City of Los Angeles and Bureau of Sanitation Honor Downtown LA Auto Group As recycLA "Star"

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) today honored Downtown LA Auto Group as a recycLA "Star." The group of six car dealerships, each served by Ware Disposal, Inc. (Ware), was honored with the distinction of "Gold Star" as part of the program that awards local businesses who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to reducing the environmental impact of their operations by making the investments and behavioral changes to achieve the highest levels of recycling. Downtown LA Auto Group was recognized at a ceremony at one of the group's dealerships by representatives from the City of Los Angeles and LASAN, including LASAN Executive Director and General Manager, Enrique C. Zaldivar.

Downtown LA Auto Group's various locations, including dealerships and massive auto-service, had been producing 141 cubic yards of waste per week before it began participating in the recycLA program. An initial waste assessment at recycLA's outset determined that most of the materials being sent to landfill could be recycled. Since that time, Downtown LA Auto Group has realized full utilization in the recycLA program, reducing their trash capacity by 60 percent and diverting 73 percent of their waste from landfill.

"Downtown LA Auto Group is a true example of a Los Angeles business that understands the importance of environmental stewardship," said Enrique C. Zaldivar, "Downtown LA Auto Group's recycling and waste reduction efforts under recycLA are tremendous, and absolutely deserving of the distinguished honor of being named a 'recycLA Gold Star.'"

Downtown LA Auto Group and Ware partnered to provide comprehensive, dual-language training for their large staff and ensure on-site recycling practices are being performed to standards. Zero-Waste specialists met with managers and visited each service area to train service managers about the recycLA program, recyclable materials, and bin placement. Downtown LA Auto Group and Ware created a special Auto-Service focused Recycling training plan, in both Spanish and English, and trained the staff of 300 employees at all six service area sites to make them aware of the transition and train them in correct practices. This training was implemented in combination with 96-gallon recycle carts being placed in the service areas that could be easily accessed by employees, as well as larger recycling bins in central collection areas to help effectively capture the recyclable materials.

"Sustainability and landfill diversion are incredibly important and core values of our business, and we are so grateful to have been recognized as a recycLA Star," said Neal Goldman, Fixed Operations Director, Downtown LA Auto Group. "We are immensely proud of the work we've done to improve our recycling program and reduce waste, which would not have been possible without the hard work of our employees. Our employees worked to understand and implement our recycling program every day, and we are so pleased to see their efforts recognized with this wonderful honor."  

About recycLA

RecycLA is an exciting public-private partnership that offers customer-friendly and efficient waste and recycling services to all commercial and industrial businesses, institutions, and large multifamily buildings. This innovative program is part of the City's commitment to enhance the quality of life in Los Angeles by improving the air that we breathe, the roads that we travel and the overall cleanliness of Los Angeles. RecycLA extends recycling opportunities to everyone in the City, and ensures stronger customer service, predictable and protected rates, much needed infrastructure and equipment improvements. It moves us closer to achieving "zero waste" through pioneering waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery programs. For more information on recycLA and the Stars program, visit: www.recycLA.com

About L.A. City Department of Public Works

The Department of Public Works is comprised of five bureaus:  Contract Administration, Engineering, Sanitation, Street Lighting, and Street Services, as well as the Offices of the Board, including the Offices of Community Beautification, Filming and Petroleum Administration.  More than 5,500 employees are responsible for design, construction, renovation and operation of public projects ranging from bridges to wastewater treatment plants and libraries; curbside collection and graffiti removal; and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, sewers, streetlights and street trees.

The Department is governed by the Board of Public Works (BPW), a five-member full-time executive team that is committed to delivering projects and programs that enhance quality of life, economic growth, public health and the environment to all Angelenos.

For more information, please visit  http://bpw.lacity.org.

About Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment

As the lead agency for the City's environmental programs and initiatives, LA Sanitation & Environment protects public health and the environment through the administration and management of three program areas: Clean Water (Wastewater), Solid Resources (Solid Waste Management) and Watershed Protection (Stormwater). These infrastructure programs collect, treat, recycle, and dispose the solid and liquid waste generated by the nation's second largest city of more than four million residents. Through these essential public service programs, LA Sanitation & Environment delivers a triple bottom line of economic, environmental, and social benefits that sustain the quality of life in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.lacitysan.org.

SOURCE LA Sanitation

Related Links

http://bpw.lacity.org

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