Does your company manufacture using recycled materials?
Are you looking to start or relocate a business in the High Desert and Mountain areas of San Bernardino County that utilizes materials otherwise destined for the landfill?
Businesses in the High Desert Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) can benefit from low-interest loans, technical assistance, and marketing support, all designed to help reduce operational costs and enhance competitiveness. By using recycled materials in production, companies can lower waste disposal expenses, improve sustainability, and access new markets. Additionally, partnering with the RMDZ helps create jobs, stimulate the local economy, and align your business with California’s broader recycling and environmental goals, giving you an edge in the growing green economy.
Competitive prices for land and buildings combined with a quality workforce and a strong business environment, create an ideal foundation for growth.
With a strategic location at the heart of Southern California, the High Desert Recycle Market Development Zone (RMDZ) spans 20,000 square miles in San Bernardino County and is one of California’s most rapidly growing economies, with a regional population set to nearly double in the next 30 years. The High Desert boasts a young workforce of 6.5 million people, making it an attractive destination for both established companies and innovative startups.
San Bernardino County Economic Development offers businesses a wide range of incentives, assistance, and opportunities to foster growth and success.
The Business Programs & Incentives document gives a brief overview of tax benefits, workforce development programs, and services available, making it a helpful starting point for business development.
The High Desert RMDZ program was the first zone to be established completely east of the Sierra Nevada/San Gabriel/San Bernardino mountain chains. Our zone includes the municipalities of Apple Valley, Adelanto, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Needles, Twentynine Palms, Victorville, and Yucca Valley. Zone benefits are also available in some adjacent unincorporated San Bernardino County communities.
Apple Valley’s low costs of living and doing business, coupled with a streamlined entitlement process and concierge service, make for a competitive location for business investment and development.
The local economy is driven by 4.2 million square feet of retail and office space, 2.6 million square feet of industrial inventory, and touts low vacancy rates and available large-acre sites.
The City of Adelanto’s has a business friendly government, quickly growing workforce, streamlined (and quick) development processing, low developer fees, and a large Opportunity Zone.
Barstow stands ready to assist developers with its ideal location, business-friendly government, one-stop permitting center, large vacant parcels of land, low cost of doing business, and an intelligent and energetic talent pool. With readily available workforce recruitment and training subsidies, your business will thrive in Barstow, the Hub of the West.
Big Bear Lake, nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest, offers an ideal location for manufacturing businesses. Just 25 miles northeast of San Bernardino, this city provides a unique blend of natural beauty and strategic access to major urban centers. With a stable local population of around 5,019, which swells to over 100,000 during peak weekends due to its year-round resort appeal, Big Bear Lake promises a vibrant market and ample opportunities for business growth. The area’s popularity ensures a steady influx of visitors and potential customers, making it a prime spot for manufacturing enterprises looking to thrive in a picturesque yet accessible environment.
Positioned on the western banks of the Colorado River near the California-Arizona-Nevada border, Needles offers strategic access to multiple states. With a growing population of 4,959 as of the 2020 census, Needles also boasts a rich history as a major stop on the historic U.S. Route 66. As the eastern gateway to the scenic Mojave National Preserve, the city combines a unique location with ample opportunities for business expansion, making it an ideal choice for manufacturing enterprises.
The City of Twentynine Palms offers a unique opportunity for manufacturing businesses with its abundant natural resources and strategic location. Spanning 58.8 square miles, including part of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, the city also has 30.5 square miles designated for future expansion. Known for its exceptional weather, good air quality, and scenic vistas, Twentynine Palms is bordered by the iconic Joshua Tree National Park and the Marine Base, enhancing its economic potential. Situated in the Morongo Basin of the Mojave Desert, the city provides vast open lands and a supportive community for manufacturing enterprises looking to thrive in a high desert environment.
Victorville is an ideal destination for manufacturing businesses, thanks to its significant investments in public infrastructure, strategic proximity to major transportation routes, skilled labor force, and commitment to a business-friendly environment. The city has seen robust industrial and retail expansion and is well-positioned for continued growth. Located at the high point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Victorville is a leading city for industry and retail in the High Desert region. The city offers a variety of incentives to maximize cost savings for relocation, along with continual infrastructure improvements that enhance the overall business climate. As you consider expanding your business, we invite you to explore Victorville and discover the opportunities it offers.
Yucca Valley is strategically positioned 20 miles north of Palm Springs and 103 miles east of Los Angeles. Yucca Valley offers excellent highway access, with California State Route 62 running east-west through town and connecting to Interstate 10 and Parker Dam, and California State Route 247 extending north to Barstow and Interstate 15. The local Yucca Valley Airport supports regional transportation needs. With its prime location, transportation infrastructure, and natural beauty, Yucca Valley presents a compelling opportunity for manufacturing businesses looking to establish or expand operations.
Shark Solutions in Victorville is a prime example of a successful RMDZ business. Specializing in recycling post-consumer laminated glass and PVB (polyvinyl butyral), Shark Solutions transforms waste materials into valuable products used in industries worldwide.
