11,000 Tons Collected in Irvine : Recycling Program Wins Heap of Praise

Irvine officials announced Thursday that they have collected more than 11,000 tons of recyclable waste since a curbside-recycling program began two years ago.

At a luncheon commemorating the program’s two-year anniversary, officials from both the city and the company that handles the recycling process, Dewey’s Rubbish Service, praised its effectiveness and the public’s support.

“We are very pleased with the success of the program thus far,” said Mary Anne Hetherington-Wysard, a city management analyst. “Residents have been so committed that even if they move from the area, they’ll call back to ask how they can start a program in their new hometown.”

She added that about 71% of homeowners in Irvine participate in the recycling program, which calls for residents to place glass, certain plastics, aluminum and newspapers in stacking bins outside their homes.

Officials also say that for every ton of newspapers collected for recycling, 17 trees are saved.

“It is one of the most successful programs I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a few,” said Joe Urbans, operations manager for Dewey. “Which is a credit to the people involved. Most of the time, the rate of participation is between 10% to 50%, which is usually considered high.”

Urbans also praised the city’s campaign to solicit the Irvine community to become active in the program.

Recently, the California Resource Recovery Assn., an environmental group, named the city of Irvine’s curb-side recycling program as the best in California.

“We knew we were dealing with an educated community,” Hetherington-Wysard said. “They read the papers and understand the greenhouse effect (global warming said to result from chemical erosion of the ozone layer of the earth’s atmosphere) and see the oil spills, they are concerned about their environment.” (Irvine also has recently banned the discharge of chemicals that erode the ozone layer.)

To enhance public awareness of the recycling program, the city has placed posters in most area grocery stores, mailed recycling literature to new homeowners and produced videos for cable television.

Dewey Rubbish Service also announced Thursday that it will begin a recycling program in Laguna Beach in November.