Mandatory Recycling and Composting: The San Francisco Experience of Driving Participation in Multifamily Dwellings Agenda: Background on San Francisco Our policies Our programs Keys to success Future of resource recovery

Mandatory Recycling and Composting (2009) The City believed that our zero waste and climate action goals would not likely be achieved under voluntary participation programs alone. Therefore we needed another method to achieve this by requiring mandatory recycling and composting for everyone in San Francisco. The ordinance requires every residence, City Department, and business to separte their refuse into recyclables, compostables, and trash. Failing to properly sort could result in a fine after several warnings. Before the Mandatory Ordinance we were collecting about 400 tons of compostables a day, and thanks to the Ordinance since it passed in June 2009 we’ve seen almost an overnight a 25% increase of collecting about 500 tons of compostables a day! In San Francisco, compostable and recyclable materials must not be put in the black landfill bin. City Ordinance (No. 100-09) states: “All persons in San Francisco must separate their refuse into recyclables, compostables and trash” and “No person may mix recyclables, compostables or trash, or deposit refuse of one type in a collection container designated for another type of refuse.”   2

Multifamily Dwellings in SF Diversity in SF’s MFD housing stock 6 units and above Multi-building complexes with nearly a thousand units HOA Housing Authority SROs Mixed use with commercial Assisted living facilities Other considerations: 30 units and above should have an onsite manager (not always the case) Chute systems

Mandatory Recycling and Composting n(October 2009) Property owners pay for adequate refuse service Property, food vendor and event managers provide convenient, color-coded, labeled bins and training Everyone separate recyclables, compostables and trash Non-compliance subject to fines, property liens, and rate surcharges The City believed that our zero waste and climate action goals would not likely be achieved under voluntary participation programs alone. Therefore we needed another method to achieve this by requiring mandatory recycling and composting for everyone in San Francisco. The ordinance requires every residence, City Department, and business to separte their refuse into recyclables, compostables, and trash. Failing to properly sort could result in a fine after several warnings. Before the Mandatory Ordinance we were collecting about 400 tons of compostables a day, and thanks to the Ordinance since it passed in June 2009 we’ve seen almost an overnight a 25% increase of collecting about 500 tons of compostables a day! 4

Apartment Buildings Composting As of 2015 San Francisco achieved 100% service compliance in the more than 8700 buildings that comprise the City’s multifamily housing stock.

Residential Food Scraps Collection We help address the issues of bin cleanliness by explaining to residents the many ways that they can contain their compostables. They can wrap their compostables using newspaper, put them in a paper bag or milk carton, use a compostable bag, and of course no container is acceptable also. Containing compostables helps keep the interior of the bin clean and there are usually less flies when compost is contained using one of these methods. Building manager bought compostable bags for each tenant. Recology does offer a bin cleaning service. And I hear they are in the works to rollout a mobile bin cleaning system.

Targeted Door-to-Door Outreach

Challenges to Participation Compliance Photo courtesy of Recology

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Surveys FM3 completed 829 interviews with San Francisco residents (Among Residents of Multi-Unit Buildings) Do you have your own individual bins, or do you have shared bins with other people in your building? How do you dispose of household waste in your building? FM3 completed 829 interviews with San Francisco residents Interviews conducted between December 16-22, 2015 Interviews conducted on landline and wireless phones Quotas set to ensure adequate representation of young residents and new arrivals in the City Supplemental interviews with younger residents conducted online Interviews conducted in English, Spanish, and Chinese Margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5% at the 95% confidence interval Some percentages may not sum to 100% because of rounding These users report more difficulty in accessing bins. Q12/Q13. Asked Only of Multi-Unit Residents

Mandatory Implementation Target accounts without service Mail compliance warning letter stating penalties Contact account to sign up for service Provide on-site assistance: set-up, signage, training Allow sharing service, on-site or take home composting, or verification if no compostables Verify compliance

Resources

Outreach + Enforcement

Comprehensive Waste Assessments

Customized Recommendations

Curbside Audits Photo courtesy of Ines Belli Photo courtesy of Mark Boyer

Property Managers

Property Managers

SFEnvironment.org Thank You! James Slattery San Francisco Department of the Environment 1455 Market Street, Ste. 1200 San Francisco, CA 94103 E: James.Slattery@sfgov.org T: (415) 355-3779