EJ Harrison is Leading the Way With Successful Local Partnerships
Each week, you place your trash, recyclables, green waste, and food waste into the proper E.J. Harrison & Sons carts, close the lids, and roll them to the curb. Your part is simple — but what happens next is worth celebrating.
For more than 35 years, Harrison Industries, Gold Coast Recycling, and Agromin have worked together to keep Ventura County and surrounding communities at the forefront of California’s recycling movement.
How Harrison Industries Helped Lead California’s Recycling Movement
In 1989, California Assembly Bill 939 introduced bold recycling mandates, requiring cities and counties to divert 25% of solid waste from landfills by 1995 and 50% by 2000.
That same year, Gold Coast Recycling (GCR) opened its doors in Ventura with the purpose of helping cities meet those mandates. GCR was the first facility in the state permitted under the new law, setting the stage for decades of progress.
The Role of Agromin in Organics Recycling
While GCR was pioneering recycling processing, Agromin was building a future for organics. Having started in 1972 as a small soil company, Agromin expanded in 1990 to produce rich, chemical-free compost and mulch from community green waste and food scraps.
Today, Agromin transforms thousands of tons of organics each year into healthy soil products used in landscaping and agriculture across California.
Where Your Recyclables and Organics Go
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Recyclables: The items in your blue cart are collected by Harrison trucks and processed at GCR’s 7.8-acre Colt Street facility in Ventura, which handles more than 90,000 tons annually.
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Green waste: Yard trimmings from your organics cart are sorted at GCR, then transported to Limoneira in Santa Paula for composting.
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Food waste: Bagged food scraps are sent to Agromin’s facility at the Simi Valley Landfill, where they are decontaminated, blended with mulch, and composted in Kern County.
Instead of ending up in landfills, these materials return to the environment as valuable soil amendments.
Communities Served
Together, Harrison, GCR, and Agromin proudly serve:
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The unincorporated areas of Ventura County
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The cities of Ventura, Ojai, Camarillo, Fillmore
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Channel Islands Beach Community Services District
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CSU Channel Islands
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The city of Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County
Your Role in the Recycling Partnership
By simply putting waste in the right cart, you are a vital part of this partnership. Every bag of food scraps and every bin of recyclables contributes to cleaner communities, reduced landfill use, and healthier soil for agriculture.
Together, we’ve built one of California’s most effective recycling systems — and with your continued participation, the future is even brighter.