OC Waste & Recycling and all of its facilities are closed on Saturday, December 25, 2021, and Saturday, January 1, 2022. 

Please note the following details for landfills, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers, and HQ offices. Have a safe and happy holiday and remember to reduce, reuse and recycle this season and throughout the year. 

All OC Landfills will be closed on Saturday, December 25, 2021, and Saturday, January 1, 2022.

• Frank R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine (Commercial Only)
• Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea
• Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano

All Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers will be closed Saturday, December 25, 2021, and Saturday, January 1, 2022. Please note HHWCCs are closed on Sundays and Mondays year-round. 

• Anaheim Collection Center 
• Huntington Beach Collection Center 
• Irvine Collection Center 
• San Juan Capistrano Collection Center 

OC Waste & Recycling HQ offices will be closed Friday, December 24, and Friday, December 31, 2021. Offices will also be closed Friday, December 31, 2021 and Saturday, January 1, 2022. 

OC Waste & Recycling is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25, 2021. Please note the following details for landfills, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers, and  HQ offices. Have a safe and happy holiday and remember to reduce, reuse and recycle this holiday season. 

All OC Landfills will be closed on Thursday, November 25, and will reopen on Friday, November 26, 2021. 

• Frank R. Bowerman Landfill in Irvine (Commercial Only)
• Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea
• Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano

All Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers will be closed on Thursday, November 25, and will reopen on Friday, November 26, 2021. 

• Anaheim Collection Center 
• Huntington Beach Collection Center 
• Irvine Collection Center 
• San Juan Capistrano Collection Center 

OC Waste & Recycling HQ offices will be closed Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26, and will reopen on Monday, November 29, 2021. 

Heading to an OC Landfill? Make sure you cover your load! Not only is covering your load an important safety issue, it’s the law.

OC Waste & Recycling is partnering with California Highway Patrol (CHP) to help spread the message on how to properly cover items when transporting them to landfills. Accidents occur when items in truck beds or on trailers are too loose and uncovered. Covering and securing loads ensures a safe trip for you and all other vehicles around you.   

“The CHP responds every day to reports of debris on the roadway,” stated Rafael Reynoso, Public Information Officer, CHP.  “Many traffic crashes could be avoided if drivers made sure their load was properly covered and secure before they pull out of the driveway.”

A safe trip to the landfill begins before you leave the loading site. Take extra time to make sure loads are secured with a rope, straps, netting and covered with a tarp. This prevents any part of the load from becoming loose, detached, or airborne while the vehicle is moving. Remember a load is secure when no cargo or debris can slide, shift, fly out or fall onto the roadway.

When securing your load, don’t be fooled. Heavy items and small loads can still fall out or become airborne. Large truck tires, spools of wire, and pieces of wood that aren’t secured can bounce out. Even small loads can shift during transportation and become a safety hazard. 

Here’s are some helpful tips to secure and cover your load:

• Tie down and secure large items when transporting.  
• Make sure that any covering is tied down, can’t shift, catch the wind or pop out.
• Place lighter items underneath heavier items to help keep them in place. 
• Balance the weight to make it even; avoid being top heavy. 
• Make sure your truck or trailer bed does not have a hole or tear where debris can escape. 
• Remove any loose material that may remain in the trailer or truck bed before leaving the landfill.  

Posters with all the information you need to know are available to download in Spanish, English and Chinese.

• English version 
• Spanish version 
• Vietnamese version

Take the Recycling Pledge for Chance to Win Tickets to Discovery Cube Orange County    

SANTA ANA, CA – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) invites the community to take the pledge to incorporate reducing, reusing and recycling into their daily routine. Beginning November 1 and culminating on America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, the County will be promoting fun online activities, recycling tips, educational outreach and a social media contest for the chance to win family four-packs of tickets to Discovery Cube Orange County (DCOC). 

The holiday season typically generates additional waste. Instead of tossing out unwanted items, residents can pledge to recycle and properly dispose of the excess. Recycling during the holiday season and year-round can be as simple as following these three steps: 

• Step one, reduce. Reduce the amount of material you use and think twice before purchasing something new. 
• Step two, re-use. Before tossing an item into the wastebasket, consider if it can be re-used or re-purposed. 
• Step three, recycle. Most plastics, aluminum cans and unbroken glass containers typically can go into your curbside recycling bin. 

OCWR is partnering with Discovery Cube Orange County to promote proper recycling. Residents who pledge to recycle, via social media, can earn a chance to win a family four-packs of tickets to DCOC to see the new Organic World of Waste Lab, which offers hands-on learning about composting. To participate, residents must follow OCWR on social media @ocwaste. Winners will be chosen at random; for full contest details visit OCLandfills.com/America-recycles-day.  

