San Francisco Zero Waste

Policies & Programs

Jack Macy
Department of the Environment
City and County of San Francisco
 San Francisco Statistics
Political Drivers and Structure
CA requires 50% LF diversion by 2000 with fines, CA Global Warming Act
mandates commercial recycling and other protocols for measuring the carbon value
of diverting organics from landfill for digesting or composing, such as using compost
to reduced carbon use and emissions from landfill
City & County with Committed Mayor and Board of Supervisor use streamlined
decision making to be seem as green policy leaders

Demographics
850,000 population, 1.3 million day time in 127 sq km, 9842/km2
Multilingual population - 50% dont speak English at home

Collection & Facility Service Infrastructure

Private companies for 80 years, now Recology - Waste Zero, exclusive permitted
collectors (for trash, compostables and most recyclables, not most of C&D) as well as
processing SF recyclables and compostables
Variable service rates (PAYT) through city rate review approval process funds
collection and processing
In-city recycling processing, regional composting and regional landfill via city
transfer station
 Generator Incentive: Pay As You Throw
Functions Like a Utility
Customers:
o Pay for Waste like a
Utility... electricity, water
or gas

Residents pay only for trash to landfill

Commercial rates use the business
diversion % as the discount on the
volume-based waste bill, i.e. one black,
one blue, one green = 66% discount
 San Francisco Zero Waste Policies
75% Landfill Diversion by 2010
(Achieved 72% diversion for 2007 for ~2 millions total generation)

Zero Waste to landfill or incineration by 2020

Promote Highest and Best Use of Materials

Require Consumer & Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Achieve UN Urban Environmental Accords

(>100 Mayors have signed Accords that include agreeing to set ZW Goal and to reduce use
of disposable products by 50%)

Mandatory C&D Recovery (7/06)

Styrofoam Ban (6/07) & Plastic Bag Ban (11/07)

Mandatory Recycling & Composting (10/09)

Upstream Waste
 Tip of the Wasteberg Impact
Municipal
Waste
tip of the
wasteberg Upstream waste
produced is 70
times greater
than at
municipal level
 Waste Diversion Protects Climate

Recycling reduces energy use & emissions upstream

Composting/Digestion reduces methane emissions from landfills

Compost use increases storage of carbon in soil & biomass

Compost decreases use of petro-based fertilizers and pesticides,

and reduces irrigation saving energy use

www.stoptrashingtheclimate.org
 San Francisco Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target
12

11
10.8
Business as usual
10 8.48 Forecast

8.25
Million Tons eCO2

9
7.8 2005 8.5
Kyotol Protocol
8

7.3
7 Adopted Goal
20% below 1990

4
1990 2000 Year 2005 2012

2.5 million tons eCO2/year reduced by 2012

 In 2002 we projected programs
will reduce 302,000 tons eCO2
per year toward ghg reduction
goal by 2012

Results will be much higher by

achieving 75% diversion through:
Increased Recycling
Increased Composting
Increased Construction and Demolition
Recovery
 SF Highest & Best Use Food Diversion
Edible Food Donation
Delivered to meal programs via Food Banks
Animal Feed
Picked-up by farmers or via processor for feed production
Rendering
Grease & meat products processed into tallow & animal feed
On-site Composting
By residents, schools, colleges and universities for on-site soils
Large Scale Composting
Curbside collection to large scale processing into compost
Digestion into Gas or Converting to BioDiesel
Collection and centralized digestion into biogas energy
FOG (fats, oil & grease) processed into Biodiesel
 San Francisco Food Bank
Edible Food Redistribution
Produce, Brewery & Tofu
Residuals For Dairy Feed
FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease), Meat & Bones
Rendered Into Animal Meal & Tallow
Home Composting
Education & Bins
 Composting & Recycling Collection
Designed For High Diversion
Food Scraps
Recyclable 20%
Paper
21%

Glass and Plastic Plant Trimmings

Aluminum and Steel 5%
5%

Compostable Paper
& Fiber 10%
Construction and
Demolition Waste
30%

Other
10%

All % numbers by
weight or tons
Three Stream Collection Program
for Residents and Businesses
Easy to Understand Program & Outreach
Recyclable Paper, Glass Bottles, Metal
Cans, & All Rigid Plastics
Food Scraps, Yard Trimmings and
Compostable Paper/Fiber
Whats Left Over?
 Recyclables & Trash Collected Using
Dual Compactors Weekly For Residents
Commercial Recycling & Composting
Collection With Many Bin Options and
Frequency of Collection Up to Daily
Fully Commingled Recycling Collection
in Offices With Desk-side 7 Lt Blue Bins
with <3 Qtr Black Trash Caddy
 Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Sorts
Mixed Recyclables For Shipping to Markets
Tipping Single Stream Material
 3 Single Stream & 2 Mixed
Commercial Lines for over 1200 tpd
Initial Hand Sorting of Larger Material
Angled Rotating Bar Screens Separate
Fiber and Containers
Screened Mixed Paper Fibers
Sorting Small Fiber From Container Unders
Mixed Commercial Line, With Less
Containers, May Sort White Paper
Plastic & Glass Hand Sorted
Ferrous Sorted by Magnets &
Aluminum by Eddy Currents
 Paper & Metals to Asian Markets, Glass
Regional & Plastic Regional/Asian Markets
Backhaul low cost shipping to
China
Compostables Collected with Single Chamber
Compactors - Weekly For Residents &
Up to Daily for Businesses
Side Loading Hopper Good For
Monitoring And Quality Control

