In 2012, General Dynamics NASSCO received its second Director’s Recycling Award from the City of San Diego. This accolade was given to NASSCO for the company’s continued efforts in reducing the amount of material entering landfills. By compacting all remaining non‐recyclable waste at the shipyard, only one refuse truck leaves NASSCO with non‐recyclable trash each day, versus six trucks, as was the case before the installation of the company’s onsite trash compaction line.
The reduction in road and landfill traffic by a 6:1 ratio has had additional benefits on the larger community, such as reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Compacting trash as it exits NASSCO’s on-site Recycling Center has greatly reduced the monetary and environmental costs associated with the transportation of refuse. In 2011 alone, NASSCO saved approximately $5 million from refuse transportation and diversion costs. To date, NASSCO’s total recycling percentage is slightly more than 90 percent.