Recycling Market Development Zone
Kern County is an RMDZ
The County of Kern, along with its eleven cities, is a state-designated Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ). The RMDZ is a geographic area designated by CalRecycle to foster end-use markets for recyclable materials. The purpose of the RMDZ is to help create local markets for the processing, manufacturing and marketing of products made from recycled materials. The RMDZ Program provides assistance to businesses in Kern County that use recycled or reused materials and/or minimize solid waste generation.
Program Benefits
RMDZ program benefits include the following:
Low Interest Loans and Other Assistance with Financing – The RMDZ can finance up to 75% of a project, up to $2 million per loan. Loan terms are up to 15 years, and the low interest rates are from fixed-rate State funds. Rates are kept at or below the prime rate.
Permit Assistance - public agencies will assist businesses through local and state permitting and regulatory processes.
Location Assistance - businesses will be guided to over 12,000 acres of industrially zoned property, and other sites, throughout Kern County.
Other Benefits - include business plan assistance, business incubator and industry cluster networks, promotion and capital network access.
Who's Eligible
Most of the incentives are designed specifically for manufacturing businesses located in Kern County. A business who manufacturers a new product out of recycled materials, processes recyclables in such a way that their market value is increased, repairs items that would otherwise become waste, or makes products using less materials or while generating less waste, may be eligible to participate in the RMDZ program.
- For more detailed information about the RMDZ Program, see the CalRecycle website for the Kern County RMDZ.
- For information about the Kern County RMDZ program send an email to the RMDZ Administrator at : Waste@KernCounty.com.
- For information about other economic development opportunities in Kern County see the Kern Economic Development Corporation (KEDC) website
Visit the Video Library and view RMDZ Videos.
Green Your Business
The Kern County RMDZ in collaboration with the Green Team San Joaquin offers free Waste, Energy, and Water conservation audits to businesses throughout the County. For more information, visit Green Team San Joaquin.