The City of Malibu is partnering with Sustainable Surf, Marko Foam and Access document shredding service on public recycling opportunities throughout November to celebrate America Recycles Day, a national call to action to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, on November 15, 2017. The City will also be initiating a new outreach program using standardized logos to make it easier to recycle at all City facilities. To further highlight the importance of recycling and reducing overall waste the City will be screening “STRAWS,” a film about reducing plastic waste, together with the local non-profit Crayon Collection.
“America Recycles Day is all about inspiring the community to join in the effort to reduce, reuse and recycle, which supports Malibu’s core mission to protect our natural environment,” Mayor Skylar Peak said. “The City offers residents many opportunities throughout the year to recycle materials that can be particularly harmful to the environment like electronics and household chemicals, or that require special handling such as personal documents. We also have year-round environmental education and outreach programs. The screening of the environmental documentary ‘STRAWS’ is a great example how the City is striving to inspire every citizen and business to join our environmental mission.”
Waste to Waves Polystyrene Foam Recycling Collection
November 1-30, City Hall Upper Parking Lot
Malibu residents can drop off polystyrene foam in the upper parking lot of City Hall (23825 Stuart Ranch Road) November 1-30, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The foam will be collected and recycled by the environmental non-profit organization(s?) Sustainable Surf and Marko Foam Inc. Some of the material will be recycled into surfboard blanks to create eco-friendly surfboards as part of the Waste to Waves project. www.MalibuCity.org/RecycleFoam
Over 13 billion pounds of styrene were produced in the U.S. alone in 2006, most of which was used in manufacturing polystyrene foam. When it is not properly recycled, polystyrene foam ends up in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to break down, and in the ocean, where it contributes to ocean pollution that damages wildlife and ecosystems.
Since the program was launched in 2011, Sustainable Surf’s Waste to Waves program co-founder Kevin Whilden estimates that they have recycled over 50,000 pounds of polystyrene foam. Twenty pounds of foam can be recycled into twenty Marko Foam surfboard cores, which have 25% recycled content. Sustainable Surf and Marko Foam have enlisted notable board shapers and professional surfers to promote the performance and sustainability of the eco-boards.
Free Secure Document Shredding
Saturday, November 18, City Hall Upper Parking Lot
Malibu residents can drop off paper documents to be securely shredded and recycled for free by Access on Saturday, November 18 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the upper parking lot of City Hall. Secure paper document shredding by Access is an effective way to prevent identity theft while recycling paper. www.MalibuCity.org/Shredding
Declaration of America Recycles Day by Malibu City Council – Monday, November 13, City Hall
The City Council will proclaim November 15 to be America Recycles Day during the Council meeting on Monday, November 13 at City Hall. The Environmental Sustainability Department will give a presentation about recycling, plastic pollution, and discuss future opportunities for the City to promote waste reduction.
Screening of Plastic Pollution Documentary “STRAWS” and Panel Discussion
Thursday, November 30, City Hall
As part of its efforts to eliminate products that contribute to plastic waste such as single-use plastic bags and drinking straws, the City will hold a free screening of the environmental documentary “STRAWS” on Thursday, November 30, 7:00 PM in the Civic Theater. The City is co-hosting the film screening with the local non-profit Crayon Collection, which collects lightly used crayons to prevent them from going into landfills and distributes them to underserved schools as part of their free art education program. The film highlights the environmental devastation caused by plastic pollution and how eliminating plastic drinking straws is a fast and effective way to reduce plastic pollution. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker Linda Booker.
America Recycles Day is one of many ways Malibu has established itself as a leader in environmental stewardship. The City’s ongoing public recycling and collection events for batteries, electronic waste, household hazardous waste (HHW), and polystyrene foam have allowed it to deliver on a top environmental goal: overall waste reduction. In 2016, Malibu recycled over 325 tons of bottles, cans, paper, and electronic waste.
In addition to its recycling efforts, the City has policies to make its own operations greener and is always working on ways to expand these efforts. This includes transitioning to digital files, implementing an integrated pest management policy, and installing water bottle filling stations. The City has long instituted an environmentally friendly purchasing policy that requires among other things that supplies have recycled content whenever possible. Malibu is also reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by using a hybrid and electric vehicles and installing electric charging stations for City vehicles and public use.
Malibu has led the way on early adoption of citywide bans on plastic bags and polystyrene foam. Through its ongoing outreach, workshops, special recycling events, and participation in efforts like America Recycles Day, the City provides tools and information to encourage and enable residents to conserve energy and natural resources, and reduce waste.
