Since July 5, 2022, the Santa Lucia Community Services District (CSD) has provided service for residential refuse collections Preserve-wide. Our mission is to deliver a seamless, hands-free service experience, while offering friendly, responsive support for garbage inquiries both large and small. Trusted CSD staff, in a Santa Lucia Preserve (SLP) logo’d vehicle, access residential garbage containers directly from their permanently housed storage locations at each property, effectively eliminating the need for homeowners to relocate receptacles curbside for collection days. Bin liners are replaced weekly (black liners for garbage bins / blue liners for recycling / clear liners for foodwaste). Homeowners need only to discard waste inside bins as needed throughout the week for pickup on their home’s regular collection day each week. 

 

  The following rates will apply to your monthly SLP statement:  

Having trouble viewing the above chart? We recommend viewing on a desktop device.

With the continued enhancement of our Preserve compost program located at Forrest Park (121 Rancho San Carlos Rd. Carmel, CA 93923), and innovative organic waste handling; proper collection, disposal, and processing of residential food waste complies with regulations outlined in accordance with California law SB 1383, a law designed to reduce methane emissions from landfills by targeting the organic waste stream statewide, and processing organics for reuse in creative ways. Our own long-term objective is to incorporate rich compost, made from waste collected within The Preserve, across landscapes and pasturelands throughout the community. Look forward to more information on this program as we continue to work closely with Monterey County and CalRecycle on this objective! With grant funding provided by CalRecycle’s SB1383 statewide funding, we continue to move closer to this goal!

 

The Santa Lucia Community Services District continues to work in partnership with Waste Management for secondary hauling of residential waste, excluding food waste. Two compactors, purchased for this purpose and housed at Forrest Park, facilitate this process. Waste Management, by separate agreement, will continue to be our off-haul service provider for residential garbage and recycling waste streams. Currently, WM must recycle 75% of all tonnage collected. Performing in-house collections does not exempt us from recycling or food waste collection requirements. These mandates, at face value, fall on the collection companies, but the resulting expense of non-compliance ultimately trickles down to the customer. We at The Preserve should be stewards of the environment in all areas, including how we handle and process refuse within our homes. 

 

The addition of Lomi countertop composting units offered to homeowners as part of their basic residential service ensures food waste collected is first rendered inert, and processed to a point where utilization of organic material in CSD planting beds, home gardens, and ultimately, with the goal of adding it to our compost operation, is safe and effective. Ongoing community participation is essential for us to reach our food waste diversion goal!

 

Currently, although the Preserve does not yet offer an official Edible Food Recovery Program, edible food waste from the two club restaurants, and Nest convenience location, donate all eligible food waste that meets criteria for donation to SLP staff members in need. To locate your nearest food bank, please follow the link to The Food Bank for Monterey County, or visit St. Phillips Lutheran Church located at 8065 Carmel Valley Rd. every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month between 9:00am – 10:00am. Church volunteers are available to serve the general public and seniors in need.

 

In alignment with Preserve standards, the Santa Lucia Community Services District is committed to joining the efforts of sustainability by ensuring all paper products in use meet state guidelines for paper procurement. All paper products in use at CSD headquarter offices, from printing paper to paper towels, will meet or exceed the minimum recycled paper content required.

 

Have questions about any of the above, or general residential waste collection inquiries for your Santa Lucia Preserve home? Our customer support team is available for you Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Upon request, extra trash, recycling, household hazardous waste, or e-waste pick up is available by appointment, Thursdays, each week for a nominal fee. Additional bins for regular collections may be added to your base waste service as well. Please email us at CSDgarbage@SantaLuciaPreserve.com or call our refuse collection customer service line at 831-620-6728. We are happy to help answer questions and get you set up for collections!