OC Waste & Recycling has received three 2022 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties for innovative initiatives including grant assistance to support the development of sustainable waste diversion programs; waste diversion education outreach for the classrooms and habitat mitigation and restoration for the environment. OCWR’s Regional Recycling and Waste Reduction (RRWR) grant program was established to provide funding assistance to various non-profits, special districts, cities and schools to support the development of sustainable waste diversion programs in response to current and future state mandates. The RRWR grant program recipients helped to divert materials that typically enter landfills, educate students and residents throughout the County of Orange on ways to properly sort materials and reduce their carbon footprint, and to help capture and distribute edible food. In 2021, the OCWR grant program recipients educated more than 10,000 students, collected nearly 10 tons of organic material and recovered 10,600 tons of edible food.
OCWR’s partnership with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) created an innovative solution to bring waste diversion education directly into the classrooms by providing standards-based tools for OC teachers. The purpose was to build and foster environmental stewardship, through a suite of educational materials and curriculum for quick and easy lesson integration. Prior to this program, existing OCWR school programs relied on field trips and classroom gardening programs, which, although highly valuable, presented logistical and funding challenges and were one-time experiences versus ongoing efforts. From the pilot to full-scale launch, program participation increased by 68 percent.
The Prima Deshecha Landfill Zone 4 Habitat Mitigation project successfully implemented mitigation efforts on approximately 257 acres of both onsite and offsite areas in order to allow for regulatory compliance while the future landfill expansion comes closer to fruition. The habitat project is an example of OCWR’s commitment to actively protect natural habitats and biological resources within Orange County while still providing the County with the ability to expand its landfill operations to better serve the community. Prima’s Zone 4 is the last undeveloped portion of land within any of the three active landfill sites within Orange County. OCWR’s preparation for the future expansion into this area has been in progress for several years.
NACo’s annual Achievement Awards program is designed to recognize county government innovations. Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more. “I am proud of our team for their award-worthy contributions and national recognition,” said Tom Koutroulis, Director, OC Waste & Recycling. “We always strive for excellence in providing waste management services and innovative programs for the benefit of current and future generations.”