CIWMB 2001 Strategic Plan

Our Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

• Increase Participation
• Support Sustainable Markets
• Educate the Public
• Protect Public Health and Safety
• Improve Efficiency
• Promote Environmental Justice
• Promote Zero Waste 

The following goals reflect the realistic priorities of the Board that we believe will move us toward achieving our vision and mission. Through these goals, we are charting our future direction toward several clearly defined policies that include incorporating the principles of sustainability, zero waste, and market development strategies into our priorities, as well as addressing protection of public health and the environment. The objectives and strategies mark interim steps toward achieving our goals.

These goals, objectives, and strategies have been developed within the context of Cal/EPA's Strategic Vision, and they support and actively seek to implement the goals and objectives included in the vision. A description of how each of the Board’s goals aligns with and supports and implements Ca/EPA’s Strategic Vision is included at the end of each section on the Board’s goals.

Goal 1—Increase participation in resource conservation, integrated waste management, waste prevention, and product stewardship to reduce waste and create a sustainable infrastructure.

Introduction

Many of the concepts incorporated in this goal are integral aspects of the day-to-day work at CIWMB. However, this goal would expand our efforts and put a greater emphasis on businesses and the partnerships necessary to reach our vision of a sustainable California. With this goal and the objective and strategies that follow, we will cause resource conservation and waste prevention activities to be recognized as financially viable, as well as environmentally sound.

Through partnerships with businesses, associations, and State and federal agencies, we will strengthen our commitment toward product stewardship. This principle ensures that all actors along the product chain share responsibility for life-cycle environmental impacts and the financial viability of the whole product system. We will achieve this by calling for each actor in the life cycle of products and services to take voluntary actions to maximize environmental, social, and economic performance, and to minimize environmental and health impacts through implementation of the interrelated principles of extended product responsibility, product stewardship, pollution prevention, and sustainable development. The success of these principles will lead us to a business infrastructure that will continue these practices because it is simply “good business.”

Extended product responsibility and product stewardship challenge us to reduce the environmental effects of products throughout their life cycle. In doing so, these principles tap the shared ingenuity and responsibility of business, consumers, government, and others. Pollution prevention avoids creating waste in the first place and prevents the transfer of pollution from one environmental medium (air, water, or land) to another. Sustainable development is the global concept of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs through the “three Es”--actions that are economically sound, environmentally restorative, and socially and generationally equitable. By adopting these principles, we will be moving from conflict to cooperation in order to achieve a sustainable California.

Goal 1, Objective 1: Promote environmentally sound and financially viable waste prevention and materials management practices among all actors in the life cycle of products and services.

Strategies

1. Encourage each actor in the life cycle of all products and services to voluntarily commit to sustainability and stewardship principles.
2. Promote sustainable management practices for businesses with the purpose of helping them make efficient use of resources, reduce waste, and minimize impacts on human health and the environment.
3. Support third-party life cycle assessment for targeted products and alternative packaging materials.
4. Identify, develop, and maintain partnerships to reduce waste and promote resource conservation and product stewardship, including participating in national efforts on materials such as carpet, electronics, and paint.
5. Promote self-assessment by businesses and households of their waste prevention practices.
6. Educate the public, the private sector, and government about product stewardship and responsible consumerism.
7. Promote the financial benefits of marketing environmentally preferable products and services.
8. Enact policies and programs to distribute responsibility for the full cost of products and services over their life cycle to ensure that any one party does not bear any undue costs.

Goal 1 Alignment With Cal/EPA Vision

The intent of this goal is to promote waste prevention and product stewardship and resource conservation management practices. The Board’s objective and strategies tie directly to Cal/EPA’s Strategic Vision goals by:

• Creating a plan for a sustainable California (Goal 8).
• Encouraging personal and corporate responsibility through increased education and outreach (Goals 6 and 8).
• Promoting the implementation of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) (Goal 8).
• Developing and using meaningful environmental performance indicators (Goal 8).

Goal 2—Assist in the creation and expansion of sustainable markets to support diversion efforts and ensure that diverted materials return to the economic mainstream.

