B.REAL! - The Business Recyclers Educational Assistance Link

A Technical Council of the California Resource Recovery Association

B.REAL is a technical council of the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) formed to provide policy leadership, educational and technical assistance to businesses and help address the critical waste-management issues facing today's business community.

Affiliated with CRRA, B.REAL will provide direction to its diverse membership including large and small businesses, trade groups, local governments and universities. B.REAL members receive CRRA's RecycleScene and other publications and are eligible for discounts to workshops, seminars and conferences.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

With the passage of AB939, the California Integrated Solid Waste Management Act, businesses of all sizes must change the way they think about trash. Earnings are impacted by the skyrocketing costs of waste management and landfilling, and businesses must change their waste handling behavior.

Our goals are to expand reuse, recycling and composting activities, to highlight successful waste-management programs and to keep local and state agencies informed about the work California companies are doing. We work with businesses, recyclers, local governments and waste haulers to:

  • Increase source-reduction activities

  • Develop recycling and outreach programs

  • Design guidelines for Integrated Waste Management Programs

  • Develop policy statements concerning the preservation of business' rights to recycle

The interests and skills of its members gives B.REAL the expertise needed to address such pressing issues as:

  • Ways in which commercial waste franchises impact your business

  • Influence of current legislation on business

  • Buying recycled products

  • Reusing surplus inventory

  • Starting recycling programs

  • Reducing waste before it's produced

  • Composting a business' organic materials

Right to Recycle Policy

  1. The California Integrated Waste Management Act, AB939, mandates that cities and counties reduce the amount of waste being sent to the landfill, 25% by 1995 and 50% by the year 2000. As jurisdictions struggle to achieve their reduction ideals, businesses are rising to the challenge of assisting them in attaining these ambitious goals. As businesses work to expand recycling, they need to have the right to contract with whomever they want for collection and processing their recyclable materials.
  2. Businesses are in favor of free and open market competition for commercial recycling collection, processing and buy back services. To ensure the ability to provide uninterrupted service under fluctuating market conditions and to pay reasonable fees as appropriate to jurisdictions, all recyclers must have the right to charge for services. Businesses oppose the adoption of any franchise agreements that interfere with the basic property rights of generators.
  3. Businesses feel strongly that the State must act quickly to make clear definitions pertaining to: solid waste, recyclable materials, source separated recycled materials, generators and other integrated Waste Management terms. The State must also clarify the property rights of generators and reaffirm its commitment to build upon the existing recycling infrastructure to meet the waste diversion goals of AB939.