2001 Annual Report: Waste Diversion

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• Local Agency Progress Towards 50 Percent Diversion
• School District Diversion
• State Agency Diversion
• Disposal Reporting System Recommendations

Local Agency Progress Towards 50 Percent Diversion
Local jurisdictions reported their year 2000 diversion rates in the fall of 2001. The Board will begin its consideration of local progress towards the 50 percent diversion required by Public Resources Code (PRC) section 41780 in early 2002. Of 439 reporting jurisdictions, 140 (32 percent) claimed diversion rates in excess of 50 percent, and another 60 (14 percent) reported diversion of 45 percent or more. Many others are updating their overall analysis of waste generation and diversion, and will submit updated diversion estimates to the Board. Most jurisdictions are continuing to make progress towards the 50 percent level, and the Board anticipates that most of them will request a time extension, which is allowed by PRC section 41820.

School District Diversion
The Board developed a model materials-and-solid-waste management program for school districts and other institutions in 2001. This project selected six pilot districts, evaluated each district’s materials management and solid waste practices, and provided program recommendations to all.

In the fall of 2001, the Board helped school districts implement proposed recommendations from the school district diversion project. The effort targeted school district administrators and department managers through their professional associations and organizations. The outreach plan promoted the value and benefits of implementing districtwide waste reduction and green procurement policies. A Web-based resource guide for school district waste reduction program implementation will follow in early 2002.

State Agency Diversion
Assembly Bill 75 (Strom-Martin, Chapter 764, Statutes of 1999) requires State agencies to develop and prepare integrated waste management plans and to submit them to the Board by July 15, 2000, for review and approval. These plans identify State agency programs to achieve a 25 percent diversion level by January 1, 2002, and 50 percent by January 1, 2004. Over 450 State agency plans have been submitted to the Board and are under final review.

The Board put on a series of six workshops in 2001 to train State agencies on the annual reporting requirements of the diversion program. These workshops focused on the electronic submittal system the Board developed to make compliance with the law easier and more efficient.

To recognize the efforts of State agencies to meet the AB 75 goals, the Board has developed the State Agency Recycling Recognition (STARR) awards program. The STARR awards are designed to recognize agencies’ hard work and to share their success with other agencies and facilities.

The Board also implements and monitors master contracts that assist large State agencies and offices in their recycling of office paper, steel, and other materials. Master contracts serve as an incentive by providing an expedient way for State agencies to participate in the state’s overall recycling and waste diversion efforts.

Disposal Reporting System Recommendations
With the passage of SB 2202 (Committee on Environmental Quality, Chapter 740, Statutes of 2000), the Board established a working group in 2001 to evaluate the disposal reporting system (PRC Section 41821.5) and assist in preparing a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2002 with options for modifying and improving the disposal reporting system. Further, the Board established three additional workgroups to help complete a comprehensive review of the entire diversion measurement system. Following an extensive public process conducted by the Board and its workgroups to collect input on issues to address and options for changing and improving the system, the Board approved the final report to the Legislature in November 2001.

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