The Solid Waste Disposal and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program addresses cleanup of solid waste disposal and codisposal sites where the responsible party either cannot be identified or is unable or unwilling to pay for a timely remediation and where cleanup is needed to protect public health and safety or the environment.
Cleanup projects are implemented through CalRecycle-managed contracts, grants to public entities, and loans which include:
- Legacy disposal site abatement partial grants
- Illegal disposal site abatement grants
- CalRecycle-managed remediation
This page includes details on successful CalRecycle and California Integrated Waste Management Board cleanup projects.
2011 | 2009 | 2008 | 2005
2013
Oakland Estuary Cleanup
CalRecycle and the U.S. EPA, in cooperation with other local, state, and federal agencies, have embarked on a multimillion-dollar cleanup of the Oakland Estuary. Nearly 40 abandoned and sunken vessels, marine debris, and other navigational hazards are being removed from numerous locations along the waterway, along with toxic materials such PCBs, heavy metals and asbestos. A media boat tour of the estuary to view the cleanup activities will be held Oct. 17.
2011
Delta Cleanup
CalRecycle is responsible for investigation, cleanup, and enforcement of illegal solid waste disposal sites in California. Through its Solid Waste Disposal Site Cleanup Program, CalRecycle recently took on the challenge of removing abandoned vessels from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which provides drinking water to two-thirds of the state. Along the way, CalRecycle discovered the remains of an important World War II Coast Guard cutter, and helped preserve its place in history as the only Coast Guard vessel to host a Japanese surrender at the end of the war. The cleanup program is funded through tipping fees collected when non-hazardous waste is deposited in landfills, currently $1.40/ton. About $5 million is allocated annually for a variety of program activities to clean up or prevent illegal dumping throughout California and encourage environmental preservation. YouTube (00:14:01) | Transcript
November 4, 2011 CalRecycle press release on project
2009
State Agencies Work Together for Border Cleanup Project
The California Integrated Waste Management Board (now CalRecycle) approved $1.6 million for a cooperative project with California State Parks to remove and separate tons of debris, tires, and trash along the California-Mexico border. The affected area is in the Tijuana River Valley and Goat Canyon Estuary in Border Field State Park, 15 miles south of San Diego. It is located entirely within the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, an important wildlife habitat managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
- A September 15, 2009 CIWMB press was release on the project
- Presentation given at 12th Annual LEA, Tire Enforcement and CIWMB Technical Training Series, October 19-22, 2009
2008
Santa Cruz Island Clean-Up (4:40)
Thanks to a partnership of public and nonprofit organizations, a precious jewel of California’s coast is being restored to its natural habitat. In April 2008, a major clean-up project on Santa Cruz Island was completed, accelerating an ambitious restoration project led by The Nature Conservancy and supported by the National Park Service and CalRecycle. YouTube
2005
La Montaña Cleanup
The Aggregate Recycling Systems Site (also referred to as La Montaña), located at 6208 South Alameda Street in the City of Huntington Park, had large piles of processed and unprocessed concrete and other solid wastes that had been a long-standing public nuisance and pollution problem for the local community. The former operator and the property owner failed to clean up the site as required by extensive enforcement and legal efforts. Because of these failures and at the request of the City of Huntington Park and the Los Angeles County solid waste local enforcement agency, the CIWMB considered and approved funding for cleanup of the site in June 2004.