Cities served by Harrison Industries and its business partners, Agromin Premium Soil Products and Gold Coast Recycling, have benefited from the advanced recycling programs they provide, contributing to the high recycling rates between 60 and 70 percent in 2009, well above the state mandate of 50 percent.

Harrison provides trash collection service to over 80,000 customers with residential, commercial and industrial service in the County of Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Ventura, Ojai, Fillmore and the City of Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County as well as the Channel Islands Beach Communities Service District. Harrison also provides commercial service to Santa Paula.

All Harrison customers are provided the opportunity to recycle over 17 different materials including newsprint, glass, cardboard, plastic and paper products.

As a result, the cities Harrison serves achieved the high diversion rates in 2009, according to Evan Edgar of Edgar & Associates, a leading authority on recycling, waste reduction and product reuse in California.

“The state shifted the accounting method from a published recycling rate where a 50 percent recycling rate is mandated to a pound per person per day disposal indicator specific to each jurisdiction starting in 2007," Edgar said. "Doing the math to convert pounds per person per day back to recycling rates from the published 2009 data posted by the state agency CalRecycle, the jurisdictions that Harrisons serve have achieved recycling rates well above 50 percent and are in compliance.”

Ventura – 75 percent
Camarillo – 75 percent
Carpinteria – 71 percent
Thousand Oaks – 69 percent
Santa Paula – 68 percent
Fillmore – 63 percent
Ojai – 60 percent
Unincorporated Ventura County – 57 percent

Maintaining or expanding recycling programs can be challenging for local elected officials. Harrison Industries has been able to add cost-effective programs to decrease the amount of material buried at local landfills.

Effective waste management programs like Harrison’s and economic conditions helped Californians throw away less trash than ever before in 2009, according to CalRecycle. The statewide per capita disposal rate of 4.5 pounds of trash per person per day is the lowest on record since the department began tracking statewide waste disposal in 1995. As the economy went into recession, construction of residential and commercial structures plummeted; there was a decrease in solid waste generated by construction and demolition activities, and by the commercial sector, while at the same time many recycling programs expanded.

“The market prices for many materials dropped due to the economic conditions, while the supply of some materials increased as some Californians recycled more to offset other lost income,” CalRecycle reported.

“Though the recession significantly influenced the 2009 drop in disposal, Californians should still be proud of the innovative recycling, composting, and waste reduction programs that continue to reduce our waste stream each year,” Edgar added. "Looking ahead, we need to make sure these effective recycling programs continue to thrive and grow to handle increased disposal that is anticipated when the recession eases and as greenhouse gas programs are launched.”

Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, have adopted measures such as mandated commercial recycling, anaerobic digestion, and compost use as strategies to further reduce greenhouse gases. “For every one ton of commercial waste recycled, there is a global benefit of avoiding two tons of greenhouse gas. More commercial recycling of food waste with anaerobic digestion will also generates renewable energy," Edgar said.
Bill Camarillo of Agromin Premium Soil Products, the largest compost producer in Ventura County, stated, “Compost use has shown to save farmers 30 percent water use, which saves energy on pumping and reduces greenhouse gases, and saves water during drought years, while reducing erosion and increasing yields. Taking recycling and composting to the next level with AB 32 will reduce greenhouse gases and save resources.”

About Harrison Industries
Harrison Industries was established in 1932 and is one of the oldest and largest privately owned trash collection businesses in the United States. Its philosophy is that people should not have to think about trash or recycling and that the collection is simple as possible to help people "to do the right thing.” The Company motto, "Service is everything," has ensured success and longevity. Myra Harrison serves as founder. Her oldest son Ralph is president and her sons Jim and Myron serve as vice presidents.