About

ReGen Monterey’s mission is doing more to waste less.

Our vision is to be a leader in environmentally sustainable waste management that fosters and inspires a zero-waste culture in our community.

View the ReGen Strategic Plan 2022-2030.

ReGen Monterey is the public name of the Monterey Regional Waste Management District. We offer innovative reuse, recycling, composting, landfilling, household hazardous waste, and landfill gas-to-energy programs. We also work to inspire a zero-waste culture to reduce the magnitude of waste generated by local communities. Thanks to community participation, the jurisdictions we serve benefit from some of the highest waste diversion levels in California – and they also benefit from some of the lowest rates.

Service Area*

Cities

Carmel-by-the-Sea
Del Rey Oaks
Marina
Monterey
Pacific Grove
Sand City
Seaside

Unincorporated areas

Big Sur
Carmel Highlands
Carmel Valley
Castroville
Corral De Tierra
East Garrison
Laguna Seca
Moss Landing
Pebble Beach
San Benancio
Toro Park

View a map of the ReGen service area.

*ReGen Monterey also provides recycling, composting and landfilling for neighboring jurisdictions in need of waste management services, primarily in San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. More information on this common industry practice, and its history at ReGen Monterey, can be found in our special report published in September 2024.

View the LAFCO 2015 Municipal Service Review to learn more about ReGen Monterey’s sphere of influence.

Facilities

ReGen Monterey is located on 475 acres at 14201 Del Monte Blvd. in unincorporated Monterey County, about two miles north of Marina and ten miles west of Salinas. Our site includes:

A 315-acre permitted sanitary landfill for non-hazardous solid wastes
20 acres for ReGen’s resource recovery facilities, including our Materials Recovery Facility, Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Landfill-Gas-Energy Facility, and the Last Chance Mercantile
A 12-acre Community Franchise Collection Facility
Several buildings that house administrative offices and maintenance operations
Facilities leased by Keith Day Company, which operates on-site composting that processes yard trimmings, food scraps, gypsum recovery from drywall, and other organic materials, and Don Chapin Company, which operates on-site recycling of concrete, rock, sand and other materials

History

That year, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors established the Monterey Peninsula Garbage and Refuse Disposal District (now known as ReGen Monterey) under enabling legislation in the California Public Resources Code. The founders’ first task was finding a suitable location for a sanitary landfill. The landfill would replace a “private dump” on the coast, near today’s Sand City. Before that private dump, Monterey Peninsula waste often ended up in the ocean.

Early board members wisely purchased the large property where ReGen operates today. Since then, we’ve been cultivating a culture of waste reduction while also turning waste into resources. ReGen has recorded several important milestones and awards.

1951: Monterey County Board of Supervisors establishes the Monterey Peninsula Garbage and Refuse Disposal District (now known as ReGen Monterey)
1952: An interim disposal site, the Laguna Seca Landfill, opens until a permanent location can be found, approved and permitted
1953: The launch of cardboard recycling
1965: The Monterey Peninsula Landfill opens, followed by expanded programs to reduce, reuse and recycle materials
1975: Pilot glass recycling drop-off begins in Carmel-by-the-Sea, followed by Pacific Grove and Monterey
1982: One of the first curbside recycling programs in the nation established in Carmel-by-the-Sea

1983: First electricity production from our pioneering landfill gas-to-energy project
1985: On-site composting, concrete and asphalt recycling begins
1987: Legislation allows name change to Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD)
1987: Household hazardous waste collection facility opens – one of the first in the U.S.
1991: First flea market and auction of salvaged goods held in conjunction with 40th anniversary
1993: Last Chance Mercantile opens for regular business as one of the first reuse stores in the solid waste industry

1996: The $9.6 million Materials Recovery Facility opens, designed to process mixed waste and recover salvageable items such as wood, metal and concrete

1996: Last Chance Mercantile moves to its current building and encourages customers to donate reusable items rather than deliver them to the landfill
1998: Awarded the Best Solid Waste System in North America by the Solid Waste Association of North America
2002: All district jurisdictions achieve the AB 939 state mandate of 50% recycling
2008: Commercial food scrap composting begins in partnership with our hospitality community
2013–2019: Hosted a pilot study of anaerobic digestion of organics for electricity production and diversion of these materials away from landfill disposal
2013: An organics collection program for commercial businesses begins
2018: Materials Recovery Facility 2.0 opens, greatly expanding the capacity to divert materials from the landfill and efficiently sort recyclable materials
2016: Earned a Zero Waste Achievement Award from the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA)
2022: Implemented residential curbside collection of food scraps and enhanced edible food recovery programs for local people in need, while reducing climate impacts per SB 1383
2022: Rebranded as ReGen Monterey (legal name remains unchanged)
2023: Began hosting a two-year pilot study of biochar production resulting from pyrolysis of wood chips

Board of Directors

ReGen Monterey is a public agency represented by a nine-member Board of Directors, which includes representatives from throughout western Monterey County. Each director is appointed to a four-year term, and the Board’s monthly meetings are open to the public.

To learn more: