The December 13, 2018 Waste Management Commission meeting will be held at Discovery Cube Orange County.

For more information CLICK HERE.
 

As part of the department’s month long outreach and promotion of recycling for America Recycles Day, OCWR hosted its annual collection event at the Honda Center in partnership with the Anaheim Ducks. Residents were invited to bring documents for free paper shredding, home good collections, e-waste and new this year, repurposing of gently used pet supplies and donations. The event successfully collected more than 11,000 pounds of combined goods.

Up to 100 participants received a pair of free tickets to the Nov. 16 Duck’s game along with a post-game skate on the ice in celebration of America Recycles Day. In addition, OCWR hosted an on-site educational booth on the concourse to promote recycling education.

The OCWR booth consisted of Duck’s fans taking a brief America Recycles Day pledge by iPad, receiving a free reusable lunch bag, some educational literature and an automatic entry to win one of three autographed prizes. After taking the pledge, fans wrote their name on a hockey puck sticker and placed it on our large visual board with a hockey net on display next to the OCWR booth. In addition, the Ducks announced OCWR's booth location with an America Recycles Day message on the main scoreboard, which drove visitors to the table at the first intermission.

CLICK HERE to watch a recap of the 2018 EcoChallenge Day Collection Event.

The holiday season is upon us and there is always too much to do.  Of course we want to make our homes inviting and welcoming by adding holiday cheer.  This year instead of buying new decorations, why not try repurposing past holiday goods and common things found around the house?  After all, Thanksgiving is about sharing and being grateful, which includes the preservation of Mother Earth for many years to come.

Check out these DIY ideas from our friends at Earth911.com:


 

1. Fall leaf mason jar candle: Turn any empty glass jar into a candle holder. Use a little Mod Podge and stick some fall leaves to make a festive candle holder, your guests will never know that it was free!
2. Leaf art: Take an old canvas, poster board, or piece of wood and paint the background (if needed). Then glue on some fall leaves from your yard. Voilà, you’ve just created a fall-inspired piece of art like what you’d find at the home store.
3. Thankful napkin rings: Your guests will never know that these were once toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Cut them into one- to two-inch wide rings and stamp a thankful saying on them.
4. Refresh your folding chairs: You know those old rusty folding chairs you pull out for the holiday guests? Give them a fresh coat of paint and re-cover the seats.
5. Wine bottle lights: Save your wine bottles! Stuff them with a strand of twinkle lights and light them up when your guests arrive. This is super simple and the lights add to a warm and cheery atmosphere.
6. Old book pumpkins: Turn that old ratty book on the shelf into a fall-themed pumpkin for your table. We don’t recommend doing this with your good books, but something you’ll never read again will work fine.
7. Plastic pumpkin makeover: You know your kids are never going to use that plastic pumpkin again; it’s just going to sit in their room and collect trash. Stuff it with some plastic bags, old newspapers, or T-shirts and wrap it in burlap. Or, if you have an old sweater in fall colors that no one will wear anymore, use that instead of burlap.
8. Painted wine bottles: Another use for wine bottles! Paint them in fall colors. Then, paint the words, “Give Thanks,” or some other Thanksgiving saying on them.

On 10/10/18, Landon and Phil were found at Prima Deshecha Landfill.  The Waste Inspector noticed something moving as the load was being unloaded.  Immediately he recognized that it was two small kittens.  With aid from his coworkers, the kittens were transported to OCWR administration offices and provided with water and shelter. Staff contacted local shelters and within the hour, the Coastal Animal Services Authority arrived at Prima Deshecha.  The animal services officer and veterinary technician believe the male kittens are around three weeks old.  They took the kittens to a veterinary hospital for evaluation and will coordinate their care until they are ready for adoption.  They have some minor injuries and will recuperate in foster care.  In about eight weeks they will be placed up for adoption at petharbor.com.

It’s Back-to-School time, and parents work hard to ensure your kids have a great and productive year. This also includes doing what you can for the environment.  When preparing your kids for school this year, you can help them be good environmental stewards at the same time. Make sure to reuse and recycle as much as you can. Every little bit makes a difference in preserving our beautiful county and the planet. Families can:


 

• Determine what can be used from last year
  • Repair and reuse binders
  • Reuse pens and pencils from last year
  • Sell back books or share with younger students or children
  • Repair backpacks with glue or other simple repairs
• Buy smart and buy recycled products
  • Follow a classroom list to make sure to only buy what your child needs
  • Purchase "green" products not sold with excess packaging
  • Look for products not sold with excess packaging
  • Buy durable, reusable items like lunchboxes, locks and backpacks
• Manage electronics and batteries
  • If you are replacing batteries in a laptop, cell phone or other device, bring them to one of out Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers - DO NOT put them in the trash or recycle bin.
  • Got your child a new laptop? Recycle the old one by disposing of e-waste safely at one of our facilities
• Reduce food waste
  • Send your kids to school with lunch or snacks packed in reusable containers. Purchase a reusable water bottle for your child to refill throughout the day.
  • Encourage your children to only take what they need from the lunch line. Make sure that they recycle cans and bottles after they eat and they dispose of the right bins at their school.

For more information visit oclandfills.com and follow OCWR on social media @OCWaste to see more waste reduction tips.  

Orange County Waste & Recycling (OCWR) will be preparing and approving a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) addendum for the Prima Deshecha Landfill (Prima) to more accurately reflect estimates of when the landfill will reach its design capacity and cease accepting waste. The estimated closure date for Zone 1 will be revised from 2019 to 2050. The estimated closure date for Zone 4 will be revised from 2067 to 2102. No changes to the overall landfill design or operations as analyzed in the General Development Program (GDP) will result from the addendum.

