Firm’s New Owners Trash Big Plan to Expand Recycling

The plan was for Gold Coast Recycling to build a $100-million, state-of-the-art environmental park, including several businesses that would convert such recyclables as newsprint into material for doors, cabinets and other commercial goods.

But that was before ownership of Gold Coast changed hands last summer.

The new owners have decided to scrap the ambitious plan in favor of a drastically scaled-down, $2.4-million expansion of its existing facility on Colt Street.

The market for recyclables is too volatile, the new owners have decided, and there isn’t enough trash to justify the larger project. In addition, the city of Oxnard crowded the field with its plans for a $25-million rubbish and recycling plant.

“We will not build an oversized facility with built-in costs that are so high that the business cannot survive in a competitive market,” Jim Harrison, co-owner of Gold Coast, said in a letter sent to the West Ventura County Waste Authority last week.

“Instead of starting from scratch, the new proposal expands and modifies the existing facility in a way that makes economic sense,” Harrison wrote, adding that the project is expected to be completed in August.

The letter was sent to the waste authority after it solicited information from Gold Coast on whether its expanded recycling and trash transfer facility would be up and running when Bailard Landfill in Oxnard closes next summer.

The authority, whose member cities already send some trash to Gold Coast, is seeking options for disposing of its remaining waste. Authority members include Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Ventura and the county.

Although Gold Coast’s project has been scaled back considerably, Harrison assured officials in his letter that the recycling center would still be able to handle all of the waste authority’s needs. The expanded facility would go from handling 440 tons of trash per day to 1,200.

After collecting all recyclables, the center would ship the leftover trash to a still undetermined dump site, officials said. Gold Coast currently sends 200 tons of trash a day to the Simi Valley Landfill.

Harrison--whose family owns the county’s largest trash-hauling firm--and his brothers Ralph and Myron purchased Gold Coast for an undisclosed amount in July. Up to that time, they had owned one-third of the company.

Jim Harrison, who serves as the family’s spokesman, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

But Nan Drake, a consultant for Gold Coast, said the Harrisons decided soon after taking ownership that there were too many uncertainties to proceed with the original project. She said one major concern was uncertainty over which dump will handle west county trash once Bailard Landfill closes.

One option may be to send more trash to the Toland Road Landfill near Santa Paula, Drake said. The tiny dump is seeking a permit that would allow it to expand tenfold.

If the expansion is approved, Drake said, some west county cities might elect to send their trash directly to Toland Road rather than haul it to Gold Coast for transferring.

“If Toland Road is approved, that would change everything,” Drake said.

Bernard Huberman, president of Los Angeles-based BLT Enterprises, which will operate the Oxnard recycling and trash transfer station, said his firm never believed Gold Coast’s initial project would be built because it was too costly. He said he is even doubtful that Gold Coast will move forward with its scaled-down project.

Huberman said that BLT officials have been talking with the Harrisons about working out an agreement to send more trash to the Oxnard facility, instead of expanding Gold Coast’s operation.

“The Harrisons know what they’re doing,” he said. “We’ve been having discussions with them. If we can show them that we can do it cheaper, then I think they will be willing to use our facility. It’s an economic decision, not a political decision.”

Meanwhile, a consultant hired by the waste authority recommended this week that its members send their trash to the Oxnard facility even though it would probably charge higher rates than Gold Coast. Unlike Gold Coast, the consultant said, the Oxnard recycling center has already received its operating permits and is expected to open next July.

Huberman insisted the Oxnard facility would be able to offer cheaper transportation rates. He also disputed the consultant’s finding that the best and cheapest dump for the remaining west county trash is the Simi Valley Landfill.

East county cities have strongly objected to the west county sending more trash to the Simi Valley dump, which already accepts more than 200 tons per day from the area.

“We are looking at other options that are equally attractive if not more attractive than the Simi Valley Landfill,” Huberman said.

Representatives of the waste authority are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss its trash disposal options.