Athens Services, a leading Southern California-based waste collection and recycling company, celebrated the grand opening of its new Operations and Sustainability Center in Thousand Oaks this week along with elected leaders, local officials, and community members. The state-of-the-art facility at 2550 Conejo Center Drive represents a major investment in Ventura County and reflects the company鈥檚 commitment to outstanding operations, world-class customer service, and reducing its environmental impact. The facility will play an important role in Athens鈥� operations in the region, while serving as a hub for in-person customer support as well as a space to learn more about recycling and waste reduction from Athens鈥� team of environmental education experts. More than 100 people attended Wednesday鈥檚 festive ribbon-cutting event.
鈥淲e are excited to officially open our new Operations and Sustainability Center, which will deepen our presence in Thousand Oaks as we work in partnership with the City to serve our 40,000 business and residential customers,鈥� said Athens Services Senior Executive Vice President Gary Clifford. 鈥淭his advanced center will help streamline and modernize our operations as we embrace The Athens Way鈥� delivering exceptional service in Ventura County with a superb team while fostering a healthy and sustainable environment.鈥�
Athens Services became the exclusive residential and commercial waste collection and recycling provider for Thousand Oaks in 2022. The Athens team is proud to have achieved a service reliability rate above 99% and helped make Thousand Oaks the first city in Ventura County to offer a Senate Bill (SB) 1383-compliant citywide organics recycling program鈥攄elivering savings and superior service to the community.
鈥淗aving reliable and efficient waste collection and recycling service is important to all of our residents and businesses. Athens Services鈥� new Operations and Sustainability Center is an important investment in Thousand Oaks that will enable Athens to continue providing successful service in the City,鈥� said Thousand Oaks Mayor Al Adam. 鈥淲e are pleased to see Athens extending its commitment to our community.鈥�
Located on over 4 acres, the Operations and Sustainability Center includes approximately 4,000 square feet of offices and 13,400 square feet of maintenance space, including double-deep truck bays, a wash bay, and compressed natural gas (CNG) parking stalls. By providing a hub in the city for Athens, the Center will make a significant impact in reducing miles traveled by each collection vehicle.
Athens proudly serves the Thousand Oaks community with a fleet of new, near-zero-emissions vehicles powered by CNG, a renewable fuel that reduces approximately 22% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 90% of carbon monoxide emissions compared to traditional fuel, while also running quieter than conventional engines. The Center will house one of the most advanced CNG facilities in Ventura County and will be available as a back-up fueling station to the City of Thousand Oaks when needed.
Other sustainability features include electric vehicle charging stations, including several future stations for supervisor trucks. The Center also offers an innovative stormwater management system that relies on natural filtration to help protect local water quality and prevent soil erosion and flooding.
鈥淎thens Services has been a great partner for the business community in Thousand Oaks since 2022 and made a meaningful contribution to our growth and success,鈥� said Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Danielle Borja. 鈥淭his modern new facility, and the jobs it will bring to Thousand Oaks, will help them enlarge that impact for many years to come.鈥�
As part of providing a world-class customer experience, Athens is also committed to being an invested community partner for Thousand Oaks and elsewhere in the region. Athens provides meaningful volunteer and impactful financial support to more than 100 organizations throughout Ventura County, including schools, sports leagues, environmental organizations, arts programs, local small businesses, and many others.
鈥淓ver since Athens began serving Thousand Oaks, their team has made their presence felt through generous, hands-on support for Safe Passage and many other organizations doing good work in the community,鈥� said Tim Hagel, founder of Safe Passage Youth Foundation. 鈥淲e are very glad to consider Athens a partner and advocate for Thousand Oaks.鈥�
In addition to Thousand Oaks, Athens also serves the City of Santa Paula and Ventura County鈥檚 Southeast Residential Service Area, which includes Oak Park and unincorporated areas of Moorpark and Simi Valley.