Small steps can make a big difference. Recycling just one aluminum can save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 20 hours and a television for two hours. The same can if tossed into a landfill will take 80 -100 years to degrade. Kick-off good recycling habits leading up to America Recycles Day and keep them in practice throughout the year. Pledging to recycle is part of America Recycles Day®, a Keep America Beautiful® national program, and is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling in the United States. 

OCWR’s OCRecycleGuide.com is a resource for people looking to recycle odd items and directs the public to various recycling options. In addition to recycling, it is also important to make sure hazardous items like batteries, paints and household cleaners do not make it into our landfills. Orange County is home to four Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers located in Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. The centers are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. OCWR online recycling education, tips and quizzes can be found at OCLandfills.com/learn.  

About OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) 

OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs by providing waste management services, operating public landfills, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation's premier solid waste disposal systems, serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills reflect environmental engineering at its best. Learn more by visiting the OCWR website at OCLandfills.com. 
 

About Discovery Cube Orange County (DCOC) 

Established in 1989, the Discovery Cube continues to inspire, educate and impact millions of young minds through engaging science-based programs and exhibits. In 2012, the Cube was named one of the 10 "Most Trusted Brands" in Orange County and in 2013 was awarded the National Medal of Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services at The White House.  In November 2014, a second Discovery Cube location was opened in the Hansen Dam Recreational Area of the San Fernando Valley offering exhibits and programs unique to Los Angeles. Most recently, Discovery Cube's Ocean Quest opened in Newport Beach as a base of operations for ocean and marine science education and programs. Discovery Cube Connect is the digital platform for the Discovery Science Foundation's interactive and online educational offering. For more information, visit discoverycube.org and discoverycubeconnect.org. 

Irvine Global Village Festival returns to the Great Park in Irvine for a full day of food, art, music, and a celebration of Irvine's diverse community. The annual festival incorporates the best of Irvine’s historic fall festivals and includes kids' activities, local and global cuisine, an artisan’s marketplace, music, art, and exhibits. Stop by the OC Waste & Recycling booth for fun giveaways and to learn about eco-friendly habits! 

Give back to the environment on National CleanUp Day, Saturday, September 18 – and keep the eco-conscious attitude throughout the year! National CleanUp Day occurs on the third Saturday in September and addresses excess waste and litter issues across America. Numerous clean-up programs will be offered locally this year, including several coastline communities and in the canyons areas (flyer below).  Residents of the County can also contact their local Recycling Coordinator for more options and ideas to join a CleanUp Day or throughout the year.  

Whether joining a local program or strategizing efforts on the home front, let National CleanUp Day be the catalyst for year-round eco-friendly habits! Check out the tips below for everyday recycling best practices.  

Composting  

 Composting is an ages-old, natural process that stewards the environment in many ways. From reducing methane emissions and preserving landfill space to producing soil enrichment and lowering your carbon footprint, composting is a great way to stay eco-friendly year-round. For more information on composting in Orange County, visit OClandfills.com/page/where-can-you-learn-about-composting-orange-county. 

Appliance & Mattress Recycling  

While bulky items might not be a daily concern, when it’s time to dispose of them take a moment to consider if they’re recyclable. If you are a resident most appliances are accepted and recycled at our landfills, a full list of items can be found at OClandfills.com/landfills/what-can-i-take-landfill. OCWR in partnership with the Mattress Recycling Council offers mattress recycling, welcoming residents to bring their mattresses to the landfill for recycling and repurposing.  

Odd Item Recycling & Proper Waste Disposal  

If National CleanUp Day is starting recycling and cleanup trends at home, you might be wondering where to take odd items and where/how to dispose of hazardous waste. OC Recycle Guide is an informative resource that directs you to the best places to recycle a wide range of items. From batteries to bike tires, smoke alarms to solar panels, OC Recycle Guide can help. Also, check out the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center page for details on free drop off of hazardous waste including chemicals, e-waste, automotive products, and more.  

National CleanUp Day offers a benchmark date for the community to organize and coordinate cleanup efforts - and could kickstart daily recycling habits!  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

County of Orange, OCDE Partner on Curricular Initiative Supporting Sustainability 

COSTA MESA, Calif. — As part of a multifaceted outreach program to educate students, residents and organizations about recycling best practices, OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education’s (OCDE) Inside the Outdoors environmental education program, is launching a new curricular initiative aimed at challenging local learners to adopt sustainable behaviors. 

