Transition of Thousand Oaks Waste Collection and Recycling Services Completed on Schedule

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (May 18, 2022) — Athens Services has successfully completed the full transition of waste collection and recycling services in Thousand Oaks, providing significant cost savings for customers, near-perfect service reliability, and a more robust package of services, including the City’s first “green bin” waste collection program.

Athens Services launched in Thousand Oaks on Jan. 1 after winning a 15-year contract through a competitive public bidding process. The transition of service in Ventura County’s second-largest city was completed within the promised three-month time frame.

Over that time, Athens Services delivered 130,000 new waste containers citywide, introduced more efficient truck routes to minimize the number of miles driven by Athens vehicles, and took steps to bring the City in alignment with new state-mandated waste diversion laws. The company now serves approximately 38,000 residential and 1,200 commercial customers throughout the city.

“The successful transition has been an enormous win for the city, with numbers that speak for themselves. Residents today will be saving some $4.7 million a year on waste hauling and recycling services and are receiving a very high standard of service, which includes expanded outreach and a service center located in town,” said Helen Cox, Sustainability Division Manager for the City of Thousand Oaks. “In addition, Athens owns and operates cutting-edge facilities that harness advanced technology to recover recyclables from the waste stream and reduce the waste sent to landfills. This partnership is helping to make Thousand Oaks a sustainability leader in Southern California.”

Athens Services has long partnered with municipalities and organizations throughout the Southern California region to divert organic waste from landfills, where waste decomposes and creates methane gas, a leading contributor to climate change. Now, as communities throughout California work to adapt to SB 1383 – the landmark state law designed to divert methane-emitting organic waste from landfills– Athens Services has helped Thousand Oaks become one of the first cities in Ventura County to reach full compliance. Much of Thousand Oaks’ organic waste goes to Athens’ wholly-owned compost facility, American Organics, where Athens collects organic waste material – including food scraps and garden trimmings – and converts it into nutrient-rich compost that helps plants grow. Athens has already donated 40 tons of compost to the Las Flores community garden in Thousand Oaks.

The company aims to create a closed-loop system whereby organic waste collected in Thousand Oaks is turned into compost and returned to the City for use by commercial farmers, garden shops, landscapers, the City, and residents cultivating crops in containers and raised beds.

Athens’ advanced technology extends to its fleet of brand new, near-zero emissions collection vehicles used in Thousand Oaks. The compressed natural gas-powered trucks are 90 percent cleaner than the EPA’s strictest emissions standard. The trucks are equipped with MobilePak Tablets Tracking and Camera Systems, which enable drivers to service locations efficiently, prevent service disruptions, report overflow or contamination, and more. The state-of-the-art fleet technology allows drivers to communicate in realtime with customer service and billing teams to verify service with photos, video, and geocoding.

On May 9, the City of Thousand Oaks Planning Commission approved a permit application to develop a local vehicle dispatch center for Athens trucks. The facility is a significant investment that will create jobs and reduce the distance trucks travel each day, delivering environmental benefits that support the City’s sustainability goals.

“The transition of service in Thousand Oaks was a significant undertaking, and we are proud to have completed the transition on schedule and very eager to begin construction of the truck yard,” said Athens Executive Vice President Cesar Torres. “We have a dedicated team of over 100 people – including former employees of the City’s previous waste haulers – working collaboratively to deliver excellent results. Our company prides itself on a steadfast commitment to people, service, and the environment – we call it the Athens Way. We are excited to continue delivering on those principles in Thousand Oaks.”

Founded in 1957, Athens Services has made a significant impact in Southern California. The fourthgeneration, family-owned and -operated waste collection and recycling company serves more than 50 communities regionwide. One of the largest recyclers in the area, Athens Services deploys innovative technology to serve customers and protect the environment through state-of-the-art materials recovery facilities that sort tons of waste daily to maximize reuse and recycling, and promote landfill avoidance. In addition to providing a comprehensive package of waste and recycling services at significant cost savings in Thousand Oaks, Athens has begun fostering strong, wide-ranging community partnerships in the region. Athens has made financial and non-financial contributions to community organizations throughout Ventura County, including schools, youth sports leagues, the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club, Ventura County Leadership Academy, Ventura Land Trust, Safe Passage Youth Foundation and many more.

The company also established a first-of-its-kind sustainability center in Thousand Oaks, providing residents a one-stopshop to learn about sustainability best practices and engage with customer care representatives.

“Strong community partnerships create a stronger, safer, brighter Thousand Oaks for all residents,” said Tim Hagel, Director of the Safe Passage Youth Foundation in Thousand Oaks. “Athens Services is dedicated to our shared goals for the Conejo Valley and set a remarkably high bar in this regard, and we look forward to continuing our work together to help our city thrive.”

“So much has been achieved in such a short time in Thousand Oaks,” said Rondi Guthrie, Athens Services’ Vice president of Government Affairs in Thousand Oaks. “We completed the transition on schedule, introduced significant new services for Thousand Oaks, and worked in partnership with the City to be one of the first municipalities in Ventura County to be fully compliant with the new state law.

We are thrilled to usher in a new era of waste hauling and recycling for this great community.” Customers who have questions about their containers, services, schedules, and other matters are encouraged to visit AthensThousandOaks.com, call (805) 852-5264, or visit Athens’ Sustainability Center at 2251 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd