Burbank Recycle Center: Green Waste

Burbank Recycle Center moving 80 tons of green waste to a fertilzier/recycling facility
Pasadena Star News: 5.22.2013

The new treatment of green waste is being used as alternative daily cover at the Puente Hills Landfill, but that is closing at end of October. So, not many other cities know what to do with the stuff you put out on your curb for separate pickup. Burbank Recycle Center has a huge operation moving 80 tons per day of green waste to a fertilzier/recycling facility in Fontana. [ Photos ]

Most of green waste not recycled; new laws, Puente Hills Landfill closure may force more composting

Trimmings: New laws, landfill closure may force more composting
SGV Tribune: 5.22.2013 by Steve Scazuillo

Most homeowners believe the myths about yard trimmings, namely that once they load them into a bin and drag it to the curb, the stuff gets recycled.

They would be wrong.

Most of what homeowners call green waste ends up in landfills. As alternative daily cover, it gets mixed with dirt and layered over the day's household garbage haul. The cover keeps the rodents and gulls at bay and counts toward a city's mandated 50 percent recycling rate. This is true except for Los Angeles, Burbank and Santa Clarita, cities that repurpose green waste as compost and soil amendments. Cities that many see as models for the future.

For 20 years, the myth of green waste recycling served a purpose, even if most choked on the semantics. But soon, that will change, setting off a ripple effect across the Southland that will bring about rising trash bills and roving trucks filled with green waste looking for a place to dump their loads. In five months, the largest landfill in the nation at Puente Hills will close, abruptly ending the green waste "diversion" program and most likely the free Christmas tree recycling enjoyed by county residents. One half of all the green waste in L.A. County won't be going to the gigantic Puente Hills Landfill near Hacienda Heights anymore but instead will be searching for a resting spot in a local material recovery facility or a composting farm in San Bernardino and Kern counties, experts say.

Second, those in the waste industry may no longer be able to count on alternative daily cover (ADC) formulas at other landfills in Orange and San Bernardino counties, as well as Scholl Canyon Landfill near Glendale and Calabasas Landfill in the west San Fernando Valley, both county operated.

A new bill rushing through the Assembly disqualifies ADC as a recyclable use. With yard waste accounting for one-third of all the waste generated statewide, that's a large adjustment for cities but one they must make or face fines.

.     .     .     .     .

One city that finds itself ahead of the organics game is Burbank. The Sierra Club rated Burbank No. 1 in policies and programs that reduce landfill disposal of yard waste and food scraps. Burbank, like Los Angeles, does not use yard trimmings in its landfill. Like the city of Santa Clarita (ranked No. 4 in the survey), Burbank recycles all its yard waste.

"We haven't used green waste for alternative daily cover," said Kreigh Hampel, Burbank's recycling coordinator.

About 19,000 tons per day of green waste gets sorted at its landfill in Burbank each year. The tree branches, grass clippings, etc. get loaded onto 4-ton trucks which haul the material to the West Valley composting and recycling facility in Fontana, operated by waste conglomerate Burrtec, Hampel explained.

There, Burrtec grinds and aerates the material and sells it as mulch for farms and landscapers, Hampel said. "They turn it into a nice, black, rich soil amendment. It is compost. It has the nutrients the plants need," he added.

Burbank produces more organic waste than cans and bottles, more than twice as much in tonnage, Hampel said. Most suburban cities produce more yard waste than cans and bottles. The cities of La Ca ada Flintridge, La Habra Heights, and Villa Park in Orange County shipped more yard waste to landfills in 2011 than regular garbage, according to The Organics Project report.  READ MORE !

Burbank: Christmas Tree Recycling

Christmas Tree Recycling
Burbank Recycle Center

Remove all tinsel, ornaments, metal stands, and plastic buckets
Flocked Trees are NOT RECYCLED

Recycle Trees 3 Ways !

1: Dec 26, 2012 – Jan 22, 2013

Drop off @ 3 parks:
• George Izay Park (Olive Park) in the parking lot on Clark Ave.
• Ralph Foy Park in the parking lot on Victory Blvd.
• McCambridge Park in the parking lot on Andover Dr.

Please note: Verdugo Park will NOT accept Christmas trees.

2: Jan 2 – Jan 22, 2013

At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day
~ Burbank Sanitation Dept will collect trees placed in the alley and at curb

3: Cut up your tree

~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

America Recycles Day: November 15

America Recycles Day: November 15
a program of Keep America Beautiful, is a nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States.

