Public Comment

Is Berkeley meeting its goal of achieving Zero Waste by 2020? On July 1, our audit Underfunded Mandate: Resources, Strategic Plan, and Communication Needed to Continue Progress Toward the Year 2020 Zero Waste Goal answers that question. Click here to read the audit, which goes to Council on Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m..  

Increasing funding for education, outreach, compliance, and enforcement will help Berkeley resume its progress toward zero waste and create a path for other cities to follow 

Berkeley has the opportunity to once again take a leadership role in moving zero waste efforts to the next level. We have many best practices in place, helping us nearly double waste diversion rate since 1995. The City met Alameda County’s goal of 75 percent diversion in 2010, but has remained near that level since because the City lacks a written strategic plan to identify actions, who is responsible for them, and specific and measurable goals. Increased education, outreach, compliance and enforcement will help Berkeley resume its progress and create a path for other cities to follow. 

Potential future cost savings that we identified can only be implemented when the entire community makes significant reductions in waste generation.