Recycling Market Development Zones (RMDZ)

Los Angeles County

The Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) in the County of Los Angeles includes the cities of Burbank, Carson, Commerce, Compton, El Monte, Glendale, Inglewood, Palmdale, South Gate, Torrance, and Vernon as well as all of the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. L.A. County is the largest manufacturing center in the nation.

• Administration
• Incentives
• Target Materials
• Infrastructure
• Contact

Administration

L. A. County RMDZ is administered by Los Angeles County Public Works, Environmental Programs Division. It administers programs which assist residents and businesses throughout the county to recycle traditional (metals, paper, and plastic) and non-traditional (construction & demolition debris, home-generated sharps waste, and electronic waste) materials.

Incentives

The municipalities included in the RMDZ offer different incentives to attract business developments to their jurisdictions. Technical incentives may include assistance with permitting, site selection, and business plan evaluation. Financial incentives may include economic incentive zones, reduced tax rates, tax rebates, loan guarantees, and reduced utility rates and business license fees.

Southern California Edison offers reduced utility rates in specified areas of L.A. County.

State incentive zones have been created in specified regions of L.A. County offering various financial incentives.

Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation offers incentives to businesses throughout the county and most municipalities.

Several programs in the Los Angeles unincorporated areas, as described below, are administered by Los Angeles County Community Development Commission (CDC).

• The State Enterprise Zones provide tax incentives to eligible businesses in the following communities: Florence/Firestone, Greater Watts, South Central Los Angeles, West Altadena, and Willowbrook. These incentives include sales and use tax credits on machinery and equipment, construction credits, hiring tax credits, and business expense deductions.
• The Los Angeles Empowerment Zone provides federal tax incentives in the communities of Florence/Firestone and Willowbrook.
• Businesses located in CDC Redevelopment Areas can be eligible for tax increment financing for applicable projects. These communities include East Rancho Dominguez, Maravilla, West Altadena, and Willowbrook. .
• The CDC also sponsors a variety of community development block grant and Economic Development Administration-funded loan programs including short-term float loans; economic development revolving loan fund, HUD Section 108 loan guarantee; micro loan program; the county business loan program for businesses impacted by defense conversion; and the county earthquake loan program. The CDC also administers SBA-sponsored loans including 7(A) Loan Program, 504 Loan Program, Delta Loan Program, and the Minority and Women Pre-Qualification Loan Program. The Los Angeles Community Development Bank also provides access to capital in the Florence/Firestone and Willowbrook areas.

Target Materials

Los Angeles County possesses an abundant supply of materials available for recycling in manufacturing. These materials include paper, plastic, glass, rubber, and organics such yard waste, green waste, wood waste, and food waste.

Infrastructure

Los Angeles County is the industrial hub of the southwestern United States, thus it contains a large inventory of available properties well-suited to accommodate recycling-based industries. A vast freeway system facilitates transport by truck throughout the region. For shipments across the nation, the area is supported by rail access from two major railroads (the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific). For shipments overseas, the area is supported by access to ocean freight through the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles. This harbor complex is the nation’s largest, as well as the West Coast’s principal shipping gateway for international trade. The area is also easily accessible to one international airport (Los Angeles International) and two regional airports (Burbank and Long Beach).

Contact Information

Los Angeles County RMDZ http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/RMDZ/LACounty/Default.asp David Coscia Zone Administrator County: Los Angeles 900 S Fremont AvenueAnnex 3rd Floor Alhambra, CA 91803-1331 Phone: (626) 458-3523 Fax: (626) 737-1723 Email: dcoscia@dpw.lacounty.gov CalRecycle contact for this RMDZ: Zone Liaison: Lena-Prudence Wiegand

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