OC Waste & Recycling wins 2024 Achievement Award

OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), Santa Ana, California, has received the 2024 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for its work in the Senate Bill 1383 Procurement Program & Market Development Plan. The honor acknowledges excellence in pioneering efforts to create markets for recovered organics and foster collaboration with regional partners. 

“Senate Bill 1383 set methane emissions reduction targets for California beginning in 2022, requiring jurisdictions to implement mandatory organic waste collection and reduce organic waste disposal from landfills,” OC Waste & Recycling Director Tom Koutroulis says. “OCWR created new procurement partnership opportunities with jurisdictions, businesses and nonprofits and provided innovative habitat mitigation, all in support of SB 1383 procurement targets.” 

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OCWR’s recycling initiative begins with the collection of green and organic waste from residential curbsides, which is then transformed into compost and mulch. These products are then distributed back to the community free of charge.

Since the beginning of the community composting and mulch program in October 2020, OCWR's greeneries, located at Bee Canyon and Capistrano, have successfully diverted more than 30,000 tons of green waste and manure from landfill space. OCWR has provided compost and/or mulch to 24 of the 35 cities in Orange County, partnering with a wildlife conservancy, a water district and three county agencies for compost and mulch. In addition, in 2023, through the market development program, the department received 19,259 tons of feedstock from residential curbside green waste and horse manure for composting, resulting in the distribution of 4,975 tons of mulch and 2,560 tons of compost. 

“We thank NACo for recognizing our efforts and for contributing to raising awareness about the comprehensive and sustainable services offered by our county,” Koutroulis says. “United, we possess the ability to impact and shape a better future for us all.” 

NACo's annual Achievement Awards program aims to acknowledge innovations within county governments. These awards span across 18 categories, including children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health and civic engagement.