Harrison Industries earns municipal contract

Ventura, California-based waste and recycling firm Harrison Industries, also doing business as E.J. Harrison & Sons Inc., says the Ventura County (California) board of supervisors has selected it to provide residential waste collection in three of the county’s four unincorporated areas.

At a May 16 meeting, the board approved the county Public Works Agency’s recommendation to choose Harrison to the three districts after what Harrison Industries calls a long, thorough selection process.

The waste and recycling firm quotes county Supervisor Jeff Gorell as praising Harrison’s local roots and community involvement, saying the firm “has a reputation for excellence and for service, and they are so connected to the community.”

Harrison Industries also cites county board Chair Matt LaVere as saying, “I don’t know that there is another business in this entire county that gives more back to the community it serves.”

Current Ventura County contracts with Harrison and the Simi Valley, California-based G.I. Industries business unit of Houston-based WM will expire at the end of the year, “so the county last year asked trash haulers to propose new agreements,” Harrison Industries writes in a company e-newsletter.

According to Harrison, the county consolidated 16 service zones down to four, launched a competitive bidding process and reviewed the proposals based on qualifications, experience, services and rates, sustainability, customer service and outreach and community partnership.

Harrison Industries says based on that evaluation, its total service area will expand in 2024 to cover three of the four new consolidated zones. Los Angeles-based Athens Services Inc. will provide service in the fourth zone, according to Harrison.

The new residential solid waste collection agreements will begin Jan. 1, 2024, and run for 10 years with options for two five-year extensions, according to Harrison, although final approval is not expected until a June 20 county board meeting.