The City of Alameda first adopted a Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP) in 2010. The ZWIP was updated in 2018 and the City has been focusing on 5 key strategies adopted with that update:
Strategy 1: Support Zero Waste Culture in Alameda. This strategy enhances and celebrates Alameda’s growing zero waste culture through several actions that recognize the shared responsibility for each individual to reduce and divert waste from the landfill.
Strategy 2: Conduct Targeted Technical Assistance with Commercial and Multi-Family Sectors. Alameda’s commercial and multi-family waste generators have the greatest opportunity to reduce waste sent to landfill and help them to achieve higher levels of waste diversion that could significantly reduce Alameda’s landfill disposal.
Strategy 3: Create a Food Recovery Program and Enhance Organics Management. Food waste and other organic materials represent over 20% of waste sent to landfill and increasingly strict state requirements regarding its disposal make this strategy important for Alameda’s zero waste achievement.
Strategy 4: Update the City’s Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Ordinance and Conduct Outreach. Building projects produce large amounts of waste that often end up in a landfill despite its potential to be reused or recycled, underscoring the need to increase materials recovery.
Strategy 5: Expand High Diversion Franchise Agreement. Alameda County Industries (ACI) is a strong partner in achieving its zero waste goal, and as such updating the franchise agreement to support zero waste initiatives and build on that partnership will be important moving forward.