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"Innovations" Case Studies

Solid Waste Assessments: A Model for Local Government Recycling and Waste Reduction
The California Integrated Waste Management Act requires California jurisdictions to reduce their solid waste disposal by 50 percent. While many communities were able to achieve the 25 percent mandated reduction in disposal by 1995, many are finding it difficult to reach the mandated 50 percent or surpass that rate.

Even the most casual of overviews of the average community’s waste generation sources will reveal that the majority of generated waste comes from the commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors. Waste reduction planners will need to focus their attention on these sources. A vital first step in this process is conducting waste assessments at the source. A waste assessment can be defined as the collection and evaluation of accurate information on the types and quantities of waste generated or brought to the site under investigation. This data is critical for any decision-making relating to actions that could be implemented to reduce waste disposal.

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Credits and Disclaimer

Bernie Meyerson of EMS Consulting and UC-Santa Cruz Extension staff prepared this study pursuant to contract IWM-C8028 ($198,633, included other services) with the University of California at Santa Cruz for a series of 24 studies and summaries.

The statements and conclusions in this summary are those of the contractor and not necessarily those of the California Integrated Waste Management Board, its employees, or the State of California. In addition, the data in this report was provided by local sources but not independently verified. The State and its contractors make no warranty, express or implied, and assume no liability for the information contained in this text. Any mention of commercial products, companies, or processes shall not be construed as an endorsement of such products or processes.

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Last updated: October 26, 2007

Local Government Central  http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LGCentral/
Larry N. Stephens: lstephen@ciwmb.ca.gov  (916) 341-6241