HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT MEASUREMENT TOOL

Indicator ES.1.d Solid waste disposal

Descriptive Title: Annual per capita solid waste disposal

Geographic Unit of Analysis: County

Why Is This An Indicator Of Health and Sustainability?

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 inappropriate storage and disposal of organic waste can attract rodents and insects, which may increase the frequency of gastro-intestinal and parasitic diseases. Illegal waste disposal can also impact water, waste water and storm water systems. Space that is used for waste disposal (i.e., landfills) uses land that can be used for other purposes. The ability to divert waste reduces the need of natural resource extraction, conserves energy and reduces emissions associated with new production and transport. Diverting waste can reduce groundwater contamination from landfills and toxic air emissions from incineration.

Interpretation and Geographic Equity Analysis

As of 2008, San Francisco generated about 6,000 tons of solid waste every day, and 23% of this waste (about 1,380 tons) is sent to landfills. Total annual waste disposal has been dropping since 2000, from 872,700 tons in 2000 to 455,332 tons in 2010. The City has adopted goals of 75% landfill diversion by 2010, and 0% waste by 2020. Waste diverted from landfills is defined as recycled or composted. The amount of waste disposal per capita in San Francisco, 0.56 in 2010, has decreased significantly since 2000 and represents the smallest per capita waste disposal among the Bay Area counties (Table 1). The decrease in per capita waste disposal in the past few years may be due to the increasing adoption of composting and recycling bins in the city. The Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, which took effect in October 2009, required all persons in San Francisco to separate recyclables, compostables and landfilled trash and participate in recycling and composting programs.^a This ordinance was passed to help meet the city’s goal of 75% landfill diversion by 2010 and 0% waste by 2020.

SF Environment Code Chapter 14 establishes the Construction and Demolition Debris Recovery Ordinance, requiring a minimum of 65% diversion from landfill of construction and demolition debris. In 2002 the SF Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 679-02 setting a goal of 75% diversion from landfill by 2010 and promoting the highest and best use of recovered materials and authorizing the Commission on the Environment to adopt a zero waste goal for 2020.

Methods

To determine per capita waste disposal for each jurisdiction of origin, current data was retrieved from Cal Recycle. Disposal ton data divided was divided by population data from the Census for the respective counties. The Disposal Reporting System (DRS) tracks the amount of solid waste disposed by each jurisdiction in California. 

Data Source

California Integrated Waste Management Board, Disposal Reporting System (DRS). http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LGCentral/DRS/Reports/default.asp#Origin

Population figures from U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html

Map and tables prepared by City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section using ArcGIS software.

Map and table data is presented by zip code. Detailed information regarding census data, geographic units of analysis, their definitions, and their boundaries can be found in the HDMT at the following links:

http://www.thehdmt.org/etc/Geographic_Units_of_Analysis.pdf

http://www.thehdmt.org/data_map_methods.php