SSF PLAN:

Solid Waste Reduction

Solid waste results in GHG Green House Gas (GHG)production in two ways. First, as waste decomposes in a landfill, it produces the GHG methane. In addition to directly creating GHG, not reusing or recycling waste results in the extraction of more natural resources and manufacture and transportation of more new products.

Proposed Actions

• Conduct an Efficiency Analysis of the waste stream and adopt a Zero Waste ordinance that recognizes gradual replacement of landfills with sustainable enterprises.
• Aggressively increase business recycling efforts, including incentives.
• Establish new City purchasing policies to reduce waste. Give preference to vendors who reduce waste and pollution, and who offer “Take Back” programs for the materials they manufacture.
• Work with construction and demolition industries to develop initiatives for Zero Waste.
  • Reject divertible construction waste.
  • Encourage the use of natural local construction materials that create few wasted resources.
• Divert re-usable items at transfer station.
• Switch fuels for solid waste vehicles, transfer station and landfill equipment to sustainable fuel.
• Prepare and conduct on-going outreach and education to strive for Zero Waste.

• Seek funding to develop a reusable bag program. This can be combined with an ordinance charging customers extra for disposable bags.
• Explore opportunities to minimize packaging.
• Explore opportunities to sell the carbon credits offset by recycling.
• Seek grant funds to conduct a landfill gas exfiltration analysis of the City’s landfills including an evaluation of any potential reuse or remediation.
• Expand the recycling program to add safe compostable food wastes and green waste.
• Increase household hazardous waste and E-waste collection.
• Follow through with the “pay as you throw” system to increase recycling participation.
• Review operations at the sanitary wastewater treatment plant to ensure
  optimal aerobic treatment.