Santa Barbara residents will receive new trash bins beginning in the spring as the city aligns with state laws regarding bin colors.
Beginning in February, MarBorg Industries will be replacing the brown containers with new gray ones. It also will replace round trash cans that some residents have been using with wheeled cans, which will allow for some automated trash collection.
According to Liz Smith, community engagement supervisor for the City of Santa Barbara, the gray trash cans will match standards established by Senate Bill 1383.
"Santa Barbara separates out organics from our trash. They're just trying to kind of streamline it across the state," Smith said. "We're a little bit different in that at the (Tajiguas Landfill) Resource Center, organics are separated out. Whereas in other communities, you know, they have a separate bin for those."
Smith added that houses or complexes with round canisters also will receive new containers, but that will be later in the spring.
"Everybody will be on wheels," Smith said.
The new bins also will come with changes to how trash is picked up. Beginning July 1, MarBorg will begin automated trash pickup, and residents will be required to place their containers at the curb.
That change will include customers who were not previously required to take their trash to the curb for service.
In-place pickup will be available for an additional fee, and there will be waivers for elderly and disabled customers. Anyone who wants to apply for those waivers can reach out to MarBorg directly, according to Smith.
More information about the timeline of the replacements and other changes will be available for the public to view and comment on during a Jan. 29 workshop. MarBorg will also be doing more direct outreach to the public in the coming months, according to Smith.
The meeting will be hosted by the Clean Community Division and MarBorg Industries. The workshop is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Sustainability & Resilience Office, 801 Garden St., Suite 200.