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Recycled bottles bundled for shipping

Zhang Liqing, a mother who has been unemployed for more than two years, described herself as “super lucky” when she was hired about two months ago at Recology, a recycling and garbage collection company, through the Jobs Now program.

She said, “Many people thought it would be a dirty work, actually it was not that bad. Garbage collectors and workers do not have bad smell.” Even though traditionally the garbage business has not been a glamourous job, Zhang said it is a tough business to break into because wages are good with health benefits and pension plans and turnover is low. Since the city’s plan is to increase the landfill diversion rate to 100 percent by 2020, Zhang believes the recycling and garbage collection business will continue to grow.

Last week, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced the city’s landfill diversion rate, which includes recycling and composting, has reached a national high of 77 percent.