Introduction

In implementing its 1997 Strategic Plan, the Board created priority teams, two of which centered on market development for materials that comprise major portions of the waste stream: organic materials, and construction and demolition (C&D) debris. The “greening” team focused on diversion outreach programs, partnerships, and demonstrations of the benefits of recycling and composting of organic materials. The C & D team’s efforts evolved into the current sustainable building program. These efforts assisted local jurisdictions in reaching a 42 percent average diversion rate. To achieve and exceed the 50 percent diversion goal, however, we must continue to create and expand markets that are predictable and sustainable over the long term.

This goal and the objectives that follow are directly tied to Cal/EPA’s vision of preventing pollution and developing a sustainable California by returning valuable materials into the economic mainstream rather than wasting them in landfills. Achieving the objectives through partnerships with local entities and industry, leadership by the State, and education of all concerned will move us from a “supply push” situation, where materials are collected even when markets are not sufficient, to a more sustainable “supply pull” situation based on expanded market demand.

Goal 2, Objective 1: Lead the State in developing a comprehensive framework for management of priority materials.

Strategies

1. Build on the principles and strategies in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program to increase procurement of environmentally preferable products through executive order, legislation, education, and market expansions.
2. Lead in “greening” all State agencies by providing technical expertise in waste diversion, buy recycled, sustainable building, sustainable landscaping, and related programs.

Goal 2, Objective 2: Encourage the use of materials diverted from California landfills and the use of environmentally preferable practices, products, and technologies.

Strategies

1. Foster innovative markets in sustainable building and landscaping, sustainable agriculture, and energy generation.
2. Provide financial incentives, including grants, contracts, loans, tax credits, etc.
3. Recognize outstanding and/or innovative market development, waste diversion, and buy recycled efforts.
4. Require recipients of grants, contracts, loans, and other financial incentives to meet Board criteria such as purchasing environmentally preferable products, constructing sustainable buildings, and practicing sustainable landscaping.
5. Facilitate research and information transfer on new technologies and environmentally preferable product specifications.

Goal 2, Objective 3: Support local jurisdictions’ ability to reach and maintain California’s waste diversion mandates.

Strategies

1. Work with manufacturers to promote the design and development of products and packaging that use recycled and/or reused manufacturing feedstock, and that are either reusable in their original form or recyclable in subsequent production cycles.
2. Partner with universities to educate the next generation of professionals on pollution prevention, sustainable landscaping, sustainable agriculture, sustainable building, and design for the environment.
3. Facilitate cooperative efforts among State, local, and private entities to lower the cost of diversion and increase its benefits to local jurisdictions.
4. Assess and assist local governments’ efforts to implement programs and reduce disposal, taking corrective action as needed.
5. Provide assistance and education to local governments, businesses, schools, and State facilities to implement and assess programs.
6. Support local government efforts to use alternative means of diverting waste, including the use of conversion technology where residuals can be converted directly into electricity and actively managed to increase fuel and gas production.

Goal 2 Alignment With Cal/EPA Vision

The Board’s efforts to increase markets and promote sustainable, economic diversion throughout the state dovetail with the Governor’s energy policies and support Cal/EPA’s Strategic Vision goals by:

• Promoting a “green” Cal/EPA and leading the effort to “green” California State government (Goals 6 and 8).
• Promoting the commercialization and use of effective practices, products, and technologies that benefit the environment and local communities (Goals 5 and 7).
• Tackling “cross-media” air, water, and energy issues that cut across traditional boundaries, thereby preventing pollution and magnifying the benefits of better materials management (Goals 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8).
• Encouraging personal and corporate responsibility through increased education and outreach (Goals 6 and 8).

Goal 3—Educate the public to better understand and participate in resource conservation and integrated waste management strategies.

Introduction

The Board is a confirmed leader in educating the public through extensive outreach, including fairs and festivals, workshops, trade shows, and other public events. More than 450 fact sheets, brochures, reports, and other publications are available in print and on-line. The Board’s award-winning Web site offers valuable information for a variety of audiences, including business, local government, nonprofit organizations, academia, and other State and federal agencies, as well as the public. An outstanding outreach and education program provides information to a broad range of Californians.

The Board forges partnerships with nonprofit associations, other government agencies, and legislative advocates, promoting networking with our constituents. We are a leader in information technology, offering our constituents user-friendly tools such as the electronic annual report (EAR) system now available on line. We are taking steps to make existing and new products available on line either for downloading and/or interactive learning by teachers and students. Our leadership in the field of education has been enhanced by the creation of the Office of Education and the Environment in March 2001 to promote the integration of education efforts within the Board and within and among the Cal/EPA boards, departments, and offices. This effort will provide opportunities to consolidate and collaborate in providing quality education resources and technical support to K-12 educators statewide.

