Waste Reduction in Tehama County

Commercial Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Source Reduction Programs

The Tehama County Sanitary Landfill Agency's (TCSLA) Solid Waste Director promotes business waste reduction by providing technical assistance and business waste assessments. As of February 2000, he had completed waste assessments at approximately 10 of the county's largest businesses. The TCSLA advertises the waste assessment program on local radio.

Recycling

GreenWaste offers recycling services to its commercial trash customers for half the cost it charges for trash service of the same volume and collection frequency. GreenWaste provides weekly collection of two recycling bins, plus free additional containers upon request at no charge to small business customers using a 32-, 64-, or 96-gallon trash toter.

Corning Disposal offers free recycling to its commercial trash customers.

TCSLA's Solid Waste Director reports that business participation in recycling is low, but it has increased significantly. Before the new county contracts took effect, the commercial haulers offered only cardboard recycling. The recycling rate for commercial trash customers was about 10 percent. Under the new contracts, the haulers accept most of the same materials for recycling from commercial accounts as from those in residential accounts. As of March 2000, approximately 35 percent of county businesses participate in recycling.

Organics Programs

GreenWaste and Corning Disposal provide yard debris collection services for their commercial customers upon request. Very few customers take advantage of these services.

Construction and Demolition Debris Recovery Programs

GreenWaste waives its portion of the landfill tip fee on concrete and asphalt. The company uses these materials for road base, winter deck material, and erosion/runoff control projects at the landfill. Landfill staff break up large pieces of rubble with a bulldozer.

The communities in Tehama County recycle construction and demolition (C&D) debris from road projects. Red Bluff uses ground asphalt as road base. The Corning Department of Public Works uses waste concrete for erosion control. The Tehama County Road Department pulverizes asphalt and uses it as road sub-base. The communities do not track the tonnage of this material, so it is not included in 1998 diversion figures.

One private Tehama County business, Richfield Recycles, recycles concrete and asphalt. The company uses the material for road base.

Other Programs

At the landfill, GreenWaste salvages appliances and scrap metal from self-haul customers and from its bulky item collection programs. GreenWaste sells some appliances to local businesses for repair and reuse, and sells scrap metal to a dealer for recycling.

GreenWaste also salvages carpet padding and tires from the landfill. It delivers the padding to a recycler in Butte County, which uses the padding to make new carpet padding. The company stockpiles tires and chooses among several recycling options based on market prices. GreenWaste has at times shredded used tires for use as alternate daily cover at the landfill or sent tires to private recyclers. The company has also sent tires to Calaveras Cement, a local company that burns tires as fuel.

All Tehama County schools have recycling programs for office paper. TCSLA provides recycling and composting assistance to schools that request it. The schools use various haulers. One local company, North Valley Services, collects paper from schools for free. Most county schools also grasscycle or compost yard trimmings. Some schools vermicompost cafeteria food discards. TCSLA donated bins for vermicomposting to three local schools.

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Last updated: October 26, 2007