In 2019, Shark Solutions opened its second U.S. facility, and first in the western U.S. in Victorville, a municipality in the High Desert RMDZ. The Victorville facility was partially funded by a $1.3 million grant from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery 2018-19 Recycled Fiber, Plastic, and Glass Grant Program. This facility, spanning over 15,000 square feet on nearly 4.5 acres, processes recycled PVB into materials that replace polyvinyl chloride in carpets, making them more environmentally friendly. The facility also converts glass into feedstock for fiberglass insulation.
Their innovative approach supports California’s circular economy goals and highlights the benefits of operating within the High Desert RMDZ, where they enjoy streamlined permits and business-friendly incentives.
Your business may be eligible for the California RMDZ loan program.
The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) administers a RMDZ loan program to encourage California-based recycling businesses located within California. Aimed at businesses that prevent, reduce, or recycle recovered waste materials through value-added processing or manufacturing the (RMDZ) loan program assists recycling manufacturers to site and expand in California, by helping to finance machinery, equipment, and ancillary costs.
The RMDZ Loan Program supports CalRecycle’s circular economy goals, CalRecycle’s mission, and four important pieces of legislation (AB 341, AB 1826, SB 54, and SB 1383), all of which will create increased supplies of recovered materials.
Private entity and nonprofit organizations can use loan funds for things like machinery and equipment, working capital, and real estate purchases and capital improvements.
Additional background and legal information on the RMDZ Loan Program is available on the RMDZ Law and Policy page.
Eligible Businesses Include
It’s never too late! Loan applications are accepted continuously, and loans will be awarded subject to availability of program funds.
Visit the CalRecycle RMDZ Loan Program page for full program details.
We can help! High Desert RMDZ itself does not provide loans, but we’re happy to help you navigate the CalRecycle RMDZ loan program information. Contact us for more information.
High Desert municipalities provide various incentives, such as permit assistance, a streamlined one-stop permit process, low development fees, and flexible air quality and land use standards. Additionally, being within the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District means cleaner air and fewer permitting challenges further simplifying the setup process for businesses.
High Desert RMDZ itself does not provide permits, but you may contact us if you’d like help identifying programs or appropriate permit contacts.
The MDAQM District implements air quality programs required by state and federal mandates, enforces rules and regulations based on air pollution laws and educates businesses and residents about their role in protecting air quality and the risks of air pollution.
Get information on the permitting process for projects, including general permits, application checklists, and fee details.
The Permit Toolbox page on CalRecycle supports local enforcement agencies (LEAs), operators, and applicants in managing solid waste facility permits. It provides step-by-step guidance for obtaining, processing, and maintaining new and revised permits, as well as handling other permit-related tasks.
If your business qualifies, it can be listed in the CalRecycle Recycled-Content Product Manufacturers (RCPM) directory which showcases innovative recycled-content products made by California manufacturers who use recycled waste as a feedstock.
The RCPM directory allows wholesale buyers, Procurement and Contracting Officers (PCO), or individual consumers to find your business from a trusted source.
The publicly owned Victor Valley Materials Recovery Facility process curbside and commercial recycling from High Desert and Mountain communities. The operator, Burrtec Waste Industries, runs other MRFs and San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties. The Authority can help source recovered paper, metal, glass, and plastic needed to meet post-consumer recycled content manufacturing needs.
Contact us for more information.
The California Recycle Market Development Zone (RMDZ) is a program managed by CalRecycle that combines recycling efforts with economic development to promote the use of recycled materials in manufacturing. This initiative designates specific areas within communities to attract and support businesses that transform waste into valuable products. By providing incentives such as low-interest loans, technical assistance, and marketing support, the RMDZ program aims to stimulate job creation, reduce landfill waste, and foster sustainable business practices.
With zones spanning roughly 88,000 square miles of California from the Oregon border to San Diego, the RMDZ is instrumental in advancing the state’s recycling goals and developing robust markets for recycled-content products.
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The Biodegradable Products Institute says it’s still waiting to hear whether there could be a compliance extension for a key provision of AB 1201 poised to affect compostables in the state come 2026.
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Textile recycling enters the fold This article appeared in the May 2025 issue of Resource Recycling. Subscribe today for access to all print content. Textile recycling was a novel addition to this year’s Plastics Recycling Conference, but as several experts said at the event, the topic’s roots … Continue Reading→ The post
Only about 2% of U.S. households can currently recycle film and flexible plastics, largely due to limited infrastructure and a lack of strong end markets—an issue California must urgently address to meet its ambitious SB 54 recycling targets or face steep penalties.
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High Desert RMDZ activities are administered and coordinated by the Mojave Desert and Mountain Solid Waste Joint Powers Authority. The Mojave Desert and Mountain Recycling Authority (Authority) is a joint powers authority organized under California Government Code Section 6500. Comprised of nine members, we share the authority to plan and implement recycling, composting, reuse and zero waste programs in the High Desert and Mountain area of San Bernardino County.
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