The City of Fullerton is undertaking its first competitive solid waste procurement in decades, breaking away from a nearly 70-year relationship with a single hauler. Historically, the city has relied on MG Disposal—later acquired by Taormina and subsequently absorbed by Republic Services—to handle its waste management since 1955.
The impetus for this change is regulatory compliance, as Fullerton is under a CalRecycle Corrective Action Plan for noncompliance with SB 1383, which mandates organic waste diversion. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $10,000 per day, with looming deadlines in July 2026 and July 2027.
The city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in September 2025, received 9 proposals and conducted interviews in January 2026. As of April 2026, no contract has been awarded, with negotiations ongoing among a shortlisted group of firms. A five-member evaluation committee—comprising Public Works Director Stephen Bise, Assistant Director Richard Armendariz, Administrative Manager Jerome Joaquin, Environmental Services Coordinator Olivia Martinez, and Senior Management Analyst Kim Chaudry—scored the proposals based on 15 criteria, including cost, experience, compliance, and service quality…