What are some of BFI's achievements?
- 1) BFI has created a School Recycling Education Program. This program allows BFI to go out into the community and be proactive about the importance of recycling. We go to various schools and give presentations to kids about recycling and the benefits recycling has on the environment.
- 2) BFI also participates in many different Trade Shows. We take these opportunities to promote and educate the public on our different recycling programs we have to offer our customers. We provide ample amounts of literature and brochures on recycling programs and the importance of diversion.
- 3) BFI participates in many Special Events. We provide trash and recycling service at these events for free. We do make sure and require that there is an equal amount of recycling volume, as there is trash volume. We also insist that there are announcements or signs that tell the public to please recycle.
- 4) BFI has every other week advertising with the Valley Voice newspaper. We have an ad section called BFI Recycling News. We use this as another instrument in which we can bring public awareness on recycling and how we can divert more refuse from the landfill.
- 5) BFI developed a customer friendly “OOPS Tag”. This tag is for our residential customers in the City and County. This tag informs the customer that either recyclables or green waste was found in the customers trash can and informs the customer on what is recyclable. The tag also informs the customer of the quantity of recycling receptacles allowed at no extra cost.
- 6) We have always been a strong supporter of Looking Good Santa Barbara and have tried to help support many of their programs they have participated in the local community.
- 7) BFI has also been a strong supporter of our annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program.
What are some of the specific environmental benefits of BFI?
All these voluntary activities that BFI has produced have enabled us to increase the total number of customers that recycle. In just over a year in the City of Santa Barbara we have gone from 57 % in January 2001 to 80 % of our customers in February 2002 have some form of recycling service. These results significantly represent the effectiveness of BFI’s awareness campaign. This has also help the County of Santa Barbara reach the AB939 mandate of diverting 50% of its waste from the landfill. It has been very important to get through to the customers and educate them on the importance of recycling.
What are some new technologies or unique activities created by BFI?
BFI has been working on a recycling facility at our yard. We have started slow and small and have seen good consistent growth. As of 5/08/02 we are recycling/diverting close to 150 additional tons per month. We have been working through a few learning curves to try and be as efficient as possible. We believe this is a great effort of ours to try and divert as much from the landfill as possible. On average BFI hauls and disposes of 150 tons of recyclable material per day to the designated recycling facilities, including ours. That is more diversion for the City and County of Santa Barbara and more conservation and preservation of our natural resources.
Describe other environmental activities of BFI.
We in the waste industry are facing the most challenging times in our history. The environment, every aspect of it, is on the minds of people everywhere; it is an issue confronting political leaders daily. At BFI we are at the center of those environmental concerns that deal with the disposal of wastes and their potential impact on the earth, water and air. Guided by the sound business principles that have led to our success to-date, we will meet the challenges of waste collection and disposal with respect for our environment and sensitivity to social desires. As an industry leader in waste disposal, BFI has developed successful recycling programs that includes residential curbside collection, customized programs for the commercial and industrial sectors and our own recycling facility at our yard. Our recycling efforts have two purposes - reduce the amount of waste that is sent to the landfill, and return valuable secondary materials as raw material for industry.
