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Zero Waste Goal in San Diego County
The Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC), part of San Diego County’s Integrated
Waste Management Task Force, has recommended adoption of a zero waste resolution by the
San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the County of San Diego, and all eighteen
jurisdictions in the county.
The zero waste concept, which involves rethinking the way products and services are engineered,
manufactured, consumed, and discarded, has been gaining popularity worldwide as an environmentally
friendly, economically sound approach to long-term resource management. New Zealand, South
Australia, Canberra, Australia, Oregon, Toronto, San Francisco, Seattle, Carrboro, North
Carolina, and the counties of Del Norte, Santa Cruz, and Alameda in California have already
adopted zero waste policies.
“The beauty of the zero waste principle is that it creates and sustains jobs, preserves
natural resources, minimizes pollution, and empowers communities and their local economies.
There isn’t a better solution to improving the overall quality of life in San Diego
County,” said CAC Chair Richard Anthony.
San Diego County’s shrinking landfill capacity is a growing concern of local governmental
agencies, businesses and residents. According to the Countywide Integrated Waste Management
Plan, the current rate of discards generated and buried in San Diego County will necessitate
either expansion of current landfill capacity or the development of new landfill capacity
within the plan’s fifteen-year strategic planning period. After researching the environmental
problems associated with landfilling, CAC has concluded that rather than expand existing
operations or siting a new landfill, a zero waste program is more environmentally sound
and offers long-term economic benefits to the region. Some cities in the county have yet
to meet the minimum state mandated diversion requirements of 50%.
The County of San Diego’s Integrated Waste Management Task Force was established
in 1988 as advisors to elected officials and the planning process and is comprised of representatives
from environmental, recycling, composting and disposal businesses and agencies.
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