Mary Lou Van Deventer has been involved with Urban Ore in Berkeley, California, since its
founding in 1980 and incorporation in 1981. After college she was a high-school teacher and
environmental journalist. Now she is co-owner of all of Urban Ore’s shares, with her husband,
Dr. Daniel Knapp, and is currently the Special Projects Manager. In 1980 Urban Ore began
salvaging for reuse at Berkeley’s landfill, moved to the transfer station in 1983 when the landfill
closed, and still salvages at the transfer station and sells the recovered goods on three acres of
commercial property in Berkeley. The company recovers about 8,000 tons a year by salvaging,
picking up, and receiving onsite, has about 40 staff, and brings in about $3.5 million annually.
The company has designed about 25 Zero Waste facilities using Dr. Knapp’s 12 Market
Categories to profile the resource supply.
