Marking a significant milestone in efforts to encourage recycling and limit waste, the City of San Diego has achieved a 71% diversion rate for the amount of waste diverted from the landfill, the highest it has ever been. According to data provided by CalRecycle, the diversion rate of 71% for 2022 was based on all waste generated by those who live, work and play within the city limits of San Diego.
Diverting waste helps the City move closer to achieving Zero Waste Plan goals. “The City’s diversion rate is a clear signal that San Diegans are embracing recycling and are dedicated to meeting our climate goals,” said City Councilmember Joe LaCava, Chair of the Environment Committee. “This positive shift toward zero waste is the product of hard work by City staff to educate the public about the impact of waste diversion. It is in partnership with residents and businesses – who recognize the importance of recycling and the urgency to eliminate harmful greenhouse gases – that we will continue to see these diversion rates rise in the coming years.”
Zero Waste is a principle that calls for handling discarded materials as commodities for reuse rather than for disposal, and conserving those commodities through waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies. The City of San Diego Zero Waste Plan is a road map to diverting almost all solid waste from going into landfills. “We are very encouraged by our progress in 2022, and believe that 2023 will prove to be even better, after a full year of San Diegans participating in the City’s new Organic Waste Recycling Program by diverting their food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste into green bins,” said Renee Robertson, Director of the City’s Environmental Services Department.