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Solid Waste director reports strong community turnout for tire, mattress and green‑waste programs
Summary
Solid Waste Director Debbie Reagan told the board that recent community recycling events collected 875 tires in four hours, shipped a first semi of 127 mattresses for recycling, and launched a pilot green‑waste diversion program with Firewise communities; county staff plan a community green‑waste event May 3 in Ridgewood 108.
Debbie Reagan, Tuolumne County’s Solid Waste Director, briefed the Board on the county’s recycling and diversion efforts, reporting robust participation at recent events and plans to expand green‑waste services.
Reagan said a recent tire-amnesty event collected 875 tires in four hours and that the County’s first semi‑trailer shipment of 127 mattresses left the household hazardous waste program this month for recycling. She said mattress and e‑waste events operate with the Mattress Recycling Council and Greater Valley Corps as partners.
Reagan also described a new green‑waste pilot aimed at smaller residential needs. The first pilot will run May 3 in the Ridgewood 108 Firewise community; the county provided a chipper and a dump trailer purchased with CalRecycle grant funds, and the sheriff’s department will operate the chipper with volunteer support. The director said early pilots will focus on Firewise communities because of the volunteer capacity.
On program costs and access, Reagan said residents who cannot wait for monthly events can still use local transfer stations: Calaveras transfer station accepts mattresses and tires for a fee; Groveland accepts mattresses free and tires for a small fee. She also noted a new green‑waste grant opportunity through CalRecycle and said staff will examine bringing tire‑amnesty components to monthly household hazardous‑waste events.
Reagan asked the board to note the partnership model that has produced results: county staff, nonprofits, the sheriff’s work crews and state grant funds. The board received the report with appreciation and asked for periodic updates as the pilot expands.
