Recycling At DGS

Department of General Services

• Excellence in the business of government

• Sustainable – We serve as good stewards of state resources and

help “green” government.

DGS Portfolio • DGS is one of the largest owners and operators of state

buildings

• Over 58 buildings throughout California

• Representing over 11.4 million square feet of building space

• Over 65 tenant agencies and roughly 50,000 occupants

Current Recycling Efforts

• Inconsistent and varied from building to building

• All buildings have paper recycling

• Roughly 15 have “full” recycling programs

• Five with some sort of organic program

DGS Recycling Goal

Develop a comprehensive recycling policy and implement integrated recycling programs in 58

DGS-owned buildings.

Recycling Policy • Created DGS policy to get all buildings on same page

• Policy – Gives the what

• Implementation Guide – Gives the how – Consistency

• Program Implementation

DGS Organic Recycling • 55 Buildings over 25K Square feet

• Over 25 cafes

• Approximately 10 daycares

• Capital Park

• Three major building complexes

• 5 food waste programs

Franchise Tax Board

• Bin Size: Three 1-yard bins

• Date Started: Feb 1, 2017

• Amount Collected: Approximately 4 yds. per month

• Challenges: – Educating management – Obtaining funding – Developing a contract/procuring hauler

State Capital • Bin Size: Two 70 gal. garbage totes

• Date Started: July 2015

• Amount Collected: Approximately 400 lbs. per month

• Challenges: – Employee participation

California Public Utilities Commission • Bin Size: 2 yard compactor

• Date Started: 2014

• Amount Collected: Approximately 8 yds. per month

• Challenges: – Employee participation – Signage/education materials

2 yd compactor

Upcoming Projects

• Education Building

• Ziggurat

Getting Started

• Contact your hauler

• Survey your portfolio

• Conduct a waste audit, if possible

• Order bins

• Create signage/education materials

Lessons Learned • It takes time

• Start with food service

• Bin and lid type matters

• Signage is important

• Continual education produces better participation

• Have the right kind of liner

• Be creative

Going Forward • Implement programs in all DGS-owned buildings

• Learn and adapt

• Be a resource for other state departments

• Track waste and recycling

Further questions, please contact:

diane.browntapia@dgs.ca.gov