Click HERE to view Addendum and attachments.

Please submit any questions or comments about this Addendum to the following:

Kristina Hamm, Public Communications Manager
OC Waste & Recycling
300 N. Flower Street, Suite 400
Santa Ana, CA 92703
Phone: 714 834-4059
Email: Kristina.hamm@ocwr.ocgov.com
 

Have a cluttered garage or cabinets and need to free up some space? Celebrate National Drive-Thru Day with OC Waste & Recycling on Tuesday July 24.
 

Bring items such as e-waste, unused paints, pesticides, automotive products, batteries and more to a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center (HHWCC). After “driving thru” one of our four HHWCC’s, visitors will receive a FREE battery bucket and child’s admission coupon to Discovery Cube OC while supplies last.

When visiting, ask about the Materials Exchange Program (MEP) onsite where OC residents can choose up to five items per week from a selection of reusable household cleaners, paint, yard and car-care products.
 

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers are located in Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano and are free to county residents. Can’t make it on July 24? No worries, the centers are open  every Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (except during rain events).

Follow @OCWaste on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for other recycling events, tips and promotions. For more information visit oclandfills.com or call 714-834-4000

County of Orange Landfills and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Centers will be closed on Wednesday, the Fourth of July holiday. Landfills and HHW Centers will be open the following day, Wednesday July 5 and will operate during normal business hours.

Please contact your local hauler for information and pickup dates. Residential trash and collection can be confirmed by contacting your hauler here.

 For more information, visit oclandfills.com or call 714-834-4000.

Award exemplifies commitment to proper and compliant waste disposal

Santa Ana, Calif. (June 7, 2018) — OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) has received one of the waste industry’s most important awards, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) 2018 Gold Award for Landfill Management Excellence of the Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano. 

The rigorous SWANA award program requires an entry submission that details evaluation criteria ranging from landfill siting, design and construction and environmental controls and monitoring to regulatory compliance and public acceptance, appearance and aesthetics. Modern landfills are highly regulated by multiple resource agencies and must pass frequent inspections to ensure compliance, which keeps them safe for the public.

“I am incredibly proud that we have earned one of our industry’s highest awards, said OCWR Director Tom Koutroulis.  “While we don’t work specifically to win awards, this award is a gratifying testament to OCWR’s excellence at all three of our landfill sites. OCWR’s landfill management excellence is founded in environmental stewardship, contemporary operational techniques, regulatory and safety compliance and being a good neighbor,” Koutroulis said.

The Prima Deshecha Landfill is a modern, multi-use resource recovery center that provides waste management services to the cities of south Orange County. In addition to the landfill for commercial and public waste disposal, it includes a Hazardous Household Waste Collection Center, a materials recovery facility and a natural habitat area.

SWANA’s Excellence Awards Program recognizes outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management through their commitment to utilizing effective technologies and processes in system design and operations, advancing worker and community health and safety, and implementing successful public education and outreach programs. Programs also must demonstrate that they are fiscally and environmentally responsible through their compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations.  

The award will be presented at SWANA’s annual conference, WASTECON®, on August 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.  
About SWANA:

For more than 50 years, the Solid Waste Association of North America has been the leading professional association in the solid waste field. The association serves more than 10,000 members throughout North America, and thousands more with conferences, certifications, publications and technical training courses.  For more on SWANA, see swana.org.

About OC Waste & Recycling
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.

For more on OC Waste & Recycling, visit oclandfills.com and follow @OCWaste.

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Award exemplifies commitment to proper and compliant waste disposal

Santa Ana, Calif. (June 7, 2018) — OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) has received one of the waste industry’s most important awards, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) 2018 Gold Award for Landfill Management Excellence of the Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano. 

The rigorous SWANA award program requires an entry submission that details evaluation criteria ranging from landfill siting, design and construction and environmental controls and monitoring to regulatory compliance and public acceptance, appearance and aesthetics. Modern landfills are highly regulated by multiple resource agencies and must pass frequent inspections to ensure compliance, which keeps them safe for the public.

“I am incredibly proud that we have earned one of our industry’s highest awards, said OCWR Director Tom Koutroulis.  “While we don’t work specifically to win awards, this award is a gratifying testament to OCWR’s excellence at all three of our landfill sites. OCWR’s landfill management excellence is founded in environmental stewardship, contemporary operational techniques, regulatory and safety compliance and being a good neighbor,” Koutroulis said.

The Prima Deshecha Landfill is a modern, multi-use resource recovery center that provides waste management services to the cities of south Orange County. In addition to the landfill for commercial and public waste disposal, it includes a Hazardous Household Waste Collection Center, a materials recovery facility and a natural habitat area.

SWANA’s Excellence Awards Program recognizes outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management through their commitment to utilizing effective technologies and processes in system design and operations, advancing worker and community health and safety, and implementing successful public education and outreach programs. Programs also must demonstrate that they are fiscally and environmentally responsible through their compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations.  

The award will be presented at SWANA’s annual conference, WASTECON®, on August 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. 
About SWANA:

For more than 50 years, the Solid Waste Association of North America has been the leading professional association in the solid waste field. The association serves more than 10,000 members throughout North America, and thousands more with conferences, certifications, publications and technical training courses.  For more on SWANA, see swana.org.

About OC Waste & Recycling
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.

For more on OC Waste & Recycling, visit oclandfills.com and follow @OCWaste.

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