Welcome to the Solid Waste and Recycling Division
The following webpages are organized to provide visitors, residents and businesses information on the many solid waste and recycling opportunities within the Town of Truckee. If for some reason you can not locate the information you are looking for please let us know. Staff email addresses and phone numbers are listed under Solid Waste and Recycling Staff Contact Information on the left and navigation bar. Thank you for taking steps to reduce your waste.
LOOKING FOR A RECYCLING CENTER? click here
Solid Waste and Recycling Division History
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: a 25 percent diversion rate by 1995 and a 50 percent diversion rate by 2000.
In response to AB 939 the Town Council formed the Citizen’s Waste Management Advisory Committee (CWMAC) on January 19, 1999 (resolution no. 99-01) to assist the Town in achieving the goals of AB 939. The mission of the Ad Hoc Citizen’s Waste Management Advisory Committee is as follows:
The Truckee Citizens Waste Management Advisory Committee will work with the Town, the Town’s solid waste hauler, the citizens and businesses of Truckee to promote recycling, source reduction, reuse, used oil recycling, and the proper storage and disposal of household hazardous waste. Through these efforts, the Committee hopes to enhance Truckee’s quality of life while ensuring that the Town meets or exceeds State legislated mandates involving recycling and waste reduction.
The volunteer Citizens Waste Management Advisory Committee worked to achieve its goals with support from Staff, including the Town Engineer and the Assistant to the Town Manager. The committee was focused on educating and creating behavior change amongst Truckee’s residents and business communities.
In addition to program implementation, the state mandated that the Town report compliance with AB 939 through the submission of an Annual Report. The Annual Report was based on the Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE) and Household Hazardous Waste Element (HHWE) which act as the Town’s strategic plan in achieving the goals of the legislation and once achieved the Town’s method for maintained compliance. The Town hired consultants to prepare reports and assist in the development of programs necessary to achieve the Town’s commitment as set forth in the SRRE and HHWE. In a means to consolidate the staff resources needed to over see the administration of solid waste and recycling activities, the Town of Truckee Council created a Recycling Coordinator Position.
The Recycling Coordinator position was approved by Council on September 15, 2005 and the first Recycling Coordinator was hired in January 2006. With a commitment to environmental quality the Solid Waste and Recycling Division was established. The Division is responsible in offering a wide variety of programs in the areas of source reduction and recycling, technical assistance, and public education.