Love Note feedback

to stop contamination
Kitchen Pails for Food Scraps
Allow Only BPI Certified & Labeled or an
equivalent for Standard Specification for
Compostable Plastics (ASTM D6400)
To Increase Participation, Compostable
Kitchen Pail Bags Were Provided as
Samples and We Got Stores to sell them
Strategies to Tackle Apartment
Building Composting
Neighborhood Door to Door Outreach Campaign
SF Environment Staff
and Volunteers offer
. kitchen pail type and bag
options and education
 Apartment Chutes Create Obstacles to
Sorting City Exploring 3 Way Systems
Single Chute can be converted to 3
Stream Collection System
 Get Management Support with Rate
Incentives, On-site Technical & Material
Assistance & Multilingual Training
Multi-lingual
And Photo
Image Poster
Used for
Commercial
Training and
Bin Signage
Green Bin Set-up For Work Station Sorting
Toters, Slim Jims or Shoots to Separate
Bottles & Cans from Compostables
3 Stream Color-coded Sorting
Combining, Lining, Tipping & Cleaning
Sorting Containers
 Scomas Restaurant at 95% Diversion
Proudly Promotes Its Program & Awards
Building Cafeteria Diversion Station
Office Building Kitchen Collection
 Office Building
Restroom Paper
Towel
Composting
Collection
(99% is paper waste,
while separate
nappies and
sanitary products
put in separate
toilette stall bins)
Compostable Bags & Food Service Ware
to Reduce Cleaning and Contamination
SF Food Service Waste Reduction
Ordinance Since June 1, 2007
Banned the use of polystyrene foam (EPS) by food
vendors serving food prepared and served in San
Francisco.
Styrene life cycle health impacts, non-compostable & non-
recyclable, terrestrial & marine food web impacts

Food vendors can only use disposable food ware that

is acceptable as compostable or recyclable. All non-
foam rigid plastics now accepted for recycling.

95% compliance to date on not using EPS. 4500

restaurants, cafes and take-out establishments were
targeted with outreach, including product showcase
events and working with distributors.
 Food Ware Accepted as Compostable

Paper or Plant Pulp/Fiber

Recycled Paper
Bagasse/Sugarcane
Poly coated paper
allowed for now (PLA
coated better)

Compostable Plastics must

meet ASTM D6400 and be
labeled compostable,
preferably with green print or
green band or green sticker.
Using Compostable Food Service Can Divert
Up to 90+% at Public Events
Public Event Collection Station
But Without Adequate Signage
Food Service/Event Signage
Useful Sign Container Tops
Public Indoor Sorting Station at Ferry Building
Outdoor Farmers Market Station
 Food Court Customized Signage
Attaching Actual Food Ware Used
 Hospital Cafeteria Sorting Station
Signage Easier If Containers Are All
Compostable or All Recyclable
Working Creativity with Space Constraints
Options for Cleaning Containers
 Using Compostable Bag Liners Helps
Participation - Keeping Containers Clean
>100 Schools Have Food Composting
& Recycling Programs
Monitoring Contamination, Give Feedback
And Assistance To Ensure Quality Control
Environmental Stewards from the Community Can
Provide Outreach in the Neighborhood
 Recologys Jepsen Prairie Organics
Regional Composting Facility, 300 TPD using
15 acres
 New technology allows 600 tpd within strict
CA Air Resources Board VOC emissions limits
on the same 15 acre site
Engineered Compost Systems (ECS)
Food Waste High In Nitrogen,
Moisture, Fiber And Low In
Contamination
Receive, Shred, Screen and Manually Sort
Out Contaminants from Feedstock
Plastic Bags Primary Contaminant
New Site Layout

Plan Drawing
CompDog & Pile Building
AC Cover
Aeration Vault Forming

Winding Dog
Vault
Transition Pipe connected
Perforated Cover to Pull Air
Through Pile into Duck Work
 Aeration System

Damper
Duct
Fans
Biofilter
High-temperatures Meet Pathogen
Kill Requirements
Nutrient Rich Compost Screened
To 3/8 or Inch
Custom Blending For Specific Markets
and Organic Certified
Compost Used For Landscaping &
Golf Courses
Compost Used On Organic Farms And
Vineyards To Build Healthy Soils
Organic Produce Being Marketed
Back to San Francisco
Diverting Food and Other Compostables
From Landfill Sustains Soils and Closes
Organics & Nutrient Loop
 EBMUD WWTP Food Digestion Pilot
Commercial food waste is
collected, pre-sorted, and
ground by hauler before
delivery
Pilot started in 2004
designed to receive 1-2
loads/day (20-40 tons)
just got to 80 tpd
Material is discharged into
underground tanks,
processed and
anaerobically digested
The Food Scrap Digestion to Energy Process

