Waste Strategies

Waste management and reduction strategy options encourage municipalities and their citizens to divert organics and recyclables from landfills and properly dispose of hazardous materials in an effort to reduce waste in a community.


Waste Management and Reduction
• Community waste stream monitored at least annually . Waste reduction plan prepared and updated annually.
• Waste and materials management plan based on “zero-waste” principles, with specific goals, prepared and updated annually.
• Construction/deconstruction waste recycling ordinance.
• Mandatory residential curbside recycling pickup that covers paper, metal cans, glass and plastic bottles.
• Develop a municipal collection program that encourages the diversion of food discards, yard materials, and other organics from landfills to composting or anaerobic digestion with energy recovery.
• Develop and promote programs that dispose of household hazardous, medical, and electronic waste.
• Use anaerobic digesters to process organic waste and produce energy.
• Implement municipal ordinances requiring manufacturer takeback for fluorescent bulbs, thermostats and other mercury-containing devices.
• Ordinances in place to reduce the usage of phone books as well as single-use shopping bags, styrofoam food containers and other disposable packaging.
Pay-as-you-throw system implemented by municipality or required of private waste haulers.
• Use public education and outreach to promote recycling, backyard composting, product re-use and waste reduction.


More Sustainable Communities Strategic Options: