"Small Town Recycler Makes It Big With CalMAX"

by Kevin Taylor

Congratulations to Saticoy Recycling of Ventura, California for being selected as the 1996 CalMAX Match of the Year. This story originally appeared in the January/February 1997 issue of CalMAX.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) voted to approve the award of the 1996 CalMAX Match of the Year to Saticoy Recycling at a public CIWMB meeting in San Bernardino on April 24, 1997. The Board selected Saticoy Recycling as the 1996 CalMAX Match of the Year for a variety of reasons: the amount and types of materials diverted, the exchanges through CalMAX are ongoing, the company's use of a local materials exchange program, and Saticoy's utilization of the CalMAX internet site.

As stated in the January/February 1997 issue of CalMAX, Rita Gonzales started her own brokering business (Saticoy Recycling) three years ago. Saticoy Recycling initially recycled cardboard, later added wood, and eventually, with the help of CalMAX, expanded their inventory to include many different types of materials. In fact, in the last two years, Rita estimates she has received more than 550 tons of material and saved over $33,000 through dozens of CalMAX exchanges.

The most popular items Rita has acquired through CalMAX are dimensional lumber, plastic, and laser toner cartridges. Most of the lumber finds its way down to Mexico, but the large pieces are remanufactured into molding. Surprisingly, much of the plastic is used by another company to make fire logs. The laser toner cartridges are not only located through CalMAX, but are then sold to another firm which also advertises in CalMAX. Rita has even found unique materials through CalMAX that she has used herself, the most unusual being glass blocks for decorative use in her home.

Rita also makes use of VC MAX, a local materials exchange program operated by Ventura County. VC MAX and CalMAX share their listings to help make each program more effective on both a local and state level. Speaking of more effective...Rita is a big believer in the Internet and routinely checks the CalMAX Web site (http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/mrt/CalMAX/CalMAX.htm), which offers more current information than the printed catalog (and saves the State money). Additionally, she keeps an eye on other material exchange programs outside of California for materials that may be available. She learned of these other programs through the CalMAX program, which lists many other reuse and resource programs.

Tips on using CalMAX and other exchanges? Rita says, "Most people don't look at both the available and wanted listings when they're getting rid of or looking for things. You need to research the catalog and look at everything." Additionally she says, "Through CalMAX, you can find all kinds of unusual things, but even more important, through this program, you can network with all kinds of people and help stimulate business." We'd like to salute Rita Gonzales of Saticoy Recycling on using CalMAX to its fullest to help make her business a success. At CalMAX, we are proud to know we can help foster waste prevention while helping businesses flourish and grow. We not only thank all of you who use CalMAX, but especially those who take the time to tell us about your success stories.

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Last updated: August 01, 2008