Did you know that in 2019, 42.2 million tons of material from California were disposed in out-of-state and in-state landfills? Though the state of California is often heralded as a leader in environmentally friendly and sustainable policies and legislation, there are still several serious problems when it comes to our collective ecological footprint.

For example, we have a per resident disposal rate of 6.7 pounds per resident per day. This means that the average Californian throws away around 50 percent more waste each day than the average citizen of the United States. Though our recycling rate of 37 percent is also significantly higher than the national average, our stated goal was to achieve a 75 percent recycling goal by 2020. Due to our inability to reduce the amount of trash we produce and to increase our overall recycling rate, many of the regional landfills across California are quickly filling up and a landfill scarcity crisis is looming.

Due to these issues, in recent years the California state legislature has passed important laws such as SB 1383 and SB 1335 in an attempt to reduce waste and build new markets for recycled materials. Though improved policies and legislation can certainly play a role in reducing our waste footprint, there are steps that all of us can take to quickly reduce the amount of trash that we are sending to the landfill. Below, we offer three tips for how individuals, homeowners, business owners, and other residents of Pasadena can deal with their waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

Junk Removal Pasadena Tip #1: Separate your Organic Waste

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the estimated 35.3 million tons of wasted food that went to landfills in 2018 represents 24.1 percent of all municipal solid waste that is landfilled. When you factor in yard waste and other sources of organic waste, over a third of the items that get sent to the landfill are organic waste that we could easily divert from the landfill.

Organic waste such as kitchen scraps, fallen leaves, grass clippings, and wasted food are one of the main culprits in the growing methane gas emissions that emanate from landfills. When organic waste slowly decomposes in a landfill setting, it releases an enormous amount of methane gas, which is one of the most potent and dangerous greenhouse gasses.

For this reason, California State Law SB 1383 was signed into law in 2016 with the goal of reducing short-lived climate pollutants such as methane emissions created by organic waste. This landmark bill mandates that every city (including Pasadena) provide organics collection services and requires residents and businesses to divert organic waste from landfills. SB 1383 objectives include achieving a 75 percent reduction in disposal of organic waste by 2025.

In practical terms, residents of Pasadena can help this initiative by dutifully separating all of their organic waste into the proper bins for recycling. Furthermore, if you have space in a backyard, you can even consider starting up a backyard compost pile that will turn your kitchen scraps and leftover meals into rich compost that can be later applied to your garden and other areas of the landscape around your home.

For larger sources of organic waste such as those dozens of bagged leaves that get bagged up every year, you can also consider hiring Junk King of Los Angeles. Our junk removal professionals can help you get rid of all of your yard waste, including downed tree limbs, grass clippings, bagged leaves, and more. We also are committed to working with the citywide composting operations in order to ensure that your sources of organic waste are properly diverted from the landfill as outlined by the above-mentioned state initiatives.

Junk Removal Pasadena Tip #2: Don’t “Wish-Cycle”

Wish-cycling occurs when residents of Pasadena put something in the recycling bin and hoping it will be recycled, even if there is little evidence to confirm this assumption. For example, the vast majority of the plastic items that we put into the recycle bin are eventually either landfilled or incinerated. In recent years, China and other Asian countries have essentially stopped receiving most types of plastic recyclable items. Because of these bans, most plastics that get sent into the recycle bin are never recycled but are rather sent straight to the dump.

Furthermore, when people improperly put items into the recycling bin, this can cause serious problems for the recycling company. One way to do your part is to learn what items can and cannot be recycled and to take the time to properly separate your trash into the proper bins. For example, dirty diapers will never be recycled and should definitely be kept out of your blue or green bins.

For bulky junk items such as hot tubs, couches, and large appliances, these items generally need to be taken apart before they can be used by recyclers. If you don’t like the idea of breaking down your old hot tub for recycling, you can hire Junk King of Los Angeles. We know the best way to recycle virtually every type of junk item, and we can ensure that your bulky junk items get sent to the correct recycling organizations in order to keep them out of the landfill.

Junk Removal Pasadena Tip #3: Find the Best Junk Removal Company for all your Junk Removal Needs

For individuals, homeowners, business owners, and other residents of Pasadena, another great way to cut back on your waste footprint is to only work with the greenest junk removal professionals on the market.

Here at Junk King of Los Angeles, we are proud to say that we either recycle, donate, or otherwise repurpose at least 60 percent of the junk items that we haul away. After years of being the leading and top-rated junk removal company in Southern California, we have developed a huge network of relationships with thrift stores, recycling businesses, charities, and other donation centers to ensure that all of your junk items get a chance to either be donated, repurposed, or recycled.

Furthermore, when you hire Junk King of Los Angeles for your bulky junk item removal, our professional junk removal technicians will do all of the heavy lifting and hauling. You simply have to tell us what you want removed from your home or business and where it is located, and we’ll do the rest for you!

Another great thing about using pros like Junk King as opposed to day laborers is that you can depend on us to treat your home or business with the utmost respect. As the leading junk removal service in the region, the Junk King Los Angeles team will be licensed and insured, which could make a huge difference in case something should go awry like a scuffed-up hardwood floor or damage to a wall. Whereas other junk removal services might leave you to deal with any mess and damage that occurs, our trained professionals will most likely not cause any damage in the first place. If something were to occur, however, we most certainly will respond as quickly as possible.

We also make it incredibly easy for our customers to get a fair and transparent price estimate. We are also committed to working around your availability so that you don’t have to miss a day of work just so to get rid of that old couch, refrigerator, or any other type of bulky junk that is taking up space in your garage. Providing our customers with “fair and transparent” pricing is one of the hallmarks of our company and we offer four convenient ways for homeowners to find out how much their junk removal needs will cost.

If you need to get rid of some junk lying around your home or business, give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK, text a photo to 1-737-888-5865, or book an appointment online to save $20 on orders totaling more than $99. Junk King continues to offer free, on-site written estimates, which is still the best way for us to give you our lowest pricing possible.