Annual Report Summary - (Printer Friendly Version)

This section of the annual report presents the methods in which your agency informed both employees and customers served that a recycling program was being implemented. Below are identified the programs you reported were continued or implemented during 2006.

This section of the annual report presents your compliance with the State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC). The activities identified below were reported as implemented or continued during 2006. (Note: Completing this section does not meet the SABRC reporting requirements (PCC Section 12162(b)).

The waste stream has been reduced since the IWMP was submitted in 2000. Such factors that have helped contribute to this reduction since 2000 include; increased employee awareness, new recycling and disposal procedures, and more widespread use of electronic data. The Department will continue to expand these recycling procedures while exploring new ideas in order to further reduce the waste stream.

Continued waste diversion programs include the recycling of white paper, mixed paper, cardboard, beverage containers, toner cartridges, business source reduction (includes manuals, electronic generated e-mails, newsletters, journals, phone books, timesheets, etc.) material exchange, wood pallets, document shredding, scrap metal.

Newly implemented waste diversion programs include the following:

Caltrans Director`s monthly video is offered on-line vs paper copy to each employee.

Upgrading existing recycling bins in hallways to increase employee awareness. Caltrans plans to expand throughout Sacramento.

Articles in Caltrans newsletter to promote recycling.

Posters hung reminding employees to "use both sides" while copying or printing and reuse your coffee cup on break.

For materials generated from the various building facilities, actual receipts were used to determine the amounts for both disposal and for recycling. Such materials include mixed paper, cardboard, beverage containers and newspaper. Percentages were used to determine the Business Source Reduction Program, electronic media, toner cartridges, online forms and reusable boxes.

As the Department continues to expand on the use of electronic media, it is anticipated that the Business Source Reduction category will increase. One example of this is how the Director communicates with his 21,000 plus employees. Not only are the Caltrans journals and Newsletters are both delivered electronically, the Director also delivers many important messages through electronic video casts that every employee can access though their computers. These practices reduce a large amount of paper that previously was needed to reach each employee. Revisions to manuals, journals, etc., are now offered on-line.

This year’s reported tonnage for paper and beverage containers are lower than reported last year. We feel that this is mostly due to inconsistencies with the janitorial staff that maintain our facilities. On numerous occasions, it was noticed that the material in the recycling bins were being emptied and combined with the material in the garbage dumpsters. Since most of the buildings are state owned in the Sacramento area, the janitorial services are provided through a contract with the Department of General Services (DGS). Several attempts have been made to rectify this during the 2006 calendar year, but unfortunately this activity continues. More discussions with DGS are planned for this year to stop this activity from continuing.

The total reported waste tonnage disposed is less this year than reported last year. One of the main reasons for this drop is how the data was collected. Last year, averages were used to calculate the amount of waste disposed. For example, a 5-yard bin picked up 3 days per week can be expected to generate a certain amount waste over a 12-month period. For this year’s report, actual receipts were given to determine the amount of waste disposed.

The Construction & Demolition (C&D) is significantly less this year than reported last year. This is due to seismic retrofit project to the Caltrans HQ building. This project generated a significant amount of C&D waste and has since been completed.

This years special collection events includes telephone book collection and special shredding, i.e., records destroyed at the record center, accounting, personnel, and legal. Special shredding totals were previously reported under Business Source Reduction.

Business source reduction diversion activities include paper form reduction, toner cartridges, reusable boxes, electronic media, online forms, and videos.

Material exchange includes office furniture and computers (sent to schools).

Recycling activities include beverage containers, cardboard, newspaper, and mixed paper. Special collection events includes telephone book collection and special shredding, i.e., records destroyed at the record center, accounting, personnel, and legal. Special shredding totals were previously reported under Business Source Reduction.

Special waste materials include scrap metal, tires, wood waste,and construction debris.

Hazardous waste materials include batteries, used oil/antifreeze, paint, oil filters, paint thinner, fluorescent bulbs.

The Department has identified one recycling coordinator in each district and at Headquarters along with a resource Conservation Senior in the Headquarters Office of Resource Conservation. No additional PYs were allocated for these positions. The recycling coordinators have the responsibility to report on AB 75 in addition to their prior duties.