CIWMB Member Carole Migden Speaks at BOMA San Francisco's Environment Committee

From left to right: Carole Migden, CIWMB Member; Jose Guevara (Cushman & Wakefield ), BOMA Enviroment Committee Vice Co-Chair; Zach Brown (Equity Office), 2009 BOMA Enviroment Committee Chair.

Carole Migden; Zach Brown

Ken Cleaveland, Director, BOMA San Francisco's Government and Public Affairs; Carole Migden

California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) Member Carole Migden spoke at BOMA San Francisco's Environment Committee today about the CIWMB, as well as some of the issues the Board is working on. Here are the highlights:

How many members are on the Board?

• The CIWMB had 6 full-time board members, four are appointed by the Governor, two by the California Legislature.

What does the Board do?

• It oversees the disposal and recycling of 93 million tons of waste each year in California.
  

How is the Board funded?

• The Board receives $1.40 for every ton of trash dumped at landfills.
• Additional funding comes from the sale of motor oil, new tires and some electronic equipment.
• The funds collected are used to protect the health and safety of Californians, the environment, and assist local governments and private businesses recycle everything from used oil and old electronics.
• No tax-payer money is used to fund the CIWMB.
• The Board returned $46 million back to local jurisdictions last year in the form of grants and loans. Over the years, San Francisco has received millions to reduce waste, promote recycling, and clean up illegal and abandoned dump sites. Indeed, thanks to Boardmember Migden's efforts, $1.2 million was secured recently from the CIWMB's Soild Waste Disposal and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program for cleanup efforts at Candlestick Point.
  

What are the Board's priorities?

• California's waste diversion rate is 58%; San Francisco's diversion rate stands at 72%. The City is a model for the rest of California, and the world. The Board's goal is zero waste.
  
• Boardmember Migden and the rest of the CIWMB members are also going to be using San Francisco as a model statewide for food collection, composting and other technologies that keep organic waste out of landfills.

Other issues?

• Local governments are usually the unfortunate recipients of the clean-up bill when a private company goes bankrupt. As such, the CIWMB is looking at the issue of long-term financial sustainability of private entities, and making sure that any environmental issues are mitigated before a company goes bankrupt. It is the Board's responsibility to make sure that the clean-up is completed.
• Adopting statewide recycling, composting and waste diversion above 50% will be difficult as every county differs in their ability to meet those goals. The Board can grant additional time and/or waivers for counties if needed.
  

BOMA San Francisco would like to thank CIWMB Member Carole Migden for her time and we look forward to working with her in the future.