OnTrac is proud to be a company that exercises environmental responsibility. Earlier this year, Monterey County’s Environmental Health Bureau and Waste Management audited the waste disposal procedures and trash in our Salinas facility. What they discovered was 90 percent of the discarded material was recyclable. As a result, OnTrac changed from a six-cubic-yard trash bin to a one-cubic-yard trash bin and a six-cubic-yard recycling bin. The switch netted a 76 percent savings, while diverting valuable recyclables from the landfills. Read the full press release below.
California Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law in Effect July 1
AB 341 sets 75 percent state-wide diversion goal by 2020
CASTROVILLE — June 27, 2012 – Beginning July 1, 2012, about 470,000 California businesses and apartments will be required to recycle according to AB 341(Chesbro), Mandatory Commercial Recycling. This includes all businesses that generate four cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week, and all multifamily residential dwellings with five units or more regardless of the amount of commercial solid waste generated.
“AB 341 is good for the environment and good for businesses,” said Teresa Rios, Management Analyst, Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau.
The affected businesses represent approximately 20 percent of California’s 1.3 million businesses and are responsible for about 75 percent of the commercial waste in California according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery’s (CalRecycle) Web site. In Monterey County, commercial businesses generated nearly 34,000 tons of waste; 54 percent of the total waste in 2010.
AB 341 sets a statewide goal for 75 percent disposal reduction by 2020, and it requires local governments to inform businesses of the new Mandatory Commercial Recycling law. According to CalRecycle, the implementation of AB 341 will result in an estimated statewide average annual cost savings of $40 million-$60 million from 2012-2020.
To support businesses’ efforts and further increase diversion, Monterey County is working in close partnership with Waste Management and other agencies to provide:
» Free waste assessments to assist businesses to implement successful diversion plans
» Free education to employees on best diversion practices to ensure plans’ success
» Follow up visits to ensure diversion plan is successful and/or to provide additional technical assistance
Earlier this year, the County’s Environmental Health Bureau and Waste Management worked with OnTrac, an overnight package delivery company, to audit its waste disposal procedures and trash. What they discovered was 90 percent of the discarded material was recyclable. As a result, OnTrac changed from a six-cubic-yard trash bin to a one-cubic-yard trash bin and a six-cubic-yard recycling bin. The switch netted a 76 percent savings, while diverting valuable recyclables from the landfills.
“We pride ourselves on being a company that exercises environmental responsibility in shipping,” said Laura Peterson, Vice President of Marketing, OnTrac.
Recently, Pebble Beach was one of the first communities in the county to reach 100 percent compliance with the new law.
“Many of our commercial clients in Monterey County have shown an eagerness to reduce the cost of their waste and, more importantly, what goes into the landfills,” said Felipe Melchor, District Manager, Waste Management. “We look forward to helping the county achieve its diversion goals.”
For more information on AB 341 and Mandatory Commercial Recycling, visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov/climate/recycling/.
If you want to get ontrac tracking service, please go to Express Tracking.
ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also one of the largest residential recycler and a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America.