The Future: A "Zero Waste" Oakland
Oakland is pursuing the goal of being a Sustainable City - a place where we can meet our current needs while ensuring that our children and grandchildren can live diverse, rewarding, and healthy lives in the future. In March 2006 the Oakland City Council adopted a Zero Waste Goal by 2020 and in December 2006 passed a resolution adopting a Zero Waste Strategic Plan. The Zero Waste Strategic Plan provides a framework of policies and initiatives that guide the planning and decision-making process to achieve the City’s Zero Waste Goal.
Oakland has successfully achieved the 50% waste reduction goal mandated by state law (AB 939), primarily through voluntary participation in residential recycling collection programs and free market recycling services available to businesses. A report to City Council recommending adoption of the Zero Waste Goal acknowledges that Zero Waste strategies will be necessary for Oakland to reach its goal of 75% waste reduction by 2010 , as well as Oakland’s over-arching sustainability goals. Zero Waste goes beyond recycling discarded materials. It considers the vast flow of resources and waste through our society and economy, and moves to eliminate waste. Contact us for more information.
Oakland's Zero Waste Strategic Plan
Oakland’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan establishes five strategies, which include traditional recycling programs as well as system redesign solutions for product waste, and policy and regulatory changes:
- Expand and Improve Local and Regional Recycling and Composting
- Develop and Adopt New Rules and Incentives to Reduce Waste Disposal
- Preserve Land for Sustainable Development and Green Industry Infrastructure
- Advocate for Manufacturer Responsibility for Product Waste, Ban Problem Materials
- Educate, Promote and Advocate a Zero Waste Sustainability Agenda
Oakland's pursuit of its Zero Waste Goal will be guided by an environmental hierarchy for 'highest and best use' of materials and pollution prevention in all phases of production, use, and disposition of products and materials.
Oakland's Zero Waste Goal is to cut the City's current waste disposal of 400,000 tons per year to 40,000 tons per year - a 90% reduction. This will require double the waste disposal reduction that Oakland has achieved over the past 15 years. Progress toward the Zero Waste Goal will be measured by the tons of annual waste landfilled, with key milestones at 5-year intervals between now and 2020.
Residents and businesses provided input to the development of Oakland’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan through participation in meetings for the general public and business leaders, as well as electronically through the ZeroWasteOakland Yahoo! group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZeroWasteOakland.
Join Now!
To share thoughts, ideas, and information with other interested individual regarding the City of Oakland's continuous improvement efforts and initiatives toward the goal of Zero Waste, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZeroWasteOakland and click on "Join This Group".
Click to join ZeroWasteOakland
For more information, please click on the links below: