1. Zero Waste:
Zero Waste
Tools for Soothing
GAIA
Climate Change
From Waste Management to Material Management
Beirut Conference – July 2010
Kevin Drew
Residential Zero Waste Coordinator
San Francisco Department of the Environment
2. 2 Overarching Points
Upstream processes create 71 times
more impact than what ends up in cities
Zero Waste
Comprehensive Zero Waste in our cities
GAIA
can dramatically reduce GHG
3. Tip of the “Wasteberg” Impact
Municipal
waste
tip of the
“wasteberg”
Zero Waste Upstream waste
GAIA produced is 70
times greater than
at municipal level
4. Climate Change and Waste Diversion
Reduces energy &
emissions upstream
Reduces methane
emissions from landfills
Zero Waste
Increases storage of carbon GAIA
in soil & biomass
Decreases use of petroleum-
based fertilizers and pesticides,
and reduces water use
www.stoptrashingtheclimate.org
5. Unique San Francisco Aspects:
Each city has its own
The same company,
Recology, has exclusive
right to haul refuse for
Zero Waste
over 80 years
GAIA
Pay As You Throw
(PAYT) has been in
place for almost 90
years
7. Pay as you Throw - PAYT –
Functions Like a Utility
Customers:
Pay for Waste like you do for a
Utility, like electricity, water,
Zero Waste
gas
GAIA
The more they use, the more
they pay
Allows incentives for recycling,
composting and reuse
Provides a dedicated funding
stream for our programs
8. SF Zero Waste Toolbox
Policy
Zero Waste
Programs GAIA
Equipment, facilities
People
Technology
9. San Francisco’s Zero Waste Goals
and Policies to Support Them
50% Diversion by 2000 – AB939 State Mandate in 1989
75% Landfill Diversion by 2010 SF Goal – at 72% in 2008
Zero Waste
Zero Waste by 2020 GAIA
Promote Highest and Best Use of Materials and Require
Consumer and Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Banned Styrofoam & Plastic Bags
Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance and C&D
17. Composting & Recycling Collection
Designed For High Diversion
Food Scraps
Recyclable 20%
Paper
21%
Zero Waste
Glass and Plastic
Aluminum and Steel GAIA Plant Trimmings
5%
4%
Compostable Paper
& Fiber 10%
Construction and
Demolition Waste
25%
Other
15%
All % numbers by
weight or tons
18. Diverting Food and Other Compostables
From Landfill Sustains Soils and Closes
Organics & Nutrient Loop
Zero Waste
GAIA
19. Norcal’s “Jepsen Prairie Organics” Regional
Composting Facility
300 TPD using 15 acres
Zero Waste
GAIA
20. New technology allows 600 tpd within strict
CA Air Resources Board VOC emissions level
on the same site
Engineered Compost System (ECS)
Zero Waste
GAIA
24. San Francisco Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target
12
2.5 million tons eCO2/year reduced by 2012
11
10.8
Business as usual
10 8.48 Forecast
8.25
Million Tons eCO2
9
Zero Waste
7.8 2005 8.5
Kyotol Protocol
8 GAIA
7.3
7 Adopted Goal
20% below 1990
6
5
4
1990 2000 Year 2005 2012
25. In 2002 we projected Zero
Waste programs to reduce
302,000 tons/year of the
2,500,000 ton goal by 2012
Zero Waste
GAIA
We believe the Zero
Waste reduction will be
significantly greater
26. Disposal: lowest in 40 years
Year Disposal Compostables Diversion
to landfill collected
Zero Waste
2000 GAIA 21,072
872,731 46%
2002 751,180 56,530 62%
2005 664,033 85,395 69%
2007 617,883 91,505 72%
2008 560,330 103,749 >72%?
2009 est. <490,000 >130,000
