Mar 23 - Walmart Diverts 80% of Waste from Landfills

Walmart has announced that its California stores have reached a waste diversion rate of 80% while implementing a new waste reduction plan. The retail giant has stated that it intends on expanding its reduction plan to the other 4,400 stores throughout the US in the future.

These types of programs are necessary in order to achieve California’s proposed 75% statewide diversion rate outlined in AB 341 (Chesbro). Currently, the state’s business sector recycles at a rate far lower than residential communities. In order for Californians to extend their current diversion goal of 50% by 2000, to 75% by 2020, the business sector must play a vital role.

Walmart was able to achieve these high diversion rates by recycling a variety of materials including cardboard, aluminum, plastic bags, and polystyrene apparel, as well as sending excess food to food banks. To read more about Walmart’s efforts, click here.

AB 341 will ensure that California will continue on its progressive track towards waste diversion. California is currently a national leader in these environmental endeavors and will continue to be as long as our goals move consistently upward. The apartment and business sectors remain an untapped resource for expanding our recycling rates statewide, as these sectors do not the same infrastructure for recycling.

To keep up to date and see what you can do to support this legislation, click here.