Garbage company BFI has hired the City of Santa Barbara’s unofficial trash czar, Steven MacIntosh, as its new local executive. MacIntosh has played an influential role spearheading City Hall’s garbage diversion programs, championing, among other things, the food-scrap composting and recycling program now in its pilot stage. BFI is engaged in an intense franchise renewal battle with MarBorg, a privately owned local company in the County of Santa Barbara. MarBorg, which has a stellar record when it comes to recycling, is hoping to persuade county public works officials to let them take over BFI’s contract based, in part, on its recycling track record. By hiring MacIntosh, BFI is attempting to inoculate itself against the obvious advantage MarBorg enjoys where diversion is concerned.
