"Innovations" Case Studies

City of Thousand Oaks: A Model for Local Government Recycling and Waste Reduction

The City of Thousand Oaks is a model of a suburban community in Ventura County meeting the requirements of the California Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939, Sher, Chapter 1095, Statutes of 1989 as amended [IWMA]). The city reported a diversion rate of 66 percent in its 1999 annual report to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Waste Management Board. The city diverted 153,024 tons of material based upon CalRecycle's calculation methodology. In 1999, the city diverted 12,388 tons of recyclables and 17,320 tons of green waste through city-sponsored residential and commercial programs.

Table of Contents

• General Information
• Commercial and Industrial Recycling
• Programs, Education, and Outreach
• Costs, Local Government Recycling, and Waste Reduction
• Local Government Challenges, Opportunities, and Tips
• Tips for Replication
• For More Information

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Credits and Disclaimer

The Californians Against Waste Foundation prepared this study pursuant to contract IWMC8028 ($198,633, included other services) with the University of California at Santa Cruz for a series of 24 studies and summaries. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) would like to acknowledge the following individuals who assisted in the preparation of this document:

• Rick Best, Californians Against Waste Foundation.
• Grahame Watts, Carolyn Green, Kate Thomas and Gail Kaufman, City of Thousand Oaks.

The statements and conclusions in this summary are those of the contractor and not necessarily those of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), its employees, or the State of California. In addition, the data in this report was provided by local sources but not independently verified. The State and its contractors make no warranty, express or implied, and assume no liability for the information contained in this text. Any mention of commercial products, companies, or processes shall not be construed as an endorsement of such products or processes.

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