Ten members of Harrison were in attendance at Chamber breakfast.
Founded in 1932, the local trash and recycling hauler and processor will take recycling to the next level in 2022, when it introduces weekly residential food waste collection and recycling as well as a program to ramp up the commercial recycling of food and other organic waste.
Harrison officially kicked off its 90th anniversary on Friday, at the Ventura Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Connection Breakfast, which Harrison hosted at Four Points Sheraton at Ventura Harbor. With 10 members of the Harrison team in attendance, the company used the opportunity to share news and literature about the big changes ahead.
“Food waste recycling is coming, and soon,” said Harrison’s Nan Drake, who addressed the more than 100 local businesspeople at the event. “It’s great news for the Earth, and it’s a great time for us all to become better recyclers.”
Harrison was well received at the event, with many attendees lavishing praise on the company that’s been a solid fixture in the community. “I can’t believe Harrison is turning 90,” said Ashley Pope, membership development manager for the Ventura Chamber. “I grew up in Ventura, so I’ve never known a time without those green trucks – and those awesome, incredible drivers. I have literally never seen an unsafe truck or an unreliable driver. … Here’s to another 90 years!”
Harrison unveiled a new two-minute video at the event; created to honor its milestone anniversary, the video noted Harrison’s deep roots and longtime philanthropy in the community but also looked ahead, to a consequential year that will affect all of its 90,000 customers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, as residential customers are asked to start bagging their food waste and placing it in their yard waste carts for weekly curbside pickup.
The food waste recycling program complies with California Senate Bill 1383. A highly ambitious measure, SB 1383 aims to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by greatly decreasing the landfilled organic waste that generates it. According to the bill, organic waste in 2025 must be cut to 75% of 2014 levels.
To accommodate the new law, Harrison has spent years working with its community partners Gold Coast Recycling and Agromin to build world-class facilities in Ventura County to process and reuse the food and other organic waste. “As we’ve always been, for 90 years now, we’re ready for what’s next,” Drake said at the Chamber event.
The Harrison team wrapped up the event with anniversary cake and a special gift to everyone in attendance: bags of organic potting soil from Agromin, delivered by company CEO Bill Camarillo.
Visit Harrison, Gold Coast and Agromin for more information on their services.
