Officials plan multilingual outreach and contamination audits as curbside pickup frequency changes

Administration witnesses told the Committee on City Services that outreach and education will be a central part of the Oct. 5 service change. Avantika Mathur and the waste reduction team described multilingual starter kits, translated digital materials, door‑to‑door canvassing, an FAQ, and use of the Trash Day app to remind households about pickup days.

Panelists also described an audit process to identify enrolled households not using the service and repurpose their bins to households on the waitlist. On contamination the administration said Project OSCAR bins receive regular contamination reports and that the curbside vendor enforces a contamination fee and an education protocol when loads are rejected. Staff noted pest control and maggot risks if material is left improperly stored between biweekly pickups and advised freezing, larger bin sizes or additional countertop containers as mitigation options for residents.