We are happy to share that the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) awarded the Arc of Butte County a 2009 Waste Reduction Award certificate of acknowledgement for "steering your community along a path towards zero-waste and minimizing your eco-footprint" by incorporating waste reduction, reuse and recycling efforts into our daily business activities.
 
"Our recycling and waste diversion philosophy is codified in the Arc Employee Handbook, not just as a commitment to environmental sustainability, but as a means for Arc to increase the profitability of our agency. The benefits of reducing our waste stream and recycling and re-using affect Arc's bottom line." explains Tom Leonardi, Arc Associate Director and Respite Program Coordinator.
 
The Arc supports its programs for the developmentally disabled in part by operating two ARC Stores in Chico & Oroville, The ARC Pavilion Banquet Hall and an EBay store.

 

The stores take pre-owned and used items that are donated to Arc and resells them at greatly reduced prices. An estimated 250,000 lbs. of potential trash gets diverted away from the county landfill each year through Arc retail sales.
 
As a business, Arc recycles all in-house office paper, and promotes the recycling of glass, aluminum and plastic by employees. Arc provides receptacles and allows the staff to use the funds from recycling for their own activities.  The green waste from our landscaping is delivered to the city green waste compost facility. It is Arc's policy to recycle any product that is utilized if a system for recycling is in place; and it is Arc's policy to not throw out any item that can be re-sold or re-used at one of our retail stores.