The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has honored Harrison Industries with its 3rd Annual Climate Change Action Award for the steps it is taking to measure its carbon footprint and to help its client cities meet anticipated tight future regulations.

The Ventura-based trash-hauling company was recognized in the “Sustainable Business Practices” category by the board during its April 19 meeting. Harrison President Ralph Harrison and Vice President Jim Harrison were on hand to accept the award.

“This program seeks to recognize individuals, businesses and groups inside and outside of government in Ventura County who are making significant contributions to improve our environment by altering their carbon footprint and combating climate change,” said First District Supervisor Steve Bennett.

Harrison’s trash collection and recycling practices have had a major positive impact on the environment for over two decades, and last year marked a major milestone for the company. In 2010, Harrison earned Climate Registered status for taking voluntary steps to measure its operation’s carbon footprint, ensuring that it is moving toward compliance of Assembly Bill 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act. The Climate Registry is a non-profit organization that operates the only carbon footprint registry in North America.

By understanding what emissions are being generated by its operations and that of its business partners, Gold Coast Recycling & Transfer Station and Agromin, Harrison will see where processes can improve and emissions can be reduced – through fleet fuel changes, energy efficiency at its offices and other management practices. Even before seeking Climate Registry status, Harrison began gradually replacing a large number of its diesel trucks with vehicles that run on cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas and in 2006 opened the first LNG fueling station in western Ventura County.

As for recycling, newly released diversion numbers from the State of California all of the cities Harrison serves surpassed the mandated 50 percent diversion goal. The following diversion rates have been achieved by client cities: Ventura (75 percent); Camarillo (75 percent); Carpinteria (71 percent); Thousand Oaks (69 percent); Santa Paula (68 percent); Fillmore (63 percent); and Ojai (60 percent). And in unincorporated Ventura County, the diversion rate is 57 percent.

“The future is zero waste and we are making every effort to move quickly toward that goal,” Jim Harrison said. “A permitted foot waste facility will go a long way to get all of the organics out of the landfill, reducing green house gas and bringing even greater diversion to the county and cities we serve.”

About Harrison Industries:
Harrison Industries was established in 1932 and is one of the oldest and largest privately owned trash collection businesses in the United States, serving about 90,000 residential and commercial customers in Ventura County and parts of Santa Barbara County.