OC Goes Green: County Programs Commended by Grand Jury

Three County of Orange departments were lauded by the Grand Jury for their commitment to protecting natural resources and employing environmentally conscious practices. In a report titled “Orange County Goes Green,” the Grand Jury described the OC Waste & Recycling department as “one of the most cost-conscious agencies in the county – and one of the most respected in the nation.”

The report praised OC Waste & Recycling’s ability to capture methane gas from the County’s Frank R. Bowerman Landfill, convert it into liquid natural gas, and then sell it to power local bus and truck fleets. In addition, the department, which manages four Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers, has successfully increased the diversion of self-hauled waste from the landfills by 70% through recycling outreach and the self-hauled waste surcharge.

The County Executive Office’s Procurement Department was also noted in the Grand Jury report for the development of the OC Green Fair, inspired by the Board of Supervisors’ adoption of an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy.

Finally, the environmental stewardship efforts of John Wayne Airport (JWA) were also acclaimed in the report including the early implementation of water conservation, pollution prevention, energy efficiency, air quality, noise abatement and recycling practices.

For more details -

Read the Press Release, or the full Grand Jury Report.