Reduction of Greenhouse Gases in California Through Waste Prevention and Recycling

California is in a great position to reduce GHG emissions associated with solid waste management. Our solid waste reduction and recycling law (AB 939), implemented over 15 years ago, has resulted in a mature and vigorous recycling infrastructure. We can harness this system to increase our recycling rates and reduce our GHG emissions.

By diverting just 15% of the currently disposed cardboard, aluminum cans, office paper, and other common curbside materials, the state could more than achieve the projected reductions required from the waste sector in the State’s plan. Reductions of food waste and lumber disposal would generate significant additional GHG emission reductions.

To achieve these types of reductions, additional recycling polices need to be considered, such as:

• Expansion of Curbside Recycling. Despite their popularity and effectiveness, just half of California residents have access to convenient and cost effective curbside recycling. It should be the goal of this state to bring curbside recycling to every household (single and multi-family) by 2010.
• Expansion of Commercial Recycling. Over the last decade thousands of California businesses have seen their waste management costs reduced through the establishment and expansion of commercial waste recycling. However, for many medium and small businesses in California, there remains a disconnect between the waste they generate on a day-to-day basis, and the portion of their business overhead costs which go to waste management.
• Material Specific Disposal Bans. A surprisingly small number of readily recyclable materials (i.e. corrugated cardboard and mixed paper), account for the lion’s share of California’s GHG emission reduction potential.

For every ton of food waste diverted to composting instead of the landfill, almost a ton of GHG emission reductions can be achieved. We envision residential and commercial food waste collection as an integral part of any GHG reduction policy. Additional support for composting will be necessary to fully capitalize on the GHG benefits it generates.

AB 939 has helped build a composting infrastructure in the state, but due to low tipping fees, sham recycling of greenwaste at landfills, regulatory hurdles and poor public perception the state continues to have limited composting capacity. With the state diversion rate essentially at 50%, there is little new incentive to divert large quantities of organics from the landfill.

Policies needed to achieve emissions reductions through organics composting include:

• Organics disposal bans. It is environmentally and economically absurd to annually entomb tens of millions of tons of organic materials in a modern landfill specifically designed to prevent the decomposition and return of these biological building blocks to the natural environment. Twenty three states already have in place some form of greenwaste landfill ban. This is an area where California is a laggard and not a leader.
• Expansion of foodwaste composting. Hundreds of California communities now have greenwaste collection programs in place. With a relatively modest investment, these programs could be expanded to include food waste, which accounts for nearly 15% of the state’s waste stream.

These proven recycling policies have always been environmentally superior to landfilling and incineration of solid waste. But with the recent urgency associated with global warming, these policies have become an environmental imperative.

Scott Smithline joined Californians Against Waste as a Policy Analyst in 2003. Scott is responsible for coordinating relationships with California Waste Board and other state and local agencies and he represents CAW on the California Compost Quality Council. In addition, Scott researches policy issues and helps develop CAW's policy positions and is also the editor of CAW's newsletter, the Recycling Advocate. Before joining CAW Scott practiced law as part of the Golden Gate University Environmental Law & Justice Clinic and Lawyers for Clean Water.

Founded in 1977, Californians Against Waste is a non-profit environmental research and advocacy organization that identifies, develops, promotes and monitors policy solutions to pollution and conservation problems posing a threat to public health and the environment. Californians Against Waste’s history has demonstrated it to be the nation’s oldest, largest and most effective non-profit environmental organization advocating for the implementation of waste reduction and recycling policies and programs.