Education is the cornerstone of our mission and vision. Education motivates constituents to realize the potential economic benefits and environmental opportunities of waste prevention/reduction and recycling. Our education efforts focus on assisting communities to protect the public health and encourage environmental stewardship. The contributions and efforts of millions of Californians are essential to the success of our mission. Thus, education is our investment in the future.

Goal 3, Objective 1: Increase the level of environmental education and technical assistance support provided to all Californians about resource conservation and integrated waste management strategies.

Strategies

1. Ensure that the resource conservation benefits of integrated waste management are featured in all Board outreach efforts and materials.

Goal 3, Objective 2: Strengthen and expand partnerships to better promote environmental education and integrated waste management strategies, and to achieve the maximum potential from funding that is available.

Strategies

1. Identify and target alternative marketing approaches to reach underserved and potentially receptive audiences, including issues-oriented media outlets.
2. Develop video production capability to independently produce high quality video information materials supportive of CIWMB goals for use in Web, mass media, and classroom placement.
3. Review print publications for possible adaptation to video/broadcast medium.
4. Use constituents’ input and expertise to adjust program goals and endeavors as needed and appropriate.
5. Maintain regular communication with Cal/EPA’s other boards, departments, and office as a means to identify opportunities to integrate our efforts, increase resource efficiency, and/or improve our separate education programs.
6. Participate in the Collaborative for High Performance Schools to ensure that the next generation of school facilities provides a healthy and productive learning environment.

Goal 3, Objective 3: Coordinate the integration of education efforts and programs within CIWMB and throughout Cal/EPA and its boards, departments, and office.

Strategies

1. Work with education staff from Cal/EPA's Boards, departments, and office to develop joint education strategies targeting K-12 students.
2. Develop unified resources and actively promote K-12 environmental education outreach.
3. Work closely with Legislators’ offices when opportunities arise that could impact support for environmental education.
4. Participate in State and national environmental education associations and organizations to promote Cal/EPA programs, priorities, and policies.
5. Provide grants to local governments, nongovernmental organizations and Native American tribes to develop educational programs for children and adults in California regarding the proper use and disposal of household chemical products and any safe alternatives that may be available.

Goal 3, Objective 4: Effectively market CIWMB public education and outreach activities.

Strategies

1. Explore external funding sources such as grants and partnerships to leverage resources.
2. Identify and target alternative marketing approaches to reach underserved and potentially receptive audiences.
3. Using multimedia tools, develop new ways to reach news reporters.
4. Develop video production capability to independently produce high quality video materials for use in Web, mass media, and classroom placement.

Goal 3 Alignment With Cal/EPA Vision

The Board’s efforts in the area of public education and outreach align with and support Cal/EPA’s Strategic Vision goals by focusing on expanding accessibility of information to the public through the Internet and expanding communication and training efforts (Goal 8).

Goal 4—Manage and mitigate the impacts of solid waste on public health and safety and the environment and promote integrated and consistent permitting, inspection, and enforcement efforts.

Introduction

This goal encompasses much of the longstanding, statutorily mandated work at solid waste and tire sites that has been embedded in each of the Board’s strategic plans. Many Board staff members are currently working to ensure that we continue to meet the statutory mandates for protecting public health and safety and the environment. These statutes call for the Board to have and maintain permitting, inspection, and enforcement programs. The Board’s oversight programs that protect public health and safety and the environment directly were audited and the Board is working to affect needed changes. Many of the strategies outlined below will help direct further changes.

This goal allows for appropriate growth in ideas and methods that will result in a higher level of protection of public health and safety and the environment by the State and its local enforcement agencies. In addition to monitoring and managing activities associated with the State’s active solid waste infrastructure, the Board added waste tire and disposal site clean up programs during the 1990s. As programs grow and change, the Board can seek to expand the existing avenues for accomplishing the “cleanup” aspects of this goal. Further, with the advent of environmental management systems concepts, the Board can also achieve this goal through research, outreach, and education in the areas of “best business” practices.

