Healthy Development Measurement Toolkit

Indicator ES.1.e Proportion of solid waste recycled and composted

Data Source

Data from San Francisco Department of the Environment, August 5, 2009.

A compilation of California's and San Francisco's waste reduction legislation, initiatives, and achievements: http://www.sfenvironment.org/our_programs/program_info.html?ssi=3&ti=

San Francisco's "Fantastic Three" waste collection program: http://www.sunsetscavenger.com/recycling.htm

Explanation and Limitations

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. Recycling, including composting, diverted 72 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2003, up from 34 million tons in 1990. By 2002, almost 9,000 curbside collection programs served roughly half of the American population. Curbside programs, along with drop-off and buy-back centers, resulted in a diversion of about 30 percent of the nation's solid waste in 2001."

The EPA states, "Removing compostable materials from solid waste reduces the amount of space needed for landfills and better utilizes the material in useful and environmentally friendly ways. Compost also helps reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, promotes higher yield agricultural crops, promotes environmental restoration and revitalization, removes solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater runoff, captures and destroys 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air, and provides cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil, water, and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable."

In 2007, San Francisco kept 72% of all recyclable material from going to the landfill, up from 70 percent the year before. The most significant gain was in the area of recycling material from building sites, due to the Mandatory Construction and Demolition Debris Recovery Ordinance.  San Francisco generated 2,100,943 tons of waste material in 2007. Of this, only 617,833 tons went to landfill, the lowest disposal rate since 1977. The increased recovery of construction and demolition debris is a positive trend. However, SF Environment data shows that over two-thirds of the landfill-bound material was recyclable, with nearly 40 percent consisting of mixed compostables (mostly food scraps and soiled paper), 15 percent recyclable paper, and 15 percent other mixed recyclables.

Residents, apartments, and businesses throughout San Francisco receive a three-cart recycling system, called "Fantastic Three". The recyclable and compostable refuse carts are picked-up at no charge for San Francisco residences, while there is a fee for the non-recyclable and non-compostable refuse carts. Small businesses pay for all pick-up, but receive a 25% discount for recyclable and compostable refuse carts.

The Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, which takes effect October 21, 2009, requires everyone in San Francisco to separate their refuse into recyclables, compostables and trash. No one may mix recyclables, compostables or trash, or deposit refuse of one type in a collection container designated for another type. All properties are required to maintain and pay for adequate refuse service.

New Construction or expansion of multifamily or commercial properties may be subject to San Francisco Department of Building Inspections requirements, such as Administrative Bulletin 088 and Building Code 13, Section 1304C, to provide adequate space for recyclables and compostables, which includes requiring any chute system to keep compostables, recyclables and trash separate.

Why is this a Community Health Indicator?

After source reduction (or reducing the amount of waste produced), recycling is the preferred waste management option of integrated solid waste management techniques. Recycling helps reduce potential risks to human health and the environment, conserve energy, slow depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and diverts waste from landfills and incinerators.

The impacts of solid waste on health relate indirectly to: 1) the use of environmental resources expended in the production of waste and, 2) the externalities related to waste disposal and waste management. Nearly all solid waste represents used commodities that required energy and other environmental resources to produce. The ability to divert waste reduces the need of natural resource extraction, conserves energy and reduces emissions associated with new production and transport. The inappropriate storage and disposal of organic waste attracts rodents and insects, which may increase the frequency of gastro-intestinal and parasitic diseases. Diverting waste can reduces groundwater contamination from landfills and toxic air emissions from incineration. Illegal waste disposal can also impact water, waste water and storm water systems. Finally, space used for waste disposal (i.e., landfills) uses land that can be used for other purposes.