Toters, Logs, Storage Yards, and Palm Trees

by Maggie Coulter

How did the City of Claremont's damaged 90-gallon plastic toters end up as palm tree planters? 

The story starts with Cynthia VantHul, Environmental Program Coordinator for the city. VantHul had heard good things about CalMAX at CIWMB Board meetings, so she got a catalog. She quickly saw the potential for listing reusable items that were clogging up the city's maintenance yard.

Cynthia placed her first CalMAX listing in Spring, 2000 for 94 creosote-soaked poles that had been used for street lighting (and later replaced with metal ones). In May, her ad was answered by William Sampson of San Diego who wanted the poles to mark the property line of his storage yard. With each pole weighing over 200 pounds, the city was relieved of almost 20 tons of potentially toxic waste.

Buoyed with her success, Cynthia placed another CalMAX ad in July, this time for the toters. Both the poles and the toters were free, but pickup was required. She got several calls, but distance was a barrier. However, a successful connection was soon made with businessman Mike Perez of Rancho Perez in Vista. Mike was happy to come and get the bulky toters.

Mike holds a full-time job and, for the last three years he operated a part-time business growing palm trees. He has about 3,000 large palm trees, which he sells for landscaping in public spaces, hotels, and residential neighborhoods. Big palm trees need big planters, which are expensive. 

Mike knew of another nursery operator who was growing plants in 55-gallon used recycling containers from the City of Palm Beach. He got some of the 55-gallon containers and cut them in half to grow his large Phoenix Reclinata. 

A year ago, when the Reclinatas began to outgrow these, Mike went on line. He first looked for recycled content plastic pots. After trying a couple of search engines, one led him to CalMAX. Mike bookmarked CalMAX and started checking it periodically. He did find containers listed, but they either cost money and/or were too far away. 

Then he saw the CalMAX listing for Claremont's 90-gallon toters. He rented a flatbed truck, which cost him $200, and took as many toters as he could, almost 150 of them. This connection saved money, landfill space and natural resources. With equivalent wooden planters costing $100-$150, Mike saved more than $15,000. The toters weighed 50 pounds apiece, so the city avoided disposal of 25 tons of nonrecyclable plastic. (The City had contacted several recyclers even sending them pieces of the toters but no one wanted them.) The environment was also a winner, with fewer trees cut to build planter boxes.

The 55-gallon containers are reusable. Mike first cuts them in half and then fits them around the palm roots with bender board and drywall screws. Mike isn't sure about the 90-gallon toters as they are made of a lighter plastic, but he will be getting at least two years use from them. He also plans to contact other local governments and offer to take their damaged toters.

Contact information:

Cynthia VantHul
Environmental Program Coordinator
City of Claremont
(909) 399-5431
CVantHul@ci.claremont.ca.us

Mike Perez
Rancho Perez
1294 Loma Vista Way
Vista, CA 92084
Mweperez@cs.com 
www.maxpages.com/ranchoperez

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Last updated: August 01, 2008