WM has brought its upgraded Orange, California recycling facility online, marking a key milestone in the company’s $1.4 billion plan to build and modernize MRFs across North America.
The Orange Recycling Facility, a $20 million investment, is expected to process up to 130,000 tons of material annually. Combined with upgrades underway at other sites, WM projects its total annual processing capacity will reach 2.8 million tons by the end of 2027, part of a broader push to have 39 new or upgraded MRFs operational by that deadline.
In Southern California specifically, the company has committed $3 billion to recycling and sustainability improvements, with nearly $500 million allocated to the Orange region alone.
“That includes AI and automation upgrades at our Orange and Azusa recycling facilities and the launch of our first California RNG plant in Simi Valley in 2025,” said Mike Hammer, WM area vice president. “These investments reflect WM’s dedication to innovation, improved technology, and a more sustainable future for our communities.”
The Orange facility’s technology suite includes optical sorters equipped with near-infrared and high-speed sensors to boost recovery and quality of higher-grade paper and glass, while also expanding accepted materials to include polypropylene plastics. The equipment is also designed to reduce contamination and improve bale quality for use as feedstock in products ranging from water bottles and cans to backpacks and apparel.
In response to SB 1383, California’s organics diversion mandate, WM has separately committed $30 million to expand organics capacity through composting and anaerobic digestion infrastructure.
The Orange opening follows WM’s February debut of its $90 million Pembroke Pines MRF in South Florida, which can process approximately 275,000 tons of material per year.
