Zero Waste
Solid Waste
Overview
When trash is sent to the landfill it breaks down and creates methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. As such, methane is one of the primary greenhouse gases that causes our climate to change. Your efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste help limit the amount of methane that is created.
mt
We measure the waste that is produced and collected by the City in metric tons per year.
55,980
mt
2012
Baseline59,885
mt
2013
54,679
mt
2020
Short-Term Target32,254
mt
2030
Long-Term Target
Baseline
55,980
mt59,885
mtShort-Term Target
54,679
mtLong-Term Target
32,254
mtActions to Address Solid Waste
In 2012, solid waste was responsible for 5% of the GHG emissions in Encinitas. The Climate Action Plan (CAP) identified one action to address emissions from the solid waste sector.
Total Tons of Solid Waste
The graph at the left shows the total tons of trash collected in Encinitas. The three lines represent the actual waste generated in 2012 and 2013 (black line); the projected waste generation levels for 2020 and 2030 (purple line) under a business as usual scenario- meaning the City takes no further action to encourage reductions; and finally the targeted levels the City aims to get to for 2020 and 2030 (taupe line) once the actions from the Climate Action Plan have been implemented.
Pounds Per Person Per Day
The graph at the left is showing how much trash on average every resident throws out every single day. In 2013, this number was 6 pounds. Considering the national average is 4.4 pounds, we have some work to do. We have set a goal to cut our per person pounds of trash per day in half by 2030 to 3 pounds. Will you help us achieve this goal? Recycling and composting more are a good start!
View Our Sources Here
City Hall is Piloting a Zero Waste Program!
To decrease the amount of waste we send to our landfill, the City partnered with the Solana Center to pilot a composting program at City Hall. This program, coupled with the food waste composting program already in existence at Calle Mag and the Community and Senior Center will help our city meet our waste reduction goals.
Be a Part of the Solution
Compost
The City subsidizes the cost of compost/vermicompost bins and workshops, both of which are available through the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation.
More Information
Participate in Recycling programs
Household waste sorting and recycling kitchen bins in the drawer. Environmentally responsible behavior concept, ecology concept. Effective July 1, 2012, California State law AB341 requires that commercial enterprises which generate
four cubic yards or more of solid waste weekly participate in recycling programs. This requirement also includes multi-family housing complexes of five units or more, regardless of the amount of solid waste generated each week.
More Information
The San Diego Association of Environmental Professionals recognized Encinitas’ 2018 Climate Action Plan (CAP) with the distinguished award of Outstanding Planning Document of the Year. The CAP was acknowledged for its exceptional clarity, accessibility, and environmentally sound design elements.
Full Article
Check out this video to learn about EDCO’s state-of-the-art recycling facility in Escondido, showing what happens to your recyclables from the time they arrive at the facility through processing.
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