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Recycling at Work
Recycling isn’t something we just do at home. Workplace recycling is good for our community, our environment, and the bottom line.
Recycling at Work
Recycling isn’t something we just do at home. Workplace recycling is good for our community, our environment, and the bottom line.
Why Your Business Should Recycle
RECYCLING IS ECONOMICAL
Businesses may be able to cut costs for trash disposal after they start recycling.
RECYCLING HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT
By recycling, you conserve valuable natural resources. Using recycled materials to make new products saves energy and reduces the amount of air and water emissions produced during the manufacture of new products.
RECYCLING SUPPORTS BUSINESS & CREATES JOBS
Recycled materials make up a significant portion of our nation’s resource base. By recycling, you provide industry with the raw materials it needs to make new products. This, in turn, supports business and jobs.
RECYCLING IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS
Recycling makes good business sense. Your customers will appreciate your participation, and you will be sending the message that your business cares about its community and the future.
IT’S THE LAW
For many California businesses recycling and organics recycling isn’t just good practice, it’s the law. Learn more here.
WASTE REDUCTION
Some recurring business waste is a non-productive asset. You spend money on unnecessary or over stocked items that go unsold or unused. Looking at waste as a business inefficiency can save you money and reduce your waste size.
Get Started with a Workplace Recycling Program
Every business should consider setting up a recycling program to cut down on waste and the overhead of disposal.
Setting up recycling is a simple matter of organization and commitment. Take the initiative and get a program started in your business today by following these four simple steps.1. Waste Assessment
Step 1: Perform a Waste Assessment
Survey what recyclable materials are discarded and where. Walk through your office and grounds and record what types of waste are discarded in each area. This walk-through lets you figure out what containers you’ll need.
- Copiers, Printers, Fax Stations – office paper, mixed paper, toner cartridges, transparencies
- Work Stations – office paper, mixed paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, books
- Food service Areas – glass, metal, cans, plastic containers, cardboard (food waste can be separated and composted; grease and oil may be converted into biodiesel)
- Outdoor & Public Areas – newspaper, magazines, bottles, cans
- Computer Support – computers, monitors, cables, other electronics
2. Setup Containers
Step 2: Setup Recycling Containers
Based on the results of the waste assessment, put recycling containers for each material in each area.
To begin, you might want to focus your efforts where you have found the most waste. For laser paper, consider setting up a system for printing drafts on second sides.
Location and good labeling are critical to every recycling program. Be sure that containers are well-marked. For public areas, you might want to consider special containers that indicate the type of recyclable with a hole or a slot. This will reinforce the goals of your program and reduce contamination (mixing) of recyclables.
3. Publicize It
Step 3: Publicize Your Project
Once your containers, labels, and collection procedures are in place, communicate your program to managers and employees. You might consider a kick-off party for managers and supervisors. For staff, consider talking to each department or work group. You might also consider discussing recycling at all-company meetings.
But one presentation is not enough. Be sure to reinforce the goals, principles, and procedures of your program. This will ensure that your procedures are being followed, will help people remain interested, and provide a forum for questions and new solutions. You can also put information or notices in e-mail, on the company’s internal web site, or in the company newsletter.
Don’t forget to include recycling information in your orientation for new employees. Be sure that your custodial staff or provider makes recycling part of their orientation as well.
4. Monitor Results
Step 4: Monitor Your Results
Create a system for keeping track of the amount of materials your program collects. This will help you know you’re receiving proper compensation for your materials and will help you take appropriate action if volumes decrease. Be sure to get your custodial staff involved in this process, and develop a feedback system so that they can let you know where contamination is a problem.What Your Business Should Recycle
Much of what your business currently throws “away” can be recycled.
Below is a list of general items that can be recycled in most Business Recycling Programs. It’s important to follow your town or county’s recycling rules, so be sure to check with your hauler to make sure your business is recycling right.
PAPER
- White and colored office paper
- Photocopy paper
- Computer paper
- Junk mail/Catalogs
- Phone books
- Newspapers/Magazines
- All other clean, dry paper
CARDBOARD
- Corrugated cardboard
Paper and Cardboard Recycling Tips
- Clean, dry, and free of food waste
- Flatten boxes and remove tape
- Remove liners from cereal/food boxes
- Plastic window envelopes and staples are okay
- No spirals from notebooks
PLASTIC CONTAINERS
- Rigid containers (#1, #2, #5)
- PET (#1) plastic bottles
- HDPE (#2) plastic bottles
- Commercial film
Plastic Bottles & Container Recycling Tips
- Clean, dry, and free of food waste
- No Styrofoam™
- No plastic bags of any kind
- Lids are okay to leave on
- Learn how to get a refund on eligible containers
METAL CANS & TRAYS
- Tin cans
- Aluminum cans and foil
Metal Cans & Trays Recycling Tips
- Clean, dry, and free of food waste
- Aerosol cans must be empty of pressure and product
GLASS BOTTLES & JARS
- Glass bottles and jars of any color, shape or size
Glass Bottles & Jars Recycling Tips
- Clean, dry, and free of food waste
- Remove lids
- Learn how to get a refund on eligible containers
Download our Recycle Bin Flyer
Download our handy printable flyer and post it near your recycling bins to remind everyone about what belongs there.