Burbank Recycle Center

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
Where to Recycle, Schools & State Agencies, Resources

Federal Agencies: U.S. EPA
iWARM – Online tool calculates energy saved by recycling small quantities of household products
Resources for Teachers
Climate Change & Waste
Office of Solid Waste – What You Can Do In Your Community
Recycling Publications

Industry
The Aluminum Association
Recycling Facts for Kids, Curbside Recycling, Teacher Resources, Statistics
Batteries: Call2Recycle
Recycling at Home, Recycling at Work
Glass Packaging Institute
Recycling & the Environment, Community Recycling, Bar & Restaurant Recycling, Best Practices
Consumer Electronics Association’s Greener Gadgets
Responsible Electronics Recycling, Where to Recycle Electronics, Emerging Trends
American Forest & Paper Association
Workplace Recycling, School Recycling, Community Recycling, Paper and the Environment
Plastic
American Chemistry Council: Plastics Division
Plastics Recycling Rates, Plastic Bag Recycling
National Association for PET Container Resources
PET Recycling, FAQs, Fun Facts, Kids Corner
Steel Recycling Institute
Steel Recycling Rates, Buy Recycled, Steel Recycling Locator, Resources for Kids
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
Facts and Economic Data, Scrap Recycling Specifications, Policy Information

Garbage and Recycling
-Global Viewpoints Series
Garbage issues throughout the world.
Greenhaven Press, 2011

COOL — Compostable Organics Out of Landfills — 2012

COOL 2012

Get COOL — Compostable Organics Out of Landfills — by 2012

Every day, communities across the U.S. send tens of thousands of trucks to bury biodegradable materials:
- paper products
- food scraps
- yard trimmings

These materials amount to 1/2 of our discarded resources. When buried in a landfill, those lettuce heads, grass clippings and paper boxes don’t just break down as they would in nature or in a compost pile. They decompose anaerobically, without oxygen, and in the process become the number one source of human-caused methane and a major player in climate change.

The easiest, first step that can produce significant climate results right now is to STOP landfill-produced methane.

Seize the Paper: Commit to recycling a minimum of 75% of all paper and composting the rest by 2012. Paper is the largest share of biodegradable materials in a landfill, so recycling and composting paper products will take the largest bite out of a community’s methane emissions. The infrastructure to recycle and market the paper already exists; the key is to make it happen.

Source Separate: Require source separation of residential and business waste into 3 streams: compostables, recyclables and residuals. Source separation is pivotal to maximizing the environmental and economic potential of these resources.

Feed Local Soils: Support local farmers and sustainable food production with community composting infrastructure. The benefits of amending soils with composted organics are well-proven to increase long-term soil productivity, reduce irrigation needs and use of petroleum-based synthetic fertilizers, and increase water infiltration from today’s frequent and intense storm events.

Stop Creating Methane Now: No matter how the waste industry “greenwashes” its “new and improved landfills,” there is only one proven method to truly prevent methane emissions — keep compostable organics out of landfills. READ MORE !

Burbank: Christmas Tree Recycling

Christmas Tree Recycling
Burbank Recycle Center

Remove all tinsel, ornaments, metal stands, and plastic buckets
Flocked Trees are NOT RECYCLED

Recycle Trees 3 Ways !

1: Dec 26, 2011 – Jan 20, 2012
Drop off @ 2 parks
Brace Canyon Park, 2901 Haven Way [in parking lot off Haven Way]
Verdugo Park, 3201 W Verdugo Ave [near corner of California St & Verdugo Ave]

2: Jan 2 – Jan 20, 2012
At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day

3: Cut up your tree
~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

Christmas Trees: Real or Artificial

Buying Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees
earth911.com: 12.01.2011 by Lori Brown

The real versus artificial Christmas tree debate replays itself year after year. But the truth is, each option has its own place on the naughty-and-nice list.

Just a few short decades ago, displaying a Christmas tree in your living room really only yielded one option: a real pine or fir tree. That all changed when a U.S.-based toilet bowl brush manufacturer, the Addis Brush Company, created an artificial tree from brush bristles in the 1930s, acting as the prototype for modern artificial trees.

The Pros and Cons of Artificial Trees
Guilt. Many have made it the sole reason to invest in an artificial tree. The thought of cutting down a new tree each year can put a damper on the holidays for some.

Also, cost, convenience and environmental impact are other reasons consumers opt for an artificial tree.

Given the current economic climate, artificial trees may be especially appealing for their investment value when compared with the recurrent, annual expense of a real Christmas tree. Their convenience is also appealing to consumers as they don’t need watering, don’t leave pine needles all over the floor and transportation from tree farm to home isn’t an issue.

But many experts believe artificial trees actually have a greater negative environmental impact when all aspects of an their life cycle are considered.

Today’s artificial trees are typically manufactured with metal and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a non-biodegradable, petroleum-derived plastic. In addition, many older varieties may contain lead, used as a stabilizer in the manufacturing process.

Despite their PVC contents, artificial trees are non-recyclable and non-biodegradable, meaning they will sit in a landfill for centuries after disposal.

Furthermore, approximately 85 percent of artificial trees sold in the U.S. are imported from China, according to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), adding to their overall environmental footprint.

The Pros and Cons of Real Trees
Approximately 33 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America each year, according to the U.S. EPA. Luckily, about 93 percent of those trees are recycled through more than 4,000 available recycling programs.

