Local Government Challenges, Opportunities, and Tips: Government Facilities

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California Integrated Waste Management Board

Local Government Challenges and Opportunities

Local governments need to put the messages of recycling and buying recycled products into practice, so residents and businesses will see they are committed to upholding high standards of sustainability. Many communities in California have adopted strong policies and are implementing programs to achieve their waste diversion goals.

As with many businesses, communities find that they can actually save money by more careful review and development of the recycling and trash disposal system for their own facilities. Local governments may also obtain significant amounts of waste diversion through requirements placed on contractors doing work for the community (for example, road and highway repairs and construction).

Local governments are also now in a unique position to increase partnerships with State agencies. AB 75 mandated specific waste diversion requirements for all State agencies. Communities should now be contacting all State agencies and facilities within their jurisdiction to identify the individuals who have been given responsibility for overseeing AB 75 for those agencies. (see referenced Web sites).

Once the community makes contact with the agencies, they should request copies of all reports filed with agency headquarters (if outside the community) or with the CIWMB. The data in the State agency reports can be included in a local community’s annual report to the CIWMB.

Caltrans projects and major State prisons offer particularly good opportunities for waste diversion. With the help of the CIWMB State agency recycling program staff, communities could follow the example of Corcoran State Prison and obtain higher waste diversion rates.

Federal facilities in California have been working for many years to implement waste reduction, recycling, and recycled product procurement programs. Communities could contact any federal facilities in their area and ask them for information on their programs that local governments could include in their annual reports to the CIWMB. In addition, communities could offer federal and State facilities technical and financial assistance in meeting waste diversion goals.

Communities can offer valuable training and education for local, State, and federal government agencies. If performed with outreach to businesses in the community, significant waste diversion is possible.

Tips for Replication

Identify State agencies and facilities in your community and local contacts from the CIWMB State agency recycling program. Request copies of those State agency plans for recycling under AB 75.

Send letters to all State agencies and facilities (and follow up with phone calls) to offer community assistance in meeting requirements of AB 75.

Using the “blue pages” of telephone directories as a starting point, identify all federal agencies and facilities in the community.

Send letters to all federal agencies and facilities offering the community’s assistance in implementing federal executive orders.

Pool your resources with other communities, regional solid waste authorities, and county government recycling coordinators to organize outreach and training programs.