Recycling Goals and Reality

In 1989, in response to studies that showed that the state was running out of landfill capacity in many parts of the state, the California Legislature passed the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). This Act modified existing laws and created programs to better manage the state's municipal solid waste. Its most notable feature is the waste reduction goals it sets. California's cities and counties were required to plan for and implement programs to reduce the amount of generated waste that goes to landfills, or other disposal, 25 percent by the year 1995 and 50 percent by 2000. In addition, the Act established a management hierarchy for communities to follow for dealing with this waste. The preferred order of waste management is source reduction (also known as waste prevention), recycling and composting, transformation (including incineration) and lastly landfilling. AB 939 also created the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) to coordinate the development and implementation of programs (Source: CIWMB Waste Prevention Program literature).

According to the CIWMB's Web site (ciwmb.ca.gov), Butte County is divided into four reporting areas: Chico, Oroville, Gridley (part of the Yuba/Sutter Regional Waste Management Authority), and the Butte Regional Waste Management Authority comprised of Unincorporated Butte County, Biggs and Paradise. Preliminary figures for 1999 are available showing that Chico achieved a diversion rate of 48% in 1999 and Oroville 35%. Butte Regional data for 1999 was not readily available on the site. Data for 2000 must be reported by August 2001.

Let's look at one community within Butte County, Chico, to see what they've done to improve their diversion rate and what additional steps could be taken. Chico's two solid waste haulers, NorCal Waste Systems and North Valley Disposal (owned by Waste Management) are required by their contracts with the city to offer household curbside recycling to their residential customers. Both also offer yard waste pickup. Although it's not well publicized, residents who successfully reduce their trash by recycling can save money by requesting a 32 gallon trash can instead of a 64 for a savings of $5.22 per month. Mobile home parks where the owner provides trash pickup are exempt from this requirement. Apartment complexes must offer at least one recycling bin, although this is often inadequate and difficult for the residents to find in larger complexes. For single-family rentals, there is no requirement that the landlord ask the trash hauler to also provide a recycling bin. Homeowners are not forced to recycle either; it's optional whether they request or use the recycling bins. Chico does not require any recycling in the commercial arena, although many businesses find it economical to provide some recycling capability.

What about source reduction and recycling by the business and educational communities? Several local businesses have won CIWMB awards for their waste reduction efforts (and saved money too, according to the press releases). These include Fleetwood Motor Homes, Smucker Quality Beverages (Knudsen), Terra Pax and TFI. California State University, Chico's aggressive recycling program is well known, but Butte College has also won awards for its 70% waste diversion rate. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., too, is noted for its commitment to waste reduction. The recent demolition of the Fred Meyer building with its 92% rate of building and paving materials recycling is an example of the improvement in diversion that can be achieved.

What else could Chico do to improve their diversion rate? The City of Chico could require apartment building owners to provide recycling bins in proportion to the number of units instead of setting a minimum of one per complex. Mobile home parks and fraternity and sorority house owners could also be required to offer recycling as could commercial locations. The real solution, though, is education-making individuals and businesses aware of the savings available through recycling, providing alternative solutions to just throwing away items they no longer need, and increasing their awareness of the true cost of every item purchased and used. This cost includes not only disposal charges, but also the cost of raw materials, manufacturing and distribution, as well as the greenhouse gasses created in the landfill that contribute to global warming.

The topic of recycling and reuse will be discussed in much greater detail in the next issue of Butte Environmental Council's newspaper, Environmental News, available on March 6th. Call BEC at 891-6424 for distribution locations.

This column originally appeared in January 2001 in the Chico Examiner.