How Recycling Works
Recycling is circular. A material is manufactured into a product which goes to a store, where you buy it. You use the product — and hopefully reuse it — then put it in your recycling cart. From there it is collected and taking to a processing plant where it turned back into base materials which a manufacturer uses to create something new. And the cycle starts again.
Where Does Our Recycling Go?
The MRF is an intermediate processing center— sorting mixed recyclables into separate categories: newspaper, cardboard, other mixed papers, glass, steel cans, aluminum cans, PET plastics, HDPE plastics, and more. Once the recyclables are sorted (and compacted into bales), they are then ready to be shipped to businesses to be made into new products.
Most communities in the High Desert and Mountain area are served by the Victor Valley Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)
The MRF is the “middleman” between residents who separate recyclables, and the industries which use recyclable materials to make new products.
The MRF is owned by the Town of Apple Valley and City of Victorville; administered by the Mojave Desert and Mountain Recycling Authority; and operated by Burrtec Waste Industries.
Get the Victory Valley MRF Guide
This guide introduces you to the MRF and how recycling materials are processed at the facility.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Victor Valley MRF
Victor Valley Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)
17000 Abbey Lane, Victorville, CA
Hours:
Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm
Saturdays 8am – 12pm
Phone: (760) 241-1284
Recycling Drop Off Center
Recycle Alley is a community drop-off site open to all residents and businesses of the High Desert.
Visit Recycle Alley before you go to the landfill!
Recycle Alley is a community drop-off site at the Victor Valley Materials Recovery Facility. You can bring clothes, plastic bags, electronics and scrap metal as well as traditional recyclables (bottles and cans, paper, rigid plastic). Check out the buy-back pricing for bottles and cans, newspaper and cardboard.
By recycling these items at the MRF, residents and businesses reduce the amount of trash going to the landfill. This helps reduce landfill disposal costs and saves valuable resources.
Free Drop-Off Items
- TVs,Computers,Electronics
- Appliances
- Mattress & Box Springs**
- All Scrap Metal— except car parts
- All clean, dry Papers
- Cardboard* & Newspaper*
- Glass Bottles & Jars
- Mixed Plastic
- CRVs*
- Clothing & Shoes
Buy Back Redeemable Items
- CRV Aluminum*
- CRV Glass*
- CRV PET Plastic*
- CRV Water Jugs*
- HDPE—Milk Jugs (CRV only)*
- Newspaper*
- Corrugated Cardboard*
Call for current pricing.
(760) 241-1284
*Indicates buy-back redeemable item
** Free to residents—businesses pay $5 each piece to accept
Recycle Alley
17000 Abbey Lane in Victorville
Just off Stoddard Wells Road heading north toward the Landfill.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8am -4pm
Phone: (760) 241-1284
Web: www.VictorvilleRecycles.com
Recycling Laws
Mandatory Commercial Recycling Laws
We could talk all day about the benefits recycling provides for the environment and your business. It’s also the law.
The laws covered below apply to a “business” defined as any commercial or public entity including but not limited to, a firm, partnership, proprietorship, joint-stock company, corporation, or association that is organized as a for-profit or non-profit entity, strip mall (e.g. property complex containing two or more commercial entities), industrial facility, school, school district, community colleges, special district or a federal, state, local, regional agency or facility.
If your business qualifies, please read through these carefully and contact your local recycling coordinator to make sure your business is in compliance.
Mandatory Commercial Recycling
AB 341
AB 341
Mandatory Commercial Recycling Law AB 341
If your business produces four (4) cubic yards or more of solid waste per week, California law requires that you recycle.
In 2012, California adopted AB 341, the Mandatory Commercial Recycling Measure to expand programs to recover recyclable materials from the commercial sector. The purpose of the law is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting commercial solid waste from landfills and expand opportunities for recycling in California. It also creates jobs by providing materials for recycling manufacturing facilities, provides opportunities for businesses or multifamily complexes to save money, and creates a healthy environment for the community and future generations by recovering natural resources.
