Mission Viejo is believed to be the first city in Orange County to implement on-site recycling at 100 percent of its multi-family properties.
The City has worked with its waste hauler, Waste Management, and EcoNomics (a local sustainability consulting firm) for the past several years to reach this goal through tremendous public education and outreach, frequent monitoring and phased implementation of recycling. Twenty-percent of the facilities have partially implemented programs, which will be expanded over the next year.
Sycamore Lanes (located off Charlinda, north of Alicia Parkway) was the last multifamily complex to implement on-site recycling due to limited trash enclosure space making recycling a challenge; however, Waste Management stepped up to the plate by making a custom trash bin that accommodates both trash and recycling within a standard trash enclosure. Waste Management and EcoNomics have worked closely with Sycamore Lanes property management and residents to ensure the program is successful. Informational fliers along with reusable recycling bags were distributed to 208 apartment units in February.
Recycling not only helps the City achieve state-mandated requirements (AB 939; AB 341), it’s good for the planet. The City’s multi-family recycling program diverts about 490.1 tons of recyclables per year. That’s like saving 8,332 trees or about 273 football fields of forest.
Hello, this sounds like very good news. I have lived in Mission Viejo for 42 years and love our city. I work at Saddleback Valley Unified School District with students who have disabilities and many of the students enjoy the responsibilities that recycling creates. If there are positions that need to be filled and our students could work with the city of Mission Viejo, we would enjoy the opportunity to do so. Thank you, Elaine Holroyd