Local Agencies Get $3 Million to Cut Household Toxics

SACRAMENTO--Eighteen California public agencies received a total of $3 million today from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for programs to collect, recycle and properly manage household hazardous wastes (HHW). The Board is the state’s primary recycling agency and is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).

"These grants will go a long way in assisting communities to reduce the amount of hazardous materials previously sent to landfills across the state," said Waste Board Chair Linda Moulton-Patterson. "We are also supporting ongoing local efforts to educate residents about the toxicity of household products. This is an important step towards reducing in-home generation of hazardous materials."

Grant recipients include the Cities of Del Mar, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Arcata, and Martinez; the counties of San Diego, Fresno, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Kern, San Joaquin, and El Dorado; and regional waste authorities including the Regional Council of Rural Counties Environmental Services Joint Powers Agency, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, and Yuba-Sutter Regional Waste Management Authority.

The Waste Board awards up to $3 million annually in grants to cities, counties and local agencies for programs that reduce the amount of HHW disposed of at solid waste landfills. Public Resources Code section 47200 requires the Board to give priority in funding to the following: new programs for rural and underserved areas, and small cities; expansion of existing programs to collect additional waste types, develop innovative or more cost-effective collection methods, or expand public education services; and regional HHW programs.

The Board mailed a Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) for the 2000-01 grants on January 12, 2001 to over 1,100 interested parties. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum award is $150,000 per individual applicant and $300,000 per regional applicant. Applications were due to CIWMB on March 30, 2001.

Thirty-nine applications, nearly $6.6 million in funding requests, were received and evaluated using scoring criteria adopted by the Board earlier in the year. Those criteria gave preference to the establishment of new programs, the expansion of existing programs that address permanent and sustainable solutions for HHW and paint collection; electronic waste (e-waste), universal waste (u-waste), and antifreeze; and for implementation of pollution prevention (P2) education programs.

The Board approved the following 16 projects for funding:

City of Del Mar--Award: $300,000
Project funds will facilitate the development of a regional program that expands existing programs and services targeting electronic (e-waste) and universal wastes (u-waste), paint, and antifreeze; and increase operating hours at three permanent collection facilities. The grant will also provide funding to develop a regional pollution prevention and education program to increase the public's awareness of HHW issues, source reduction, proper disposal, and the environment impacts of HHW. Contact information: Ms. Lauraine Brekke-Esparza, City of Del Mar, CA (858) 755-9313, Citymanager@delmar.ca.us

RCRC/Environmental Services Joint Powers Agency--Award: $300,000
Funding will be used to develop a regional program to collect Household Hazardous Waste from twelve rural jurisdictions including the counties of Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Glenn, Inyo, Mariposa, Modoc, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne; and the cities of Dorris, Dunsmuir, Etna, Fort Jones, Montague, Mt. Shasta, Tulelake, Weed and Yreka. This program will concentrate exclusively on the collection of latex paint, antifreeze, electronic waste (e-waste) and universal wastes (u-waste). Contact: Mr. Jim Hemminger, Regional Council of Rural Counties, (916) 447-4806, jimh@rcrcnet.org

San Diego County--Award: $300,000
Designed to increase HHW disposal options for residents in the cities of El Cajon, Lemon Grove, Santee, and the unincorporated areas of San Diego County, this award will be used for the implementation of four electronic waste collection events; an expansion of services and operating hours at the El Cajon HHW facility; and the implementation of a regional education program that includes a comprehensive "point of purchase" campaign emphasizing prudent purchasing, source reduction and pollution prevention. Contact: Ms. Karilyn Merlos, County of San Diego, (858) 495-5799, kmerloch@co.san-diego.ca.us