Also known as “treecycling,” the act of *recycling a Christmas tree is a leading reason many experts agree they are more environmentally friendly than their plastic counterparts. READ MORE !

*Burbank Recycle Center – Christmas Tree Recycling
~ All tinsel, ornaments, metal stands, and plastic buckets must be removed
~ Flocked trees are NOT recycled

Recycle Trees 3 Ways !

1: Jan 2 – Jan 20, 2012 – At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day

2: Dec 26, 2011 – Jan 20, 2012 – Drop off @ 2 parks
Brace Canyon Park, 2901 Haven Way [in parking lot off Haven Way]
Verdugo Park, 3201 W Verdugo Ave [near corner of California St & Verdugo Ave]

3: Cut up your tree
~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

Christmas Tree Pickup

Dates Set for Christmas Tree Pickup: Trash collectors will pick them up before 7 a.m. daily for the first two weeks of ’10. Glendale News Press: December 28, 2009 by Max Zimbert

As Christmas gives way to the new year and households start packing up their decorations, city officials have announced a number of recycling programs for that withering tree in the living room.

Burbank and Glendale trash collectors will pick up Christmas trees before 7 a.m. off the curb for the first two weeks of 2010, officials said.

Brace Canyon and Verdugo parks in Burbank have also been designated as recycling pick-up centers.

Trees taller than 8 feet must be cut in half, and officials said all drop-offs should be without ornaments and decorations.

Burbank picks up about 70 tons’ worth of Christmas trees every year. About one-third of the trees are chopped into mulch that’s spread around city property.

The city recycles wrapping paper as well, which can go in the usual blue bins. “We take clean dry paper of all types — cardboard, wrapping paper, magazines,” Hampel said. “The main thing for people to remember is clean, dry paper can be recycled.”

Glendale officials picked up more than 8,500 trees last year, but numbers have declined in recent years. READ MORE !

Green Day Planner: August 8

Household Hazardous Waste Roundup

August 8
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Burbank Fire Department Training Center
1845 Ontario Street

Personal items which will be accepted include: paint, batteries, brake fluid, computer equipment, motor oil, and fluorescent light bulbs. Please bring your items in a sturdy box which you will leave at the site. There is a limit of 125 pounds per trip.

Items not accepted include: business waste, trash, tires, explosives, refrigerators, stoves, and controlled substances.

For more information, please call 1-800-238-0172.

Industry Watch: Entertainment

Reel Green Workshop: July 11, 2009 from post @ The Glass Girl Blog: July 14, 2009

Reel Green Movement:
Eco-Solutions for the Entertainment Industry

I spent late Saturday afternoon on a very hot stage in Burbank for the REEL GREEN Workshop hosted by the Burbank Green Alliance which does a great job of consistently hosting free workshops to get businesses closer to zero waste. This workshop aimed to bridged the eco-production conversation between both the above the line and below the line players. What are the concerns and solutions that each department has that we can resolve or act on now that will continue to green shoots?

I got the most insight from the break out sessions where everyone in the workshop broke into a smaller group based on their area of interest or expertise: Production, Catering/Craft Service, Electrical/Grip, Costume Design, Set Construction/Design and Special Effects.

Highlights and comments about the featured speakers & break out sessions (with links):

~ Lauren Selman, Reel Green Media

~ Josh Mark, FOX Network’s Director of Sustainability
~ Shannon Shaefer, EcoSet Consulting

2 sites of general interest:

CalMAX: "One business's trash is another business's treasure." Businesses, schools, and nonprofits can utilize CalMAX to search for available and wanted materials. Conserves energy, resources, and landfill space by helping businesses and organizations find alternatives to the disposal of valuable materials or wastes through waste exchange.

Give A Glass: The simplest solution is to serve clean, filtered water direct from your office tap in glass pitchers and glasses.

READ MORE !

Zero Waste Food Service - Burbank

Restaurant Waste Reduction Workshop
March 25, 2009: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Hands-on, interactive workshop.
How to indentify, reduce and eliminate food service wastes.
Find out how others have reduced wastes.
Valuable information, resources and an action plan.

Seating Is Limited - Please RSVP by March 20th !

Community Services Building
1st Floor Community room
150 N Third
Burbank CA 91502

For more info, call: Burbank Recycle Center - 818 . 238 . 3900

Green Material Collection Program

Green Material Collection Program

The City of Burbank has partnered with its hauling company and a grower to implement a highly successful green material diversion and composting public education program.

The City of Burbank’s green material diversion program has helped the city meet its 50 percent landfill diversion mandate. Specifically, the city’s program diverts 75 tons of green material a day. Publication # 443-02-017 August 2002

Key Benefits of Burbank’s green waste programs include:
~ Produces 500 pounds of compost a year from 4,000 backyard compost projects
~ Extends the 50-year life expectancy of their landfill
~ Helps Burbank maintain their State-verified 60 percent waste diversion rate
~ Educates the 1,500 visitors who tour the recycle center annually—mostly school children—about the benefits of composting.