Contact Pacific Southwest Waste Program
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Solid Waste
Management of Municipal Solid Waste in California
California received approval from EPA for its solid waste program in September of 1993. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) administered state programs. The CIWMB's duties and responsibilities were transferred to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
California State Agencies
CalRecycle (California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery) (formerly the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)) 
is responsible for managing California's solid waste stream.
CalRecycle has numerous programs: educating the public; assisting local governments and businesses; fostering market development for recyclable materials; encouraging used oil recycling; regulating waste management facilities; and cleaning up abandoned and illegal dump sites.
The State Water Resources Control Board's "Land Disposal Program" 
implements waste discharge requirements in order to protect California's water quality. This includes the regulation of waste discharge for treatment, storage, and disposal in waste management units such as waste piles, surface impoundments, and landfills.
Another resource in California is the Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling which administers the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, established in 1986. The primary goal of the Act is to achieve and maintain high recycling rates for each beverage container type included in the program. The Division provides a number of services to achieve these goals, including enforcement, auditing, grant funding, technical assistance and education.
California Solid Waste Grants
California has grant programs that assist local agencies in developing and maintaining their waste reduction initiatives. In 1997, California distributed approximately $20.4 million in grants for such purposes.
California State Contacts
- California Integrated Waste Management Board
- 1001 I Street
- Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
- Phone: (916) 341-6532
- Fax: (916) 319-7234
Landfill - Permitting and Enforcement Contacts
- Scott Walker (Scott .Walker@calrecycle.ca.gov.)
- California Integrated Waste Management Board
- Manager- Remediation, Closure and Technical Services
- 1001 I Street
- Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
- Phone: (916) 341-6319
- Fax: (916) 319-7469
- Joe Mello
- Land Disposal Program Manager
- Water Resources Control Board
- Division of Clean Water Programs
- 1001 I Street
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- Phone: (916) 341-5622
- Fax: (916) 341-5709
Additional Resource
Earth's 911 Hotline