City of Chula Vista--Award: $300,000
Grant funds will be used for a number of projects targeting electronic (e-waste) and universal wastes (u-waste), paint and antifreeze in six contiguous communities in South Bay San Diego, including Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City, South Bay San Diego and rural San Diego County. Programs will include the implementation of a public education program aimed at reaching underserved residential and CESQ generators and is designed to foster cooperation between jurisdictions and waste haulers, while providing consistent programs for all residents. Educational efforts will promote the efficient use of resources, the HHW hierarchy emphasizing pollution prevention, the implementation of a material exchange program; and proper incineration/disposal as a last resort. A new centrally located HHW facility will also provide expanded services and operating hours. Contact: Ms. Mike Hice, City of Chula Vista, (619) 409-5384, mhice@ci.chula-vista.ca.us

Fresno County--Award: $300,000
Grant funds were awarded for the expansion and operation of a household hazardous waste management facility and program targeting the underserved residents of Fresno County. A public education and outreach campaign is also planned along with the establishment of a paint management program, and a new reuse center. Contact: Ms. Marion Miller, Fresno County, (559) 262-4259, mmiller2@fresno.ca.gov

The Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority--Award: $299,944
The Cities of Salinas, Soledad, Gonzales, Greenfield and King are the recipients of the SVSWA grant award - to be used for expansion of the regional HHW collection program. Specific program goals include providing greater services to underserved residents; establishing and promoting an electronics (e-waste) collection, recycling and/or refurbishment program; and implementing a pollution prevention/waste reduction education program. Funds will also be used to sustain new program operations and to promote general HHW collection services. Contact: Mr. Kurt Hunter, (831) 758-7925, kurth@ci.salinas.ca.us

Santa Clara County--Award: $295,708
Santa Clara County’s Regional Household Hazardous Waste Program will be using grant funds to inform residents, commercial landscapers/gardeners, and small businesses about the sales ban recently implemented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which bans the sale of chlorpyrifos and diazinon, (two types of widely used residential pesticides). Funding will be used to educate residents on safe disposal methods, and the availability of non-toxic or less-toxic alternatives. Coupled with the pollution prevention education program, the County will provide free disposal of products containing dursban and diazinon for both residents and small businesses. Contact: Mr. Rob D'Arcy, Santa Clara County, (408) 299-8767, Rob.Darcy@deh.co.Santa-Clara.ca.us

Orange County--Award: $250,500
Grant funds were awarded to Orange County for at-the-door pickup of hazardous waste for handicapped and elderly residents, and to perform a feasibility study for a collection and recycling program for electronic waste (e-waste). The County will also implement a public outreach and education program to promote existing Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center’s and at-the-door pickups, and publish a pollution prevention recipe book. Contact: Ms. Janice Goss, Integrated Waste Mgt. Dept., Orange County, (714) 834-4122, jan.goss@iwmd.ocgov.com

San Luis Obispo County--Award: $250,303
The Integrated Waste Management Authority of San Luis Obispo County will use grant funds to establish several permanent HHW collection facilities throughout the county, including a new facility for the communities of Nipomo and Oceano; and three smaller satellite permanent HHW collection facilities for the communities of Heritage Ranch, San Miguel and California Valley. Funding will also provide for the improvement of existing HHW facilities operating during inclement weather conditions, and for the expansion of the latex paint recycling program. Contact: Mr. William A. Worrell, (805) 782-8530, bworrell@iwma.com

The Yuba-Sutter Regional Waste Management Authority--Award: $231,959
Designed to serve the Yuba-Sutter area, these grant funds will be utilized for seven rural, underserved, and small city HHW collection events in outlying communities, and to supplement funds for the permanent HHW facility located in Yuba City. A publicity and information campaign will promote the collection events and permanent facility. The project includes the production and distribution of HHW brochures, and a pollution prevention insert to be distributed to residents with their curbside recycling carts. A final component of this grant will include an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling demonstration project and publicity campaign.
Contact: Mr. Keith Martin, Yuba-Sutter Regional Waste Management Authority, (530) 634 6890, kemartin@jps.net

City of Palm Desert--Award: $149,247
The City of Palm Desert will use allocated grant funds to establish a permanent, year round, household hazardous waste disposal facility. The facility will be located in the City of Palm Desert as part of the existing recycling buy back facility managed by Waste Management of the Desert. Funds will be used to construct the necessary facility and provide HHW education to the residents of Palm Desert and to assist the City in meeting AB 939 requirements. Contact: Ms. Frankie Riddle, Mgt. Analyst, City of Palm Desert, (760) 776-6331, friddle@ci.palm-desert.ca.us

