INDICATOR

 STATUS

One of the city’s goals for solid waste is first to reduce its waste generation and then to increase the percentage of that waste which is diverted from landfills. Any increase in diversion percentage results from recycling, composting, reuse, or waste-to-energy transformation (incineration). Accordingly, the city looks at solid waste in terms of the total amount generated, the amount landfilled, and the amount diverted from landfills. The target for generation is to stay at or below the year 2000 baseline through 2010. The target for diversion is to increase the amount diverted to 70% of total generated by 2010.

After a few years in which waste generation stabilized at levels below the 2000 baseline, generation volume continues to grow. Between 2003 and 2005, generation volume increased almost 53 thousand tons, a 14% increase. The 2005 generation amount is 373,000 tons, 40,000 tons higher than the 2000 ton target.

Sixty two percent of total waste generated was diverted from landfills, a drop from 2004’s 67%. Despite the drop, this level of diversion exceeds the California state floor of 50% by 12%.

In 2005 Solid waste generation exceeded the ceiling set by the Sustainable City Plan by 12%! Solid waste generation is a derived figure, thus it is difficult to pinpoint reasons for change. One explanation might be the surge in remodeling and construction in 2004 and 2005, and resultant increase in construction and demolition debris. Certainly the resurgence in tourism in the past few years has impacted waste generated from restaurants, and hotels and retail establishments. Still, this extreme variance from the previous year's trend demonstrates the need to focus on source reduction, not just percentage diverted from landfills as the city’s economy grows.

In 2004, the city diverted a relatively large portion of the waste which would otherwise have been landfilled by sending it for waste-to-energy transformation. In 2005, that amount dropped. This factor combined with the growth in generation overall caused a drop in the diversion percentage. Thus, the change in diversion figures reflects a temporary fluctuation in transformation allowances, increased generation tonnages, and the need for the community and Solid Waste Management to pursue zero waste objectives to maintain and improve waste diversion in the future.