Pub. 1 2012 Issue 1

Chairman’s Letter 22 San Diego Dealer A s of July 1, 2012, businesses and other entities in California that generate 4 cubic yards (about one dumpster) or more of solid waste such as cardboard, metal, and plastic per week are subject tomandatory recycling requirements per California Assembly Bill 341 (2012). The intent of this law is to reduce greenhouse emissions by diverting commercial solid waste from landfills and expand opportunities for recycling. Most automobile dealerships and body shops generate at least 4 cubic yards of waste per week, so compliance becomes mandatory. Compliance: Automobile dealerships and body shops can comply with this regulation as follows: At the dealership, separate the recyclables from the solid waste being discarded and either self-haul or arrange for separate collection of recyclables OR Subscribe to a service that includes mixed waste processing that yields diversion results comparable to source separation as listed above. Examples include cardboard recycler or plastics recycler to pick up recyclables from the dealership or body shop. Enforcement: Celly Services has interviewed the regulators regarding enforcement and they seem to be in guidance mode rather than enforce- ment mode, as of now. Each jurisdiction (county/city) is responsible for enforcement of AB 341. Over the next few years, if the state determines that the jurisdiction is not making a strong effort it could result in more stringent enforcement for the jurisdiction and businesses. We recommend that you keep a copy of the recycling contract with your waste recycling vendor in files as proof that a recycling program is in place. Where Can I Find Out More? TheDepartment of Resources Recycling and Recovery oper- ates a website discussing the new mandate and provides answers to frequently asked questions which is available at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/ climate/recycling. Green as In Money Green: Many businesses have been recycling solid waste on site for financial gain. For example, a dealership collision center in San Diego County installed a cardboard compactor (approx. $20,000) for crushing cardboard that is later sold for as much as $300. The savings include $250/week in disposal costs. They have a metal recycling bin also where they sell metal waste for $400/month. Total savings are $1,750/month. The story is similar for a Temecula multi-store location. They save $1,000 in cardboard disposal costs and earn $350 in selling cardboard bales. The earnings on cardboard fluctuate as they are part of commodity markets. In any case, the cost of the $15,000 bailer was recovered in 10 months. Authority Cited: California Assembly Bill 341 (2012) Sam Celly has been helping auto- mobile dealers comply with EPA & OSHA regulations since1987. He is the past-Chair of the LawCommittee and the Environmental Issues Committee of the AIHA. Sam has a BS & MS in Chemical Engineering followed by a JD from Southwestern University School of Law. You can contact him at sam@cellyservices.com or at 562-704-4000. Mandatory Recycling Requirements for California Businesses By Sam Cel ly