This goal supports the Board’s mission by ensuring an infrastructure is available for managing materials and waste in an environmentally sound manner. The strategies allow for flexibility in promoting diversion while working to protect public health and safety and the environment. To this end, environmental protection afforded by this goal should not only preserve the environment, but also, where possible, restore it. This concept aligns with the Board’s vision to promote zero waste by ensuring regulations do not impede the growth of diversion activities and identifying methods to restore the environment when pollution has occurred.

The lack of solid waste infrastructure, different levels of regulatory oversight, and cultural variations among border communities present a challenge to the Board in addressing environmental impacts arising from the management of solid waste within the California-Mexico border zone. Realizing the magnitude of this challenge, and in alignment with Cal/EPA’s vision, the Board will work cooperatively with all levels of government along both sides of the border in addressing four border-specific concerns: (a) hauling/stockpiling of waste tires along border cities; (b) sharing/disseminating of environmental education materials; (c) preventing the northerly flow of solid waste debris along the Tijuana and the New River; and (d) offering technical assistance to Mexican neighboring communities in the process of siting or upgrading their solid waste disposal sites.

Goal 4, Objective 1: Through consistent and effective enforcement or other appropriate measures, ensure compliance with federal and State waste management laws and regulations.

Strategies

1. Develop and implement a plan to review regulations and begin research to develop or change regulations that will achieve protection of public health and safety and the environment while providing a balance that does not impede the expansion of a statewide capacity to divert materials from disposal at landfills.
2. Develop a plan that defines an integrated approach to permitting, inspection, and enforcement that results in consistent application of all waste management standards and requirements.
3. Strive for 100 percent compliance with State minimum standards at each waste tire and solid waste facility/operation in the state.
4. Ensure effective communication with all affected stakeholders and partners (includes CIWMB, local enforcement agencies, and industry), and support the consistent implementation of the 2001 solid waste enforcement regulations and any subsequent regulations. Where the need for additional enforcement support or authority is identified, take appropriate actions to secure such support or authority.
5. Clarify and administer enforcement efforts in concert with other affected Cal/EPA boards and departments by continuing to participate in cross-media enforcement and by collecting and maintaining relevant data on enforcement actions.
6. Work with local enforcement agencies and operators to continue to reduce the number of solid waste facilities on the “Inventory of Facilities That Violate State Minimum Standards” as of September 2001.

Goal 4, Objective 2: Increase efforts to identify, evaluate, and address the impacts from waste tire and solid waste management techniques.

Strategies

1. Establish an effective environmental indicators program for waste tire and solid waste management techniques.
2. Complete the Board’s landfill facility compliance study, a two-year, cross-media assessment of municipal solid waste landfill performance, to determine if current regulations effectively protect the environment for both the short and long terms.
3. Ensure that recommendations from the landfill study are implemented, where appropriate, relative to improving current standards, assessing current practices in other states and countries, and assessing new and emerging landfill technologies.

Goal 4, Objective 3: Promote increased development and use of effective waste management technologies.

Strategies

1. Establish a waste management research program on environmental impacts from waste tire and solid waste management techniques in cooperation with academia or other institutions as appropriate.
2. Foster and maintain partnerships to accelerate the development, evaluation, and implementation of innovative waste management technologies.

Goal 4, Objective 4: Intensify efforts to prevent illegal dumping and, where necessary, clean up illegally disposed waste and waste tire sites.

Strategies

1. Use the Board’s authority to ensure effective enforcement against parties responsible for illegal disposal and illegal waste tire sites.
2. Support public education and outreach on illegal dumping in California.
3. Direct Board resources and support local efforts to ensure the timely remediation and restoration of illegal disposal sites and illegal waste tire sites that pose the greatest threat to public health and safety and the environment.

Goal 4, Objective 5: Continuously improve partnerships and data recording for the solid waste management decision-making process for the safe design, operation, permitting, and, if applicable, closure of waste tire and solid waste management facilities and operations.

Strategies

1. Enhance opportunities for dialogue with internal and external stakeholders (using methods such as workshops, roundtables, trainings, and forums as outreach measures), and provide assistance on data management issues.
2. Continue efforts to assist local decision-making regarding landfill capacity as related to proper planning and closure of landfills, when appropriate.
3. Achieve a higher level of performance at landfills through continued partnership with the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Work with SWANA to establish a statewide landfill operator and inspector training program that results in improved landfill operations.

Goal 4, Objective 6: Protect the environment of the California-Mexico border.

