Waste and Recycling
In 2005, the Palo Alto City Council adopted a Zero Waste Resolution and Strategic Plan, setting new goals for the community in handling solid waste for the future. This strategy aligns well with the State of California’s goal of achieving zero waste statewide by 2025. It also considers local needs: the City of Palo Alto (City) landfill will close in 2011. To achieve Zero Waste, Cascadia examined existing waste streams in Palo Alto and identified opportunities for additional waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and composting. Cascadia produced detailed waste composition and quantity information for the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station residuals in addition to four waste sectors (single-family residential, mixed commercial/multi-family residential, industrial, and self-haul). Using methods like hand-sorting, visual characterization, and computer-based modeling, Cascadia also provided detailed waste composition and quantity information for each sector as well as industry groups.
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Cascadia began to immediately overhaul the way Resource Venture services were marketed, delivered, and tracked; ultimately resulting in superior outcomes. Among the dramatic changes we noted were (1) an increased level of accountability; (2) a more strategic focus; and (3) service documentation that demonstrated a more effective and efficient program. In particular, Cascadia’s “targeting and tracking” database made it possible to focus on the biggest commercial resources users with the greatest potential for conservation, and then measure their progress over time. The program’s unique targeted approach is extremely cost-effective; Cascadia has helped reduce the City’s program costs from about $100/ton diverted in 2006 to about $45/ton in 2008.
- Phil Paschke, Seattle Public Utilities