OCWR receives national achievement awards

OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), which serves Orange County, California, has received two 2023 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for innovative initiatives including a regional community compost program for Orange County and a smart misting system at the Prima Deshecha Landfill (PDL) in San Juan Capistrano. The county says both honors acknowledge excellence in the county resiliency category for infrastructure, energy and sustainability.

"With the passage of S.B. 1383 requiring methane emissions reductions and mandatory organic collections, OCWR was challenged to develop innovative operations and processes to meet the new state mandates,” says Tom Koutroulis, director of OCWR. “Our commitment to continuous improvement is at the core of everything we do, and I am proud of our team for their dedication and successfully taking on these challenges.”

The full-circle recycling program developed by OCWR starts with the curbside residential collection of green and organic waste that is turned into high-quality compost and mulch. These products are then given back to the community as a free resource to enrich gardens and landscaping.

RELATED: OCWR receives seal of assurance from US Composting Council

Since commencing the community composting and mulch program in October 2020, OCWR greeneries (Bee Canyon and Capistrano) co-located at the county’s landfills have diverted approximately 36,000 tons of green waste and manure from landfill. In addition, OCWR has given away over 3,300 tons of compost and mulch by working with county agencies, cities, non-profit organizations, businesses and residents through an online application. The program currently averages about 70 residential pick-ups per week with the number of requests increasing week over week.

The PDL’s smart misting system was designed to aid in controlling landfill odors as part of OCWR’s comprehensive odor management program in nearby communities. An odor-control misting system in a solid waste landfill typically works by spraying a mist of specialized odor-neutralizing chemicals into the air to counteract any unpleasant smells that are associated with waste. The PDL smart misting system is also synchronized with a weather station, using sensors to monitor wind direction and magnitude to make any needed adjustments.

“We thank NACo for its acknowledgment and for helping to increase awareness of the comprehensive and sustainable services our County provides,” Koutroulis says. “Together we can make a difference for all our futures.”