Strategies

1. Share existing laws, regulations, and environmental education materials with border cities located on the California-Mexico border by carrying out landfill training seminars and teacher/waste tire hauler training workshops involving California-Mexico stakeholders.
2. Develop curriculum on cross-media themes and train teachers in border region in cooperation with Baja and Southern California partners.
3. Develop and implement two to three priority environmental education projects in cooperation with the Mexican government.
4. Work cooperatively with U.S.-Mexican authorities in developing a training program/tracking system focusing on cross-border waste tire hauling.
5. Coordinate with U.S.-Mexican authorities in developing and implementing a waste tire pile abatement plan focusing on stockpiles posing an immediate fire threat to the border environment.
6. Develop a database that reflects the Board’s waste tire tracking system needs, lawful foreign haulers’ manifests, and other documentation as a means to prevent continued creation of tire piles at the border.
7. Work in conjunction with the Tijuana-San Diego and Calexico-Mexicali local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and all interested parties in designing and implementing a work plan to prevent continued flow of rough solid waste debris along the Tijuana and the New River waterways.
8. Provide technical assistance to Mexican neighboring communities in the process of siting/upgrading their solid waste disposal sites.

Goal 4 Alignment with Cal/EPA Vision

The objectives and strategies of Goal 4 attempt to recognize and improve the ongoing efforts that ensure successful regulatory oversight of California’s waste management infrastructure while looking ahead to establish other methods that achieve environmental protection and promote new technologies. This goal and supporting objectives and strategies focus the Board’s efforts in support of Cal/EPA’s Strategic Vision goals in several ways:

• Using the Board’s regulatory oversight framework to ensure compliance with the law (Goals 4, 7, and 8).
• Defining and building the Board’s approach for integrated permitting, inspection, and enforcement (Goals 4 and 8).
• Expanding components for education, outreach, and assistance (Goal 8).
• Following up with increased efforts to prevent or clean up pollution from inactive, illegal, or abandoned sites (Goal 4).
• Building a higher level of technology and science-based decisions (Goals 7and 8).
• Working to ensure that communities are free from unacceptable human health and ecological risks and reducing the disproportionate impacts of pollution on low-income and minority populations (Goals 4 and 5).

Goal 5—Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the California Integrated Waste Management Board in pursuit of its mission.

Introduction

This goal is focused on the Board’s improvement of its internal processes, and on providing staff with all of the tools needed to achieve the Board’s mission and goals. One area of particular emphasis will be development of leadership capability deeper into the organization, as well as expanding the leadership skills of the existing top management. These skills or capabilities will be demonstrated through vision, setting of priorities, modeling the behavior we ask of others, and in our commitment to our values. Through these objectives and strategies, we hope to ensure that we are making sound, responsible decisions based on accurate information and data, including environmental studies, industry trends, and stakeholder input.

Goal 5, Objective 1: Develop and improve leadership capabilities within the Board.

Strategies

1. Implement a formalized leadership development program that defines the goals, measures, and performance needed from leaders, and provides leaders with the knowledge, skills, abilities, systems, processes, and tools to achieve the Board’s goals.
2. Provide staff with opportunities to develop and use leadership skills.

Goal 5, Objective 2: Address cross-organizational communication and collaboration.

Strategies

1. Address cross-organizational (within CIWMB and Cal/EPA) and cross-media opportunities, issues, and impacts in making policy and management decisions.
2. Develop and implement a strategy to improve cross-organizational communication.

Goal 5, Objective 3: Improve the exchange of and access to information internally and externally.

Strategies

1. Develop our ability to capture, organize, and manage our institutional knowledge and expertise.
2. Use technology—Web, geographical information systems (GIS), new developments—to improve how we share, exchange, and use information.

Goal 5, Objective 4: Ensure staff are supported by the systems, tools, processes, and learning opportunities necessary to be successful.

Strategies

1. Identify staff’s performance, learning, health and safety, and work environment needs, and implement strategies to address those needs.

Goal 5 Alignment With Cal/EPA Vision

The objectives and strategies of Goal 5 support Cal/EPA’s Strategic Vision goals by focusing on leadership, innovative information management, and organizational management (Goal 8). In our effort to further develop our leadership capabilities, we hope to provide better leadership and commitment to Cal/EPA and Board priorities such as sustainability, “greening” State government, and encouraging personal and corporate responsibility through education and outreach. These priorities are built into the program objectives and strategies as well.

