Achieving zero waste and a truly circular economy means eliminating all discharges to land, water or air that threaten public and environmental health. Recycling, while a necessary component of any zero waste strategy, must be matched with other waste diversion methods such as composting, reduction and reuse. Supporting development of the local circular economy, where waste is used as an input for new production, is key.
Most residential and commercial waste ends up in landfills, left to decompose over decades, producing landfill gas that contains carbon dioxide and methane, a GHG 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Methane is also a primary contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone, a hazardous air pollutant that “causes approximately half a million premature deaths per year globally and harms ecosystems and crops by suppressing growth and diminishing productivity”. The model of linear production and disposal of food and goods have negative consequences for both people and the planet. In this strategy, we target the emissions created by the way we dispose of construction materials, industrial waste, goods, and food.
Food systems, including deforestation for industrial agricultural use, food production, transportation, processing and packaging, freezing and retail, and waste account for 37% of total global GHGs. Eliminating food waste will require structural changes throughout the private sector, which the City will influence through both policy and advocacy. Fighting food insecurity through edible food recovery is one important strategy. Edible food recovery involves foods that would otherwise be wasted will be recovered and distributed to residents with the least access to affordable, healthy food.
San Diego has made significant strides in reducing the flow of waste to the landfill. The adoption and implementation of the City Recycling Ordinance (CRO) and Construction and Demolition (C&D) Debris Deposit Ordinance (C&D Ordinance) and a variety of other waste diversion programs have been crucial in positioning the City on the road to zero waste.
The City is currently planning how to expand its efforts to increase composting and prevent food waste in response to California State Senate Bill 1383, which requires the reduction of organic waste disposed of in landfills. Organic waste includes, but is not limited to, food scraps and food-soiled paper from kitchens and food operations, to yard waste such as garden and landscape waste, as well as organic textiles and carpets and wood waste. SB 1383 will require extensive procedural changes and significant coordination amongst different stakeholders. The City amended the Municipal Recycling Code to address the requirements of SB 1383 and will continue developing collection operations, adopting purchasing policies, enacting building requirements, preparing enforcement responsibilities, and strategizing public education and outreach efforts.
The potency of the methane emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic material means that it is important to track and neutralize its effects, even as we reduce the amount of waste entering our landfills. For this reason, landfills and wastewater treatment plants were among the first facilities required to report emissions under California’s AB 32 legislation. Technologies such as methane gas capture systems are currently used to decrease the amount of GHG gases released into the atmosphere. Ultimately, limiting the amount of waste that enters the landfills is the best way to reduce or eliminate GHG emissions from waste.