Athens to Service Thousands of California Households
Beginning next year, Ventura County households will have access to a waste and recycling collection service provided by Athens Services. This benefit will be available to thousands of individuals across the region.
Athens Services is a renowned waste and recycling service provider based in Southern California. Founded in 1957, on the principle of excellent service and environmental sustainability, its practices have helped launch the company toward greater heights of waste diversion, or what has come to be known as “The Athens Way.”
Starting on January 1st, 2024, Athens will provide services to approximately 6,700 residents residing in the Southeast Residential Service Area. This area of Ventura County encompasses Oak Park and its neighboring cities such as Moorpark, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks, all located in California.
As mandated by California’s SB 1383, services will focus on the recycling of food scraps and other organic materials.
Athens History with Ventura County
Since 2017, Athens has been developing a relationship with Ventura County by servicing Santa Paula. This presence became even stronger last year when Thousand Oaks, Ventura County’s second-largest city, welcomed Athens as one of its providers. Now, the relationship is set to grow even deeper due to the new contract.
Ventura County is setting a sustainability precedent with the launch of mandated organics recycling services. Santa Paula and Thousand Oaks are the first two cities to offer citywide programs as outlined in SB 1383. Athens has also joined the cause, working with the Conejo Valley Unified School District.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Ventura County and introduce even more households and communities to the Athens Way—our commitment to excellent service, a stellar team and a safe and healthy environment,” Cesar Torres, Athens Executive Vice President stated.
The Selection Process
After a selection process that included several waste hauling companies, the franchise was ultimately awarded to Los Angeles-based company, Athens Services. Of the four service areas available, Athens’ bid was victorious in one service area, and Ventura-based Harrison Industries received contracts for the remaining three quadrants.
Harrison explains that the county decided to reduce its sixteen service zones to just four, beginning with a competitive bidding procedure. During the selection process they focused on criteria such as qualifications and experience, services and charges, sustainability, customer services and outreach, as well as community partnership.
“Athens is a natural partner for Ventura County because we share many of the same values: delivering stellar service and exceptional value, reducing environmental impacts, creating job opportunities, strengthening local economies and giving back to communities,” Athens Executive Vice President, Gary Clifford states.
Athens firmly believes its cutting-edge processing systems and technology can assist localities in their efforts to cut down on waste ending up in landfills, shrink their ecological footprint, and finally reach a zero-waste lifestyle.
A Leader in Organics Recycling
Boasting a leadership position in organics recycling, the firm recently announced that its fleet of collection vehicles in Ventura County will be powered by renewable natural gas sourced from dairy farm byproducts. This “carbon-negative” energy source is expected to have a major impact on environmental sustainability.
“Athens analyzed current waste streams and conducted waste characterizations of all residential refuse/mixed waste loads in each community,” Clifford stated. “These characterizations provided Athens with the understanding of how much organic material was currently in those streams so the company could establish a baseline and goals for ensuring that material gets placed in the organics container.”
Sustainability Center on the Horizon
For more than six decades, the family-owned waste collection and recycling firm has been a staple in Southern California. Now, the company is taking its commitment to sustainability one step further with the creation of its Ventura County Sustainability Center. This center will act as a hub for educational programs that promote environmental awareness and conservation.
Athens Services continues to be a pillar within its community, and leads with its vision to make the world a more sustainable place.