Organic-rich food waste is

added directly to existing
digesters to increase
methane production.
Methane gas, a renewable
green energy source fuels
an existing 6-megawatt on-
site power plant (20
tons/day creates power for >
250 homes/day). Food >3x
energy value than biosolids.
Utilizes the facilities existing
digestion infrastructure.
Preprocessed Food Scraps Delivery
EBMUD Food Scraps Digestion Expansion
Goal 100-200 ton/day commercial food scraps for
dedicated food digestion and composting of digestate

Generate 1.5 - 3 MW from the biogas, a high-grade

renewable green energy product

Reduce organics transportation and composting

emissions

Provide regional benefits of renewable energy, ghg

reduction, soil health and waste diversion
SF Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance
Targets large grocery stores (>50) and pharmacy
chains (>100) that provide large majority of bags
with large purchases estimated 00-150 m plastic
bags. To reduce cost and impact of plastic bag litter
and recycling/composting contamination.
Grocery stores and pharmacy chains provide only
check-out bags that are:
Reusable cloth/fabric or durable plastic of 2.25 ml,
Compostable plastic (BPI certified to meet ASTM
D6400), &/or
Recyclable paper (40% post-consumer recycled content)

Best policy is fees then rebates to encourage bag

reuse, supporting proposed state bag fee.
 Mandatory C&D Recovery Ordinance
Applies to all construction projects in City limits
No C&D debris can be taken to landfill or put in
garbage
Source-separated materials go to a facility accepting
those materials
Mixed C&D debris must be processed at a registered
facility
Requires use of registered transporters for mixed
debris (few exceptions)
Full demolition requires approved waste management
plan demonstrating 65% diversion
No fees required; penalties for noncompliance
Registered Facilities Must Achieve at
least a 65% Diversion Rate
 Mandatory C&D Diversion with Metal,
Sheetrock, Wood, Concrete & Inert Fines
Recovered From C&D at 600 tpd MRF
Bulky, Electronic and Toxic Waste
Collection Programs
Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance
Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance
All sectors residential, commercial, city agencies -
must separate recyclables, compostables (inc. food)
and trash into designated containers.
Properties must subscribe to adequate service
Property managers must provide program for
tenants, janitors with appropriate color-coded
containers, signage and education.
Front of house collection for food establishments
with disposable food ware
Fines up to $100 for residents, $1000 for business.
Signed June 21st and effective October 21, 2009.
Results of ordinance - includes 25% increase in
composting tonnage to over 500 tpd.
 Commercial Accounts Composting

5,195

4,197
3,530
Accounts

3,351
3,135

Sep-08 Dec-08 Mar-09 Sep-09 Dec-09

Month
 Apartments Buildings Composting
9000

7500
8547 Apartments in SF

5209
6000
4785
4500
2572
3000

380
1500

0
Dec-05 Jul-09 Dec-09 Mar-10

Apts with Green Carts

 Disposal: Lowest in 40 years

Year Disposal Compost Diversion

Collection
2000 872,731 21,072 46%
2002 751,180 56,530 62%
2005 664,033 85,395 69%
2007 617,883 91,505 72%
2008 560,330 103,749 72%
2009 <490,000 >130,000 >72%
 SF Lessons & Recommendations
Adopt Zero Waste goals and policies
Create public/private partnerships with mutual goals to develop
programs and infrastructure
Support siting, permitting and financing of infrastructure
Incentivize service providers and generators to increase diversion
(PAYT critical)
Establish comprehensive residential & commercial single
stream recycling and food & other organics composting
Provide color coded and easy to use (at least as convenient)
collection programs
Conduct extensive outreach and on-site assistance to commercial
or multi-tenant customers
Mandate participation with threat of fines or stopped service
Improve technologies to adapt to changing environmental,
regulatory and market conditions
Pursue Consumer and Producer Responsibility policies
SF Strategies to Pursue Zero Waste
Expand source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting and
other programs and participation

Increase service provider and generator incentives

Improve material processing technologies (e.g., digestion &

recovery from mixed waste but not high temp destruction) and
diversify products and markets

Conducting extensive ongoing outreach and education

Require producer and consumer responsibility through policies and

legislation

Require products be reusable, recyclable or compostable

Push to eliminate tax and other subsidies that give preference to

virgin materials and landfilling waste
Why MBT & Not Incineration for ZW
More flexibility and adaptability to changing environmental, market
and regulatory conditions.

More options to pursue a diversity of product markets, such as

biogas for heat and power, compost for building local healthy soils,
and to tap local to international recycling markets.

More opportunity to increase the highest and best use resources

with collection, processing and market flexibility and pursuing
consumer and producer EPR policies.

Lower capital and public finance cost and more modular and
adaptable for scaling up production as needed and less commitment
of public resources.

Better conservation of carbon, resources, energy and emissions in

product life cycles.
SFs Future MBT ZW Facility
San Francisco Zero Waste for Everyone
 Thank You!

Jack Macy
San Francisco
Department of the Environment
www.sfenvironment.org
jack.macy@sfgov.org
415-355-3751