Additionally, we focus on cross-media and cross-organizational communication and collaboration, as well as using the latest technology to gather and share the most current information and data with all of our stakeholders, interest groups, and the communities we serve.

Finally, we are committed to conducting program assessments to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all of our processes, and to provide staff with everything they need to continuously improve our services.

Goal 6—Continuously integrate environmental justice concerns into all of the Board’s programs and activities, including administrative and budgetary decisions.

Introduction

As articulated in our values under “Commitment to Environmental Justice,” the Board is committed to protecting the environment and public health and safety in a manner that does not unfairly affect any group. Through the objectives and strategies listed below, we will examine all of our programs and activities to identify opportunities to reach out to low-income and minority populations to ensure that we provide the information and technical assistance needed to participate in a meaningful manner; and to address the disproportionate impacts of pollution on low-income and minority populations. We believe that it is critical to assess our programs and activities first, before devising a specific environmental justice strategy; however, there appear to be opportunities to move forward in this area sooner, which the Board will be addressing in the fall of 2001. These areas include grant and loan funding, and public outreach opportunities.

Goal 6, Objective 1: Develop an environmental justice strategy with input from stakeholders, especially concerned or impacted communities.

Strategies

1. Conduct an assessment of Board programs, activities, and policies.
2. Identify actions to be taken by the Board to address environmental justice concerns, issues, and impacts.
3. Incorporate stakeholder and community concerns and input into development of final strategy.

Goal 6, Objective 2: Educate Board staff on environmental justice concepts and promote awareness of the Board’s environmental justice strategy and implementation among external stakeholders and concerned or impacted communities.

Strategies

1. Provide training and awareness opportunities for all Board staff.
2. Utilize public venues, the Internet, and other publications to inform external stakeholders and communities of the Board’s environmental justice strategy and implementation activities.

Goal 6, Objective 3: Ensure greater public and community participation, including low-income and minority populations, in the development, adoption, and implementation of environmental regulations, policies, and programs.

Strategies

1. Inform the public of proposed actions through local resources, community organizations, and locally targeted media.
2. Seek to overcome linguistic, cultural, institutional, geographic, and other barriers to meaningful participation.
3. Coordinate with individuals and organizations in a community to provide technical assistance on potential health and environmental impacts.

Goal 6, Objective 4: Develop and maintain an information system to support Board efforts to develop and implement its environmental justice strategy.

Strategies

1. Collect, store, maintain, and exchange information with stakeholders, communities, and the public regarding environmental justice issues, programs, and activities.
2. Ensure the Board’s information is readily accessible in a manner that meets the language and cultural needs of California’s diverse stakeholders.

Goal 6 Alignment with Cal/EPA Vision

The Board will continue to support Cal/EPA’s efforts in the area of environmental justice (Goal 5) through both the internal advisory group (Chairs and Directors of Cal/EPA’s boards, departments, and office) and through the internal staff-level working group. As described above, Board efforts will focus initially on assessing programs and activities, then devising a strategy that incorporates input from all of our affected stakeholders, communities, and interested parties. These efforts are directed toward minimizing the impacts from existing and future facilities, as well as other potential sources of pollution, on public health and safety and the environment.

Goal 7—Promote a “zero-waste California” where the public, industry, and government strive to reduce, reuse, or recycle all municipal solid waste materials back into nature or the marketplace in a manner that protects human health and the environment and honors the principles of California’s Integrated Waste Management Act.

Introduction

The zero-waste philosophy focuses on the most efficient use of natural resources in order to maximize the reduction of waste and protect the environment. It also includes but is not limited to maximizing recycling and ensuring that products are made to be reused, repaired, or recycled back into the environment. Zero-waste involves utilizing the most effective industry processing or manufacturing practices to efficiently conserve the use of raw materials, including front-end design for efficiency while educating consumers. It includes promoting technology to encourage source reduction on the front end and recycling and other technologies on the back end, and harnessing the energy potential in “waste” by using new and clean technology to convert the material directly into green fuel or gas to produce electricity. Board efforts in this area have resulted in “real” reduced amounts of disposal since 1989, as measured by the Board’s disposal reporting system. Some of the Board’s work that has contributed to reductions in disposed waste are promotion of packaging redesign, food waste projects, organics diversion efforts, work with local jurisdictions and local businesses, the California Materials Exchange (CalMAX) program, the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP), and green building projects.

