California Town Enacts C&D Recycling Ordinance

Woodland, Calif., has joined a number of other California towns and municipalities in enacting a construction and demolition debris recycling ordinance, according to a report in the Daily Democrat (Woodland, Calif.).

The ordinance went into effect on Sept. 18 and it requires that at least 50 percent of the debris generated by construction and demolition projects be recycled or reused.

City officials estimate the ordinance will help divert approximately 22 percent of material that would otherwise have gone into landfills, according to the report.

Under the new rules, applicants for building permits will need to file a waste reduction and recycling plan with the city and make a $1,000 deposit. For companies that already have a plan on file with the city, the deposit amount will be based on the applicant’s level of material diversion.

Several cities and counties in the state have adopted similar legislation to encourage the recycling of C&D material, in part to help meet the state required total diversion rate of 50 percent for all city governments. San Diego approved a C&D recycling ordinance in 2005. Contra Costa County has adopted similar legislation, as have Tulare County and the cities of Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda and Brentwood, according to local media reports.