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Placerville Cuts Waste, Reaches Goal: Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe, and El Dorado County granted more time

SACRAMENTO-The City of Placerville has met the requirements of California's mandated waste diversion law, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the State's primary recycling agency.

Meeting this week in Sacramento, the Board ruled that 34 additional jurisdictions, including Placerville in El Dorado County, had satisfied the requirement to divert from landfill at least 50 percent of their waste beginning in 2000. The Waste Board has approved 172 jurisdictions since February 2002; there are 445 reporting jurisdictions in all.

To find out how all California jurisdictions are doing in meeting the 50 percent diversion goal, visit www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGTools/mars/jurdrsta.asp.  Over the next several months, the Board will continue to review and consider the diversion efforts of those jurisdictions that are not yet approved.

"Californians are committed to leaving a better world for those who follow and nowhere is that dedication more evident than in the success stories of our cities and counties," said Waste Board Chair Linda Moulton-Patterson. "Over the last decade, we've made real progress in cutting waste. Our hard work is reaping great benefits for the environment. We commend these cities and counties for leading the way with recycling and resource conservation efforts."

At its regular July meeting, the Board approved Placerville at 50 percent diversion.

Public Resources Code section 41780, enacted by AB 939 (Sher) - the Integrated Waste Management Act (Chapter 1095, Statutes of 1989) - requires every city and county in the state to divert from landfill at least 50 percent of the waste generated within their jurisdiction in 2000. The Legislature amended this statute in 2000, requiring jurisdictions to sustain their waste diversion efforts into the future.

To achieve their high diversion rates, jurisdictions have tailored new waste handling infrastructures from options that include curbside recycling, material recovery facilities and composting operations that are supported by comprehensive waste prevention and public education efforts, among other programs.

Information about individual city and county programs is available on the Waste Board's local government Web site at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/LGTools/PARIS/jurpgmsu.asp, or from the following local contact:

Jurisdictions that did not meet the 50 percent diversion requirement in 2000 may petition the Board for one or more time extensions, for a maximum of five years. No single extension can be for more than three years, and no extension may be effective beyond January 1, 2006. At its meeting, the Board granted time extensions to 13 jurisdictions, including extensions for El Dorado County and South Lake Tahoe (each to July 1, 2005), and to the City of Sacramento (to July 1, 2003). Forty-seven extensions have been approved to date.

Alternatively, the Board can determine that a jurisdiction's "good faith efforts" to implement comprehensive diversion programs have satisfied the requirement even if diversion levels are below 50 percent. A jurisdiction that does not meet the 50 percent diversion requirement and does not receive a time extension, a "good faith effort" finding, or an alternative diversion goal will be placed on a compliance order and could be subject to fines. The Board can issue fines of up to $10,000 a day for noncompliance.

The six-member California Integrated Waste Management Board is responsible for protecting public health and safety and the environment through management of the estimated 68 million tons of solid waste generated in California each year. The Board works in partnership with local government, industry, and the public to reduce solid waste disposal and ensure environmentally safe landfills. California now diverts 42 percent of its solid waste away from disposal.

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