Riverside County--Award: $91,371
Funds will be used to collect waste from small businesses exempt from hazardous waste regulation ("conditionally exempt small quantity generators" produce less than 100 kilograms of waste per month), through a door-to-door program in coordination with the County's Mobile HHW Roundups. In addition, the mobile collection program will include the collection of sharps from county residents. A public education campaign is scheduled to coincide with the small business collection and Mobile HHW Roundups. Contact: Ms. Sandy Bunchek, (909) 358-5055, sbunchek@co.riverside.ca.us

The City of La Mesa--Award: $77,769
This grant will provide funds for enhancements to La Mesa's existing permanent HHW facility, with partial funding for the collection of paint, electronic waste (e-waste), universal waste (u-waste), and the implementation of a pollution prevention program. Contact: Ms. Carol McLaughlin, City of La Mesa, (619) 667-1162, cmclaughlin@ci.la-mesa.ca.us

Kern County--Award: $76,884
Grant funds will provide for the implementation of seventeen mobile collection events in the outlying communities of Kern County. Household hazardous wastes that are collected through the County's Hazardous Waste Exclusion Program will be transported to the County's permanent HHW Facility along with waste accumulated from mobile events for processing. Contact: Ms. Lynn Beurmann, Kern County, (661) 862-8957, Lynb@co.kern.ca.us

San Joaquin County--Award: $58,135
The County will use grant funds for the establishment of five satellite (100 cars or less) HHW events in the rural and underserved areas of the County; a two year Agricultural PCB Research and Education Program for growers in the County; collection of electronic waste (e-waste) and universal waste (u-waste); and for the purchase of a propane-fueled forklift to implement the above programs and expand the recycled paint program. In addition, funds will be used to implement a Beneficial Urban Demonstration Garden to showcase Integrated Pest Management source reduction activities, introduce a new public education program, provide public advertising through newspaper ads, and continue the bi-annual mass mailings promoting the HHW collection event. Contact: Ms. Alison Hudson, County of San Joaquin, (209) 468-3066, swrecycle@co.san-joaquin.ca.us

El Dorado County--Award: $52,811
The County of El Dorado will use grant funds to expand existing HHW activities including - the collection of universal wastes (such as waste lamps and mercury thermostats); additional recycling programs for these materials; and the development of a recycling education program for HHW products, and their environmental impacts. Contact: Mr. Dave Johnston, County of El Dorado, (530) 621-5896, davej@co-eldorado.ca.us

The City of Arcata--Award: $35,813
The City of Arcata's Environmental Services Department will use HHW funds to continue its public outreach activities for HHW disposal, collection and safe alternative education; provide ongoing support to certified used oil collection centers while increasing the recycling and transportation of latex paint locally. Outreach activities will include the staffing of the City’s educational information booth at local events, and the placement of advertisements with the local media. Contact: Ms. Julie Neander, City of Arcata, (707) 822-8184, msaarc@aol.com

The City of Martinez--Award: $29,301
Funding will be used to start collecting household batteries (alkaline and rechargeable) and mercury containing lights and lamps. In addition, funds will be used to expand the current antifreeze, battery, oil and paint center in Pacheco, and to include the collection of fluorescent lamps and household batteries for all residential customers of Pleasant Hill. Contact: Ms. Nicole Forte, City of Martinez, and (925) 372-3531, nforte@cityofmartinez.org

The six-member Integrated Waste Management Board is responsible for protecting the public's health and safety and the environment through management of the estimated 66 million tons of solid waste generated in California each year. The Board works in partnership with local government, industry, and the public to reduce waste disposal and ensure environmentally safe landfills. California now diverts 42 percent of its solid waste away from landfills.

The Waste Board is one of six boards and departments within the California Environmental Protection Agency.

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The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, Flex Your Power and see our Web site at www.ciwmb.ca.gov