In the 2013-14 fiscal year, the county calculated that each resident produced about a half ton of waste, which was down 64 percent from the 1991-92 base year, when residents produced 1.36 tons of waste.
Gayle Wilson, solid waste management director for Orange County, said the new record was not a shock to him but a nice surprise.
“I think there are several things that have led to our success: environmental action and ethical choices of our citizens,” Wilson said.
The waste reduction rate in Orange County has been a focus for several years.
In 1997, Orange County vowed to reduce its waste by 61 percent. At the time, the county’s goal was much higher than the state’s 40 percent statutory waste rate reduction goal. After 17 years, this year is the first year the county exceeded that goal.
Wilson said exceeding the goal was a testament to the hard work of the entire community and its ability to adapt to change.
“Our county has a solid waste staff that has worked very hard to achieve this level and to educate people about recycling,” he said.
Wilson said some changes need to be made in order to continue the county’s success.