Under the “Eco Challenge” umbrella, the program will provide local educators with educational materials that support classroom lessons, student engagement and family activities connected to Orange County’s waste diversion efforts. Nearly 20 local schools have participated in a pilot program to sample and give feedback on the new curriculum, with dozens more expected to implement the program in the upcoming 2021-22 school year. 

“The county is proud to provide educators with the valuable tools to engage students about waste diversion while supporting state mandated teaching requirements,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. “Together, we’re inspiring students to play an active role in preserving our local resources for a safe and healthy community for future generations.” 

Aimed at building environmental literacy, the program seeks to support local communities in achieving the organic waste diversion goals set forth under Senate Bill 1383. Approved by the governor in 2016, the law changed the way California manages organic waste and required a 75 percent reduction in the statewide disposal of organic waste by Jan. 1, 2025 based on 2014 levels. 

“While waste diversion goals can be reached through activities such as edible food rescue, composting and recycling of organic waste, the partnership between OCWR and OCDE intends to educate the county's youngest consumers, creating a lasting impact for the future and increasing engagement in these practices,” said Lori Kiesser, education and partnership coordinator for Inside the Outdoors. 

The program also enables OCDE to better support local districts with the implementation of science and history academic frameworks, including California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts, or EP&Cs. The EP&Cs, which highlight the relationship between human and natural systems, are required to be taught in the classroom and must be focused on local environmental priorities. 

“The partnership with OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors program is key to the county’s next generation of waste diversion education and programs in response to state standards and more recent economic impacts within the recycling industry,” said Tom Koutroulis, director, OC Waste & Recycling. “OCWR and OCDE are uniquely positioned to provide teachers, students and families with resources that support academic frameworks to ensure accessibility for all communities in Orange County.” 

For additional information on Eco Challenge and how local educators can implement the curriculum in their classrooms, please contact Inside the Outdoors at insidetheoutdoors@ocde.us. 

About OC Waste & Recycling 

OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs by providing waste management services through a municipal landfill system and resource recovery facilities, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation's premier solid waste disposal systems, serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills reflect environmental engineering at its best. Learn more by visiting oclandfills.com or follow @ocwaste on social media. 

About Inside the Outdoors 

OCDE’s Inside the Outdoors has been a leader in hands-on science and social science programs since 1974. The mission of the program is to empower students, teachers, parents and the community to explore natural areas and expand their knowledge, understanding and stewardship of the environment. To learn more about Inside the Outdoors, visit the ITO website.

Tucked in the canyons of Irvine, within Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, is Bee Canyon Greenery. The greenery is the flagship composting program created by OCWR that will produce thousands of tons of compost annually. Developed in response to SB 1383, an important piece of environmental legislation passed to reduce methane emissions and promote resource recovery, Bee Canyon Greenery recovers and composts rather than buries edible food.

Composting is an ages-old, natural process that stewards the environment in many ways:

• Reduces methane emissions by repurposing rather than burying organic waste
• Produces valuable soil enrichment
• Preserves landfill space
• Lowers your carbon footprint

While OCWR produces compost at a commercial level, you can do it at home.

How to compost at home:

Composting at home starts with designating a compost area. Select a shady spot for a composting bin or pile, ideal for watering and layering. Next up, sorting! When sorting waste, sift out compostable food items and non-pesticide treated yard waste. Ensure that non-compostable items including charcoal, grease, pet waste, and more do not get placed into the compost bin and are disposed of properly. After the sorting process, add all compostable items to the bin or pile then stir, water and repeat! For more ideas and information on at-home composting, read Earth 911’s detailed approach.  

“A watermelon that’s disposed of in our landfills will be buried," Weena Dalby, senior environmental resource specialist, says. "When mixed with non-compostable items, it will take more time to break down due to anaerobic (methane, sulfur, and carbon dioxide producing) bacteria. A melon in a landfill could take years to decompose.

"In a greenery and in backyard composting bins, the watermelon will be mixed in with green waste breaking it down in a matter of months,” continued Dalby. “Compost piles create the perfect environment for the microorganisms from the soil to eat the organic waste, breaking it down and creating compost. Composting is key to clearing up more room in our landfills. What was once waste can be re-used as fertilizer to help with new growth and habitat recovery – huge pluses!” 

To learn more about composting, recycling, and organic waste visit OCLandfills.com.

 Anatomy of a Landfill Poster
(Front) https://oclandfills.com/sites/ocwr/files/import/data/files/60359.pdf