Assembly Bill 341 requires California businesses, including public entities, and multifamily complexes of five (5) units or more that generate four (4) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week to recycle.
How can your business comply with AB 341?
Under the AB 341 law, businesses can take one or any combination of the following in order to reuse, recycle, compost or otherwise divert solid waste from disposal:
- Self-haul.
- Subscribe to a hauler(s).
- Arrange for the pickup of recyclable materials.
- Subscribe to a recycling service that may include mixed waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation. (A property owner of a commercial business or multifamily residential dwelling may require tenants to source separate their recyclable materials to aid in compliance with this section.)
Learn more about AB 341 by visiting the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery website.
Download the AB 341 Flier
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law
AB 1826
AB 1826
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law AB 1826
If your business produces two (2) cubic yards or more of solid waste per week, California law requires that you recycle your organic waste.
In 2014, California adopted AB 1826, the Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Measure to divert organic waste generated by businesses and multifamily dwellings of five or more units. Mandatory recycling of organic waste is the next step toward achieving California’s aggressive recycling and greenhouse gas emission goals. Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic wastes in landfills have been identified as a significant source of emissions contributing to global climate change.
Assembly Bill 1826 requires California businesses, including public entities, and multifamily complexes of five (5) units or more that generate two (2) or more cubic yards of solid waste per week to arrange for an organic waste recycling service.
What is Organic Waste?
Organic waste (or organics) means food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed in with food waste. Please note that unlike businesses, multifamily dwellings are not required to have a food waste diversion program.
How can your business comply with AB 1826?
Under the AB 1826 law, businesses can take one or any combination of the following actions as long as it is in compliance with local ordinances and requirements:
- Separate organic waste from other waste and subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that specifically includes collection and recycling of organic waste.
- Recycle organic waste on-site, or self-haul organic waste for organic recycling.
- Subscribe to an organic waste recycling service that includes mixed-waste processing that specifically recycles organic waste.
- Sell or donate the generated organic waste.
Learn more about AB 1826 by visiting the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery website.
Download the AB 1826 Flier
Customer Access to Recycling
AB 827
AB 827
Customer Access to Recycling AB 827
Effective July 1, 2020, businesses that sell products meant for immediate consumption must provide recycling and organics containers at front-of-house to collect waste generated by customers from products they purchase and consume on the premises.
AB 827 is intended to educate and involve consumers in achieving the state’s recycling goals by requiring businesses to make recycling and/or organic recycling bins available to customers.
AB 827 requires California businesses that generate two or more cubic yards of commercial solid waste per week and sell products meant for immediate consumption* provide recycling and organics containers alongside trash bins at front-of-house to collect waste generated by customers from products they purchase and consume on the premises.
* Full-service restaurants do not have to provide properly labeled containers for patrons but must provide properly labeled containers next to trash containers for employees to separate post-consumer recyclables and organics for customers.
How can your business comply with AB 827?
Place containers for recycling and organics adjacent to trash containers where they are visible and easily accessible to customers. Containers must be clearly marked.
GET SIGNAGE
We offer free 8.5×11 pdf downloadable signage for front and back of house use. Find them here.
Printable signage is also available free online from CalRecycle’s PR Tool Kit.
Download the AB 827 Flier
Contact Your Hauler
Your community may have mandatory commercial recycling ordinances with different thresholds or more specific business recycling requirements than the state law. Reach out to your hauler for specific requirements and resources to help your business become successful recyclers under the law.
Buy Recycled
Buy Recycled! Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP)
Try these resources to find greener resources for your business.
Businesses can help create markets for recycled products — and often save money — buy purchasing furniture, office supplies, and other materials that have at least some percentage of recycled content. For example, there are several high quality paper companies providing 100% post-consumer recycled-content paper at or very near the cost of typical office paper.
California Resources
California Resources
CalRecycle offers several programs within the state that feature environmentally preferred purchasing. Visit their Buy Recycled Program or Environmentally Preferable Purchasing page for more information on how your business can benefit.
Their Recycled-Content Product Manufacturers (RCPM) directory showcases innovative recycled-content products made by California manufacturers who use recycled waste as a feedstock. Whether you are a wholesale buyer, Procurement and Contracting Officer (PCO), or an individual consumer, use this listing to find recycled-content product manufacturers who make products, or intermediate products, designed with your needs in mind!Federal Resources
EPA Resources
The US EPA maintains a Sustainable Marketplace with extensive resources supporting greener products and services. Try their Sustainable Purchasing Guidance page to help you find the resource that is right for your organization.Other Resources
Other Recommended Resources
Green Seal
Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that provides environmental certification standards for a wide range of products and services; maintains lists of certified products; and publishes product guides.
