Local Enforcement Agency Correspondence

Statewide Waste Disposal Characterization Study

Date: October 4, 2007

To: All Local Enforcement Agencies

As we have done in the past, the Integrated Waste Management Board (Board) will be conducting a major data collection effort during 2008 in order to better characterize California's waste stream. This study will enable us to update our Waste Characterization Database with waste disposal data by material type and amount for the residential, commercial, and self haul sectors.

Board staff, in concert with Cascadia Consulting Group (contractor) and their sub-contractors, will be working with operators of disposal sites, haulers, and managers of multifamily residential complexes throughout the state to obtain the necessary information and samples of waste to complete the study.

Actual sampling and sorting of waste will be conducted at 25 randomly selected disposal facilities around the state, over four seasons. Fifteen (15) additional facilities will be selected for gate surveys only. Also, the contractor will be conducting a phone survey of 50 additional disposal facilities to gather information regarding the disposal of certain materials such as agricultural plastics and material recovery facility residuals.

If a disposal facility under your jurisdiction is selected for sampling or gate surveying, Board staff will notify you approximately two weeks prior to the scheduled date.