Regional Dashboard
Waste - Per Capita Waste Disposal
What is the measure?
The average number of pounds of solid waste per capita
disposed of each day in San Diego County.
This number includes waste that is brought to landfills, incinerated and
exported, and reflects both residential and commercial waste.
How are we doing?
In
2010 San Diego County residents on average produced 6.07 lbs of waste per day, up slightly from the previous year, and
above the statewide average. This increase ended a four-year trend of
decreases in waste disposal, and contributed to the region’s status as
having the second highest per person disposal rate among California’s nine most
populous counties.
Encouraging
developments that can help reduce waste in the future include the addition of
new composting facilities in Chula Vista, expanded recycling programs in
several jurisdictions, and the expansion of the City of San Diego’s Commercial
Food Waste Recycling Program. While the County as a whole experienced an
increase in waste disposal, several jurisdictions continued on a downward
trend.
(Right-click the images to view larger size.)
.jpg "Avg Waste Per Capita, Regional Comparison")
Why is it important?
- Excessive waste generation requires more landfills, which can be difficult to site due to environmental, neighborhood and political concerns, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
- The current “cradle-to-grave” life cycle design of many products costs more money in the long run when energy and resources are used to produce the product and again when it is discarded. Redesigning products for “cradle to cradle” and recycling can produce new clean job opportunities.
- Diverted waste can provide materials for electricity, biofuels, mulch, and other products that can make the region more self-sufficient.
- Governor Brown recently signed bill AB 341, setting the state goal of 75% solid waste diversion by 2020 through reduction, recycling or composting.
How can we improve?
Policy Options:
- To better target waste reduction and recycling policies, regularly conduct and publish regional or jurisdictional waste assessments to track sources of waste.
- Initiate commercial foodwaste recycling programs in the region and consider expansion into residential curbside pickup, as has been done successfully in Portland, OR.
- Promote utility sharing and waste and byproduct exchanges within industrial parks, Enterprise Zones, and targeted industry clusters.
- Implement Construction and Demolition Recycling Ordinances in cities that do not have them.
- Consider Pay-as-you-Throw or tiered fee structures that incentivize reduction of waste.
- Expand activity in the State Recycling Market Development Zones, which provides loans, technical assistance, and free marketing for businesses that use materials from the waste stream to manufacture their products.