This goal is very consistent and closely aligned with the Board’s overall mission that promotes all materials being managed to the highest and best use. By supporting effective and efficient industry processing and manufacturing practices, the Board will strive to create a sustainable California preserved for the future. By working closely with local jurisdictions and local businesses, the CIWMB will continue to form partnerships that supporting this overall effort. The Board is committed to promoting its overall vision by recognizing the diversity of the state and partnering with its external customers.

Goal 7, Objective 1: Promote source reduction to minimize the amount of waste generated.

Strategies

1. Periodically review existing and proposed regulations and legislation for possible barriers to attaining the existing mandates and the goal of zero-waste diversion.
2. Continue to work with jurisdictions to ensure they meet and/or exceed existing waste diversion mandates.
3. Continue to educate the public regarding the principles, obstacles, and opportunities of zero waste.
4. Develop and use meaningful environmental and performance indicators.

Goal 7, Objective 2: Promote best business practices in product manufacturing and handling.

Strategies

1. Partner with other State agencies to create cross-media approaches to working with business to assist in achieving zero waste.
2. Partner with trade associations to promote cost-beneficial source reduction, recycling, and related manufacturing opportunities (technologies, packaging efficiencies, best business practices, etc.).
3. Create model programs that are self-sustaining and transferable to others.
4. Evaluate long-term benefits of pilot programs or models.
5. Expand and develop interactive Web sites that can be used by all.

Goal 7, Objective 3: Encourage recycling activities and new technologies in all businesses and residences.

Strategies

1. Assemble a cross-media team to develop standards for evaluating new technologies that produce less waste and convert residuals to their highest and best use.
2. Use high-profile public venues as demonstration projects to promote the zero-waste message. As part of the evaluation process, assess the commitment of owners/managers of these venues to ensure sustainable programs.

Goal 7, Objective 4: Promote new or existing technologies and processes to address existing or emerging waste streams.

Strategies

1. Complete a statewide waste characterization study every four years to assess existing and historical waste streams.
2. Project future waste streams to address diversion of possible new material types.
3. Develop Board priority areas relative to material types and business outputs.
4. Develop and promote environmental management systems targeting interests from specific industries.

Goal 7, Objective 5: Work with other State agencies to promote zero-waste strategies that would ultimately put State agencies in a position to lead by example.

Strategies

1. Develop a cross-media environmental curriculum that uses hands-on, real-life examples.
2. Work with Cal/EPA to ensure that the agency is a leader in conducting itself consistent with zero-waste principles.
3. Partner with State agencies to create a cross-media approach to zero waste.
4. Continue to strengthen efforts in the State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign and AB 75 (Strom-Martin, Chapter 764, Statutes of 1999) programs to ensure statutory compliance.

Goal 7 Alignment With Cal/EPA Vision

The intent of this goal is to promote a zero-waste California that strives to maximize the reduction of waste. This particular goal is very broad in scope and essentially encompasses all diversion-related activities and processes related to the public, industry, and government. Five specific objectives were created that emphasized source reduction, recycling, best business practices, new technologies, and providing leadership within State government.

Additionally, strategies for accomplishing this goal include such activities as, creating partnerships with State agencies and business, promoting environmental management systems, projecting future waste streams, and many other activities. Many of the proposed objectives within this goal are very similar to or consistent with Cal/EPA's Strategic Vision goals.

• Reduce solid wastes (Goal 4).
• Effectuate reduction, reuse, and recycling of raw materials (Goal 6).
• Promote the development, commercialization, and use of effective environmental techniques and technologies (Goal 7).
• Ensure environmental impacts for all media are considered in environmental policy and management decisions (Goal 7).
• Lead by example (Goal 8), which includes promoting a “green” Cal/EPA; leading the effort to “green” California State government; engaging the public and business community in taking personal and corporate responsibility for environmental improvement through education and outreach; and increasing cross-border and tribal environmental initiatives and programs.
• Innovation (Goal 8), which includes creating a plan for a sustainable California; promoting the implementation of environmental management systems; developing and using meaningful environmental and performance indicators; and creating an Internet-based, agencywide, integrated information management system that is accessible to the public.
• Management (Goal 8), which includes expanding and improving cross-media communications, collaboration, and training, and conducting continuous evaluations of program effectiveness.

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Current Strategic Plan