Zero Waste Strategic Plan

Help Berkeley create a community-driven plan to reduce waste and improve its trash, recycling, and compost programs.

Give input on a plan to divert waste from landfill through new policies, expanded waste reduction, recycling, and composting programs, and improved infrastructure development. Attend public meetings to give input, ask questions, and learn more about the development of the Berkeley Zero Waste Strategic Plan.

Project Overview

The Zero Waste Strategic Plan will establish an overarching framework and roadmap for reaching Berkeley’s goal of sending zero waste sent to landfills. The Zero Waste Strategic Plan will provide recommendations on policies, programs, and infrastructure to help reach the goal of diverting waste from the landfill. Examples of potential recommendations include requiring new buildings to allocate space for compost and recycling bins, programs to promote reuse and repair, reusable foodware for takeout, and more.

The plan will cover several components, including:

Review and Summarize Current Policies and Programs
Materials Composition Study
Review of the Zero Waste Division Operations
Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement
Transfer Station Feasibility Study Integration
New or Revised Zero Waste Programs, Policies and/or Ordinances
Zero Waste Program Outreach and Education Program Recommendations
Zero Waste Division Staffing
Develop Financial Analysis Showing Implementation Costs
Draft and Final Zero Waste Strategic Plan

The Zero Waste Strategic Plan’s development process launched in January 2023 and is expected to complete by early 2024. Recommendations from the plan will help Berkeley advance environmental goals in line with the Climate Action Plan.

OVERVIEW OF PLAN PROCESS

The Zero Waste Strategic Plan will establish an overarching framework and roadmap for reaching Berkeley’s goal of sending zero waste sent to landfills. The Zero Waste Strategic Plan will provide recommendations on policies, programs, and infrastructure to help reach the goal of diverting waste from the landfill.

Examples of potential recommendations include requiring new buildings to allocate space for compost and recycling bins, programs to promote reuse and repair, reusable foodware for takeout, and more.