2001 Trash Cutter Awards Program Case Studies

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works:
Best Urban Waste Reduction Program 

• Program Description
• Program Summary
• Costs
• Benefits
• Contact

Program Description

In 1994, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works implemented what is now know as the SmartBusiness Recycling Program to promote recycling to the commercial and industrial sectors. The program strongly encourages all businesses throughout the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles to implement and/or expand waste reduction and recycling programs.

Program Summary

The SmartBusiness Recycling Program utilizes county business recycling consultants (BRCs) to perform free on-site waste evaluations and teach the basic principles of waste reduction and recycling to businesses. At the conclusion of each visit, the BRC provides waste reduction recommendations to the business owner or manager. By giving information specific to their operations, the county is able to meet the diverse needs of the business community.

A Geographic Information System and a computer program specific to the county are used to effectively target, track, and report on assistance provided to businesses. Businesses that implement programs with significant new diversion are eligible for a SmartBusiness award.

As part of the educational component of the SmartBusiness Recycling Program, the county distributes an informational kit. Included is a variety of printed outreach materials including a general recycling brochure and ten industry-specific tip sheets that address a wide range of topics such as recycling, composting, xeriscaping, grasscycling, waste prevention, green purchasing, construction and demolition, and tires. In addition, prevention of illegal dumping is emphasized to local businesses in areas of the county where illegal dumping is prominent.

The BRCs distribute lists of recycling companies and the materials they handle; the information is also available from the www.businessrecycling.com Web site. While this is a useful and effective resource, the business owner often does not take the initiative to call the recycler. To overcome this, the BRCs take the proactive step of requesting that the recyclers call the business owner. This cooperative approach has had very positive results.

The county’s newsletter keeps all of the approximately 20,000 businesses in the unincorporated area involved in the program. Each four-page newsletter presents informative facts and tips and includes examples of successful programs. The newsletter also periodically promotes materials exchange programs, awards for businesses, and the Los Angeles Recycling Market Development Zone.

The county runs a SmartBusiness Recycling Program Hotline, 1-800-741-9236, to provide waste reduction assistance to business. Recycled-content items promoting the SmartBusiness program are distributed at trade shows and similar venues.

Costs

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works budgets approximately $500,000 per year, with funding provided by the county’s solid waste generation service charge. The program has proven economical with a cost of one penny per pound ($20 per ton) of all waste diverted from businesses visited ($500,000/22,975 tons). (This figure includes waste diversion resulting from the SmartBusiness assistance as well as diversion due to previously existing practices.)

Benefits

To provide program evaluation and monitoring, approximately every two years a telephone survey is conducted of more than 2,000 businesses to document existing awareness and to measure the program’s effectiveness.

Even though approximately 75 percent of the 675 businesses assisted in 2000 had some type of existing diversion program, the BRCs made significant headway in starting new programs or expanding existing programs. The businesses assisted by the BRCs divert approximately 23,000 tons of waste per year, a diversion rate of approximately 50 percent.

For Further Information, Contact:

Los Angeles County
900 South Fremont Ave.
Alhambra, CA 91803-1331
(626) 458-5167
www.888CleanLA.com