now: www.walnutcreekca.gov/careers

06/11/2026

Litter cleanup day coming up! 📆 🥤🦝

Help keep Walnut Creek beautiful!

Local volunteer organization The Cleanup Crew is hosting a community litter cleanup in Walnut Creek and Alamo on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Volunteers will meet at the Rudgear Park & Ride Lot at 8:30 a.m. and spend approximately 90 minutes helping remove litter from public spaces.

Participants are encouraged to bring gardening gloves if they have them, though extras will be available.

Learn more and RSVP directly with the event organizer at: https://f.mtr.cool/imzqswzxzb 🌳

06/05/2026

Don't toss it - repair it! Do you have a shirt at home missing a button or a kitchen appliance that you haven't gotten rid of because you always wanted to fix it? Come on down to our Repair Cafe on June 28 in Danville and we'll try fixing it - for free! All residents in the RecycleSmart service area are welcome to participate 🔧 👕 🪡

06/03/2026

You’re probably familiar with the camping philosophy “Leave No Trace,” which offers guidance on how to keep wilderness areas unspoiled. But there are ways to “Leave No Trace” as we prepare for our trips here at home, too! Check out our newest summer camping tips to prevent and reduce waste in our newsletter hitting mailboxes now: https://www.recyclesmart.org/newsletter-spring-2026

05/14/2026

Republic Services and RecycleSmart visited the Lafayette Community Garden today to talk about what goes where - proper sorting in your green and blue carts, and the importance of putting food scraps in the green organics cart to reduce climate impacts. Thanks for having us!

Love Lafayette 🌼 🐓 ♻️ 🌱 🚮 🪱

05/07/2026

We're taking the guessing out of sorting. Text our Hello Recycling Bin Bot any time of day. We'll let you know if the item goes into recycle, organics, or landfill, with a simple text! 📲 ♻️ 🌱 🚮

04/10/2026

Batteries are a major fire risk that can ignite in carts and bins, trucks, or at local processing facilities. We’re seeing fires like we never have before. Please tape the ends of lithium batteries and recycle batteries properly. Batteries should never be placed in recycling and trash bins, and require special handling.

RecycleSmart provides FREE and convenient disposal programs for batteries: www.recyclesmart.org/hhw

03/12/2026

RecycleSmart is receiving questions from the community about how to dispose of FasTrak toll tags.

FasTrak may have sent some customers notice recently that they may be retiring some older toll tags. It was confirmed by FasTrak that these tags have an embedded battery. Due to the embedded battery, these toll tags should not go in your curbside carts/bins (not even trash). Batteries present fire risk and other hazards.

FasTrak stated customers can:
- take the toll tag to their local Post Office
- contact FasTrak to request a free return envelope
- dispose as e-waste

Please call FasTrak with questions.