TUSTIN : Company Lauded for Conserving

Ricoh Electronics has received the city’s first business environmental award for the company’s emphasis on recycling and on conserving water and electricity.

Mayor Thomas R. Saltarelli presented the award at a City Council meeting last month.

The awards program is designed to increase corporate interest in waste management and other conservation efforts, said Katie Pitcher, an administrative assistant with the city Public Works Department.

The program was created in response to a new state law that requires cities and counties to cut their landfill use 25% by next summer. A 50% reduction in landfill use must be achieved by the year 2000. If these goals are not met, cities and counties will face fines of up to $10,000 a day.

Business environmental awards will be presented each quarter and focus alternately on the themes of reduce, reuse and recycle. A fourth award will be announced around the time of Earth Day for the best comprehensive approach to waste management.

Sponsoring the program are the city of Tustin and its contracted waste hauler, Great Western Reclamation.

For more information on the program, call the city Public Works Department at (714) 573-3173. The next award will highlight reuse activities.