Calabasas recycling effort digs in
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Photo courtesy city of Calabasas BE GONE WITH THE GOO- Workers load paints, solvents and other hazardous materials from the Calabasas area onto a truck for proper disposal. The city has expanded its recycling efforts to include unwanted electronic devices, batteries, even eyeglasses. Visit www.cityofcalabasas.com/environment.

Beyond the bottle and the can, the Calabasas Environmental Services Division has pioneered several recycling initiatives that put batteries, electronics and eyeglasses to good reuse.

Alex Farassati, Calabasas environmental services manager, said the city's recycling push stems from Assembly Bill 939, which was adopted by California in 1989.

"It required 50 percent of all trash from any jurisdiction be diverted away from the landfills," Farassati said. "From there on, every household had a can for recycling, and businesses were provided with green-waste cans."

Farassati said the waste diversion requirement could increase to 75 percent too because of diminished landfill capacity.

"Our landfill was projected to last until 2020," Farassati said. "But we don't think it's going to last that long anymore. Landfills are getting filled much faster than they were designed to."

Assault on batteries

In 2004, two years before the California Integrated Waste Management Board identified dry-cell batteries as hazardous waste, the city of Calabasas initiated a recycling program that included the placement of collection canisters at various supermarkets and city facilities. The program has expanded to 22 public sites and 10 private sites throughout the city.

"We are trying to be ahead of the game, proactive," Farassati said. "The battery roundup is very popular. If batteries get into the landfill, they melt into the ground, contaminating the soil and the groundwater."

A city intern checks the sites weekly and collects the dropped off batteries to ship to a sorting and recycling plant in Michigan. Last year, the Calabasas Environmental Services Division collected 6,586 pounds of dry-cell batteries and spent $13,705 for shipping and recycling.

The canisters also are used to collect cellphones and inkjet cartridges.

Painting by numbers

Calabasas also directs a regional effort to collect water-based paint and used oil through California's Used Oil Block Grant. Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village take part in the program. Roundups take place every Saturday in one of the participating cities.

Last year there were 401 customers, about 34 each week, and the group of cities collected 2,013 gallons of paint, officials said. Antifreeze, oil filters, car batteries and 275 gallons of oil also were collected.

All the paint donations are mixed together and stored in 55gallon containers. The mixture turns a grayish color, good for painting homes, schools and gymnasiums and covering graffiti. It's often sent to Mexico to paint schools and churches.

Those in need of the recycled paint can call (805) 955-4342.

Electronic waste roundups

Since October 2005, the city has held free electronic waste roundups for area residents and businesses.

Last year's roundup netted more than 110,000 pounds of electronics, including 953 television sets and computer monitors.

Relief in sight

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 25 percent of the world's population needs eyeglasses, which tend to be unaffordable and inaccessible for many.

Old eyeglasses, too, can be dropped in collection boxes at city facilities. They are sorted, cleaned, categorized, bagged and boxed by the International Lions Club in preparation for shipment overseas.

Up next is an initiative that will bring recycling bins into apartment and condominium complexes where waste is rarely sorted or recycled.

"The best thing for everyone to do is to reduce our trash," Farassati said. "Sort your trash from the kitchen, from the office and put them in the right bin."

For more information about the local recycling programs, visit www.cityofcalabasas.com/environment.