Redding opts for hybrid approach to meet state’s trash changes

REDDING, Calif. — The Shasta Environmental Alliance (SEA) held an educational meeting for community members to learn about efforts being made to keep the Sacramento River pollution-free.

SEA is a non-profit organization that works with other organizations to ensure a clean and safe environment by educating the community and legislators.

Part of SEA’s mission is to keep the Sacramento River Basin free of plastic and debris; so they worked with the city of Redding’s Stormwater Management Division, which strives to comply with State trash amendments that prohibit the dumping of trash larger than 100 pieces. 5 mm or a cigarette butt from stormwater drains to public water. The government expects 100% compliance by 2030.

The state offers two ways to comply with the changes; either full installation, operation and maintenance of capture devices or institutional controls. Redding has multiple watersheds and installing full collection devices would be very expensive, according to Stormwater Management Program Coordinator Mieke Sheffield, who said they’re not sure if all the trash can actually be captured.

Instead, they are opting for a combination of installing 655 small complete garbage collection systems called connector pipe screens, which are cheaper to install but take up less space and require more maintenance, necessitating new inspection programs that will cover about 1,600 private properties. system.

“If we have a device right now, that drainage area is suitable. Now, for all the remaining drainage areas that don’t have a device for them, we’re going to go out and count (trash) three times a year,” Sheffield said.

These changes only apply to areas with high trash production in industrial and commercial areas in cities the size of Red Bluff or larger.