CalRecycle’s Draft Zero Waste Plan Falls Short
CalRecycle has released a draft plan to achieve Zero Waste in California. Unfortunately, the draft is more of an overview than an action plan. It provides some important observations and examples, but very few specific, actionable items to achieve zero waste. Even more concerning, it focuses very little on organic waste, which emits methane – a climate super pollutant and air pollutant – as it decomposes. Climate scientists around the world agree that reducing methane and other climate super pollutants is the most urgent steps to address climate change because it’s one of very few measures that begins to cool the climate right away. In California, organic waste causes 87 percent of methane emissions, so it is essential to address organic waste, including organic waste that must be diverted from landfills pursuant to state law.
BAC submitted comments on the Draft Zero Waste Plan that focus on:
- The need to focus on measures to accelerate organic waste diversion from landfills to reduce methane emissions and meet the requirements of state law (SB 1383)
- The need for strategies to accelerate diversion and beneficial use of woody and other cellulosic waste that isn’t suitable for compost or anaerobic digestion
- The need to update policies and incentives to be technically accurate and based on scientific, objective performance standards.