About the California Integrated Waste Management Board

News...

Strategic Directives: Information  has been expanded to include baseline measurements, metrics or performance criteria, annual targets, and key activities, as well as a schedule for reports to the Board.

California passed its landmark solid waste management law: the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939) when California was throwing away 90 percent of its waste and recycling only 10 percent of its trash. The act mandated that California's 450 jurisdictions--cities, counties and regional waste management compacts--implement waste management programs aimed at ambitious marks: a 25 percent diversion rate by 1995 and a 50 percent diversion rate by 2000. In 2005, California diverted 52 percent of its waste stream, a phenomenal national achievement surpassing all others.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the State agency designated to oversee, manage, and track California's 92 million tons of waste generated each year. The Board promotes a sustainable environment where these resources are not wasted but can be reused or recycled in partnership with all California. In addition to many innovative programs and incentives, the Board promotes the use of new technologies for the practice of diverting California's resources away from landfills.

The Integrated Waste Management Board is composed of six Board members. Four members are appointed by the Governor, two of whom represent the public, one member with industry expertise, and one with expertise in the environmental field. One member is appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one is appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

The Board provides grants and loans to help California cities, counties, businesses, and organizations meet the State's waste reduction, reuse, and recycling goals. It also provides funds to clean up solid waste disposal sites and codisposal sites (those accepting both hazardous waste substances and nonhazardous waste). These funds are available where the responsible party cannot be identified or is unable or unwilling to pay for a timely remediation and where cleanup is needed to protect public health and safety or the environment.

The Board also develops and promotes alternatives to the illegal disposal of used oil; develops technical standards and permit requirements for waste tire facilities; promotes reuse and recycling of electronic devices, and encourages purchasing of environmentally preferable devices.

Implementing all the Board's programs requires the commitment of all staff and members of the Board. We rely on the talent, creativity, experience, and ingenuity that have brought us this far to continue developing stronger, better, and more effective programs that will move us beyond the 50 percent diversion mandate toward a Zero Waste California.

The Board is one of six agencies under the umbrella of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA). To learn more about the Board's history, see The History of the California Environmental Protection Agency.

General Information

These web pages provide ideas for how the public, local jurisdictions, and others can reduce waste.

• Waste Prevention World--Lists Board sites that focus on reducing waste generated at home and work, including the following sites.
• Waste Prevention and Recycling at Home--How to get started and how to do it better.
• Waste Prevention and Recycling Tools--Things you might use to prevent waste and recycle.
• Waste Reduction Coordinator Information--Resources for local agencies and businesses.
• Waste Prevention Information Exchange--A directory of waste prevention resources and documents from numerous sources. You can add to these.

For Businesses

The Board has programs and resources geared for the business community:

• Business Waste Reduction Resource Index--Answers and resources for the most common business waste issues.
• Waste Prevention Information Exchange--Detailed information about all waste prevention issues.
• Waste Prevention and Recycling at the Office--How waste-conscious businesses manage their offices.
• Market Development--Resources to help develop markets/businesses.

Grants and Loans

The Board provides grants and loans in order to help California cities, counties, businesses, and organizations meet the State’s waste reduction, reuse, and recycling goals. Through its grants and loans, the Board promotes the use of new and innovative technologies for the practice of diverting California’s resources away from landfills. It also provides funds to clean up solid waste disposal sites and codisposal sites (those accepting both hazardous waste and substances as well as nonhazardous waste) when the responsible party cannot be identified or is unable or unwilling to pay for a timely remediation and where cleanup is needed to protect public health and safety or the environment.

Solid Waste Management

The Board has programs and resources geared for solid waste facilities and local enforcement agencies:

• Permitting Solid Waste Facilities--Resources to assist operators and local enforcement agencies.
• Closed, Illegal, and Abandoned Disposal Sites--Resources to assist local enforcement agencies.
• Safe Disposal--A description of how a landfill can be operated in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
• Illegal Dumping--Information of the problems caused by illegal dumping and what the Board is doing to combat it.
• Regulations--Standards for the operation of landfills and transfer/processing, composting and transformation facilities.
• Local Enforcement Agencies--Resources for the local agencies that permit and inspect solid waste facilities.
• Solid Waste Information System--A database containing information on solid waste facilities throughout the State of California.

Alternatives to Disposing of Used Oil

The Board also develops and promotes alternatives to the illegal disposal of used oil. It does this by establishing a statewide network of collection opportunities and undertaking outreach efforts to inform the public about benefits of recycling used oil and motivate individuals, businesses, and others to recycle their used oil.

Implementing all the Board's programs requires the commitment of all staff and members of the Board. We rely on the talents, creativity, experience, and ingenuity that have brought us this far to continue developing stronger, better, and more effective programs that will move us beyond the 50 percent diversion mandate toward a Zero Waste California.