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)
MBDC sets environmental standards and awards a “Cradle to Cradle” certification to products considered healthy for humans and the environment throughout their lifecycles, and products that are sources of high-quality materials for perpetual cycles of assembly, use, disassembly and recycling or composting.
Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN)
Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN) is an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing.
Scientific Certification Systems
SCS is a third-party provider of certification, auditing and testing services, and standards on food safety and quality, environmental protection and social responsibility.
Household Hazardous Wastes
Business Hazardous Waste
Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any chemical-based material discarded from homes which may threaten human health or the environment when disposed of improperly.
Don’t let the word “household” mislead you, businesses produce items that are considered household hazardous waste too. How many batteries or cleaning supplies does your office go through? A lot! It is important for the health and safety of our community that the items listed below are disposed of properly at a hazardous waste collection facility. Does your business qualify as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators? Find out here.
Household Hazardous Waste Items
- household generated motor oil & oil filters
- auto & household batteries
- antifreeze
- cooking oil
- pesticides
- fertilizers
- paint products
- chemical cleaners
- pool supplies
- personal medications (excluding controlled substances; must separate solid & liquids)
Get the San Bernardino County Hazard Waste Location Brochure
For more information download the HHW Brochure.
Where to Take Your Hazardous Waste
San Bernardino County residents may use any of the collection facilities in the areas listed below.
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facilities in San Bernardino County are run by the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Call 909.382.5401 or 1.800.OILY.CAT (645.9228) to verify operating hours prior to visiting a collection center.
Collection Facilities that only accept antifreeze, batteries, oil and oil filters, and (Latex) paint are called ABOP facilities and are noted as such.
Apple Valley
THE TOWN OF APPLE VALLEY HHW FACILITY
13450 Nomwaket Road, Apple Valley, CA 92308
Sat, 10–2
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Big Bear Lake
PUBLIC SERVICE YARD
42040 Garstin Drive, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Sat, 9–2
Also accepts sharps
Big River ABOP
COUNTY FIRE STATION 17
150260 Capistrano Way
Call to verify, 909.382.5401
1st Saturday of the month, 8-12
ABOP facilities accept the following household items only:
- Antifreeze
- Batteries (automotive and household)
- Oil & Oil Filters
- Paint (latex only)
Barstow
CITY OF BARSTOW CORPORATION YARD
900 South Avenue H, Barstow, CA 92311
Sat, 9–2
Also accepts sharps
Chino
CHINO CITY PUBLIC WORKS SERVICES CENTER
5050 Schaefer Avenue, Chino, CA 91710
2nd & 4th Sat, 8–1
Also accepts e-waste
Havasu Lake ABOP
County Fire Station 18
148808 Havasu Lake Rd.
1st Saturday of the month, 8-12
ABOP facilities accept the following household items only:
- Antifreeze
- Batteries (automotive and household)
- Oil & Oil Filters
- Paint (latex only)
