APM Terminals Los Angeles earns TRUE Silver certification from GBCI

Terminal achieves 97.4% waste diversion rate, supported by more than 30 sitewide waste-reduction and resource-efficiency initiatives

APM Terminals Los Angeles at Pier 400 has achieved TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification at the Silver level, verified by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). During the 12-month certification period, the container terminal managed more than 20,500 tons of non-hazardous waste by weight, diverting approximately 20,000 tons and sending more than 500 tons to disposal — delivering a 97.4% diversion rate.

“We are proud to achieve a certification that holds Pier 400 to the highest standards in waste management with a focus on recycling and the positive impacts on our environment,” said Jon Poelma, Managing Director, APM Terminals Los Angeles.

Pier 400’s certification reflects improvements across how waste is measured and tracked, how materials are handled on site in alignment with a “Lean” and continuous improvement philosophy, and how purchasing decisions reduce waste upstream. Together, these efforts create clearer visibility into waste streams and support ongoing performance improvements that ultimately benefit our customers.

“The zero-waste efforts at APM Terminals in Los Angeles exemplify the progress we’re working to achieve,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “The City and the Port have set ambitious landfill-diversion goals, and success depends on participation across the waterfront. We commend APM Terminals for improving operations and engaging employees in ways that set an example for others.”

“Businesses must go beyond current wasteful practices and think critically about how to redesign processes so that less waste is produced in the first place,” said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and GBCI. “Implementing zero waste business practices requires rethinking, retraining, new tools and strong leadership to change current waste systems. With APM Terminals’ leadership in this endeavor, they are making great strides for their employees, community and consumers at large.”

“This certification belongs to the entire team — our ILWU colleagues, office staff, vendors and partners — who make hundreds of smart decisions every day that add up to measurable performance,” said Christopher Allen, Director, HSSE, APM Terminals Los Angeles. “We’ve seen employees step up in practical, creative ways that improve how we manage materials on site. We recognize those ideas through our ‘Zero Heroes’ program, which highlights employee-led actions that reduce waste and strengthen our workplace.”

Two examples of “Zero Hero” -led actions include:

• A Reuse Room where teams can share and reuse office supplies before ordering new items — reducing waste and keeping shared materials organized and easy to access.
• A shift to reusable drinkware that helped reduce the purchase and use of 6,000 paper coffee cups over a four-month period.

Pier 400’s work aligns with APM Terminals’ global approach to responsible practices, including strengthening how waste is assessed and managed across operations. By turning waste performance into something the terminal can measure, verify, and improve — with clear tracking and training tied to real waste-stream data — the team has built a practical framework that is easier to replicate and adapt across operations over time.

About TRUE

TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) is a zero-waste certification program administered by Green Business Certification Inc. TRUE helps facilities measure, improve and recognize performance by implementing waste reduction and resource management practices that contribute to positive environmental, health and economic outcomes.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)

GBCI is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, independently recognizing excellence in performance and practice globally while promoting adoption of building and business practices that continually and measurably improve health, equity, resilience and environmental wellbeing for all. GBCI administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates including, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits.