Commercial waste franchise system in LA moves a step closer

The Los Angeles Board of Public Works recommended the awarding of franchise agreements to seven commercial waste hauling companies valued at $3.5 billion during a meeting Sept. 26.

According to local reports, if approved by city council and Mayor Eric Garcetti, each hauler would be assigned as the sole hauler for commercial and multifamily residences in one or more of 11 zones designated by the city for a 10-year period beginning in July 2017.

Environmental outcomes and service mandates of the program, known as Zero Waste L.A., include:

• reduction of landfill disposal by 1,000,000 tons per year by 2025;
• transparent and predictable solid waste and recycling service rates for the next 10-20 years;
• quality customer service standards with L.A. Sanitation District (LASAN) monitoring and enforcement;
• franchise hauler accountability for program outcomes and customer satisfaction through a series of measures implemented by LASAN, up to and including liquidated damages;
• compliance with environmental regulations, including mandatory commercial and organics recycling;
• investment of over $200 million in new and improved solid resources infrastructure;
  clean fuel vehicles; and
• decrease and recycling of food waste, and increase in food rescue.

According to an article on http://mynewsla.com, the recommended franchise rights awards went to:

• Athens Services -- 21,864 accounts in West Los Angeles, Harbor and North Central zones;
• Republic Services -- 16,820 accounts in the Northeast Valley and South Los Angeles zones;
• Waste Management -- 15,526 accounts in the West Valley and Southeast Valley zones;
• Universal Waste Systems (UWS) -- 6,106 accounts in the Northeast zone;
• NASA Services -- 1,771 customers in the Downtown zone;
• Ware Disposal -- 1,817 customers in the Southeast zone; and
• CalMet Services -- 1,013 accounts in the East Downtown zone.