Hesperia
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY
17443 Lemon St., Hesperia, CA 92345
Tues & Thur, 9–1 and Sat, 9–3
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Joshua Tree
WEST OF TRANSPORTATION / FLOOD CONTROL BUILDING
62499 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
January 2021 – August 2021
1st & 3rd Saturday, 9–1
Also accepts sharps
Lucerne Valley ABOP
Behind Fire Station 8
33269 Old Woman Springs Rd.
Call to verify, 909.382.5401
3rd Saturday of the month, 9-12
ABOP facilities accept the following household items only:
- Antifreeze
- Batteries (automotive and household)
- Oil & Oil Filters
- Paint (latex only)
Needles
NEEDLES CITY YARD
112 Robuffa Street, Needles, CA 92363
call 1.800.OILY.CAT (645.9228) to verify dates and hours
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Ontario
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION CENTER
1430 S. Cucamonga Ave, Ontario, CA 91761
Fri & Sat, 9–2
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Rancho Cucamonga
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY
8794 Lion St, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Sat, 8–22
Also accepts e-waste
Redlands
REDLANDS CITY YARD
500 Kansas St at Park Ave, Redlands, CA 92374
Sat, 9:30–12:30
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Rialto
CITY MAINTENANCE YARD
246 South Willow Avenue, Rialto, CA 92376
2nd & 4th Fri & Sat, 8–12
Also accepts sharps
San Bernardino
S.B. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
2824 East “W” Street, Bldg. 302,
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Website: https://www.sbcfire.org
Mon–Fri, 9–4
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Trona
COUNTY FIRE STATION 127
83732 Trona Road, Trona, CA 93562
2nd Sat in Mar, Jun, and Dec, 8–12 (call for Sept)
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Upland
COUNTY FIRE STATION
1370 North Benson, Upland, CA 91786
Saturday, 9–2
Also accepts e-waste and sharps
Victorville
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
East of Desert Knoll Drive on Loves Lane
14800 7th Street, Victorville, CA 92392
Wed & Sun, 9–4
Also accepts e-waste & sharps
Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG)
The San Bernardino County Household Hazardous Waste Division offers a hazardous waste disposal service for small businesses that qualify as “Very Small Quantity Generator” (VSQG)
Businesses that generate no more than 27 gallons or 220 pounds of hazardous waste, or 2.2 pounds of extremely hazardous waste per month are “Very Small Quantity Generators”.
The San Bernardino County Household Hazardous Program provides hazardous waste disposal service for eligible businesses in San Bernardino County.
The most common VSQGs in San Bernardino County are painters, print shops, auto shops, builders, agricultural operators and property managers, but there are many others.
How to Get VSQG Service
VSQGs are encouraged to transport their waste by appointment to the San Bernardino County collection facility, provided it can be done safely and in compliance with all regulatory requirements. They also provide a mobile service for qualified businesses.
To arrange an appointment for the VSQG Program, call 1.800.645.9228 or 909.382.5401. Be prepared to describe the type and amount of hazardous waste your business is ready to dispose of, and the types and size(s) of waste containers. Only the San Bernardino collection facility is permitted to accept VSQG waste.
There is a small handling fee involved in the collection of hazardous waste from your business. Costs depend on the type of waste.
Get the San Bernardino County Hazard Waste For Small Businesses Brochure
Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ)
The Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) program combines recycling with economic development to fuel new businesses, expand existing ones, create jobs, and divert waste from landfills.
This program provides attractive loans, technical assistance, and free product marketing to businesses that use materials from the waste stream to manufacture their products and are located in a zone. The zones cover roughly 88,000 square miles of California from the Oregon border to San Diego.
RMDZ Resources
CalRecycle administers the RMDZ program and has a wealth of information about the program and how to participate.
Another good source about RMDZ can be found at the California Recycling Marketing Development Association’s website: rmdzcentral.org.
RMDZ News
Plastics labeling needs consistency, clarity
Plastics labeling needs consistency, clarity Consumers are confused and frustrated by recycling label systems in the U.S., and it will take a group effort to
May 19, 2022
Plastics recycling report draws mainstream notice
Plastics recycling report draws mainstream notice A recent report on plastic recycling rates from The Last Beach Clean Up and Beyond Plastics has attracted the
May 18, 2022
Circular economy drawing investment interest
Circular economy drawing investment interest As aspirations for a circular economy continue to gain traction, some financial index providers are urging investors to take notice
May 17, 2022
Exxon doubles down on ‘advanced recycling’ claims that yield few results | Plastics | The Guardian
The petroleum company is under investigation for misleading the public while exacerbating the global plastic pollution crisis Source: Exxon doubles down on ‘advanced recycling’ claims
May 16, 2022
What Do We Want From EPR?
As the political debate on how to pay for recycling continues, we need to focus on EPR’s strength of providing money for recycling. We need
May 7, 2022
Business Recycling Resources
Please note these links will take you to external websites.
These links are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Mojave Desert & Mountain Region Recycling Authority of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. We bear no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
California Associations & Organizations
Southern California
- San Bernardino County Household Hazardous Waste Program
- High Desert Recycling Market Development Zone
- Southern California Waste Management Forum
California
- California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
- California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA)
- California Product Stewardship Council
- Californians Against Waste
- Association of Compost Producers
- Northern California Recycling Association (NCRA)
- Alameda County Waste Management and Recycling Board
- San Mateo County RecycleWorks
Regional
National Associations & Organizations
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- National Recycling Coalition
- United States Composting Council
- How to Compost
- Container Recycling Institute
- Zero Waste USA
- Solid Waste Association of North America
- Bottle Bill Resource Guide
- Recycling Partnership
Industry Groups
- Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
- American Forest and Paper Association
- American Plastics Council
- Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers
- Steel Recycling Institute
- Sustainable Packaging Coalition
- Construction and Demolition Recycling Association
- Bureau of International Recycling
- Glass Packaging Institute
- Recycling Market Development Platform
Journals
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