June 29, 2007—New recycling statistics show that the city of San Francisco, CA, kept 69% of all waste-stream materials from going to the landfill in 2005, up from 67% the year before. The most significant gains were in the areas of commercial recycling, and the collection of compostable food scraps and yard trimmings. The city’s goal is to recycle 75% of its annual waste by 2010.
The figures, compiled by the City’s Environment Department (SF Environment) and approved by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, show that San Francisco generated 1,978,748 tons of waste material in 2005. Of this, 664,033 tons went to landfill, while 1,367,013 tons were diverted through recycling, composting, reuse, source reduction, and other efforts. The state credits San Francisco with diverting more than 52,000 tons of material into biomass energy generators, but does not count this towards generation.
SF Recycling & Disposal, Inc., sorts bottles, cans, and paper at Recycle Central on Pier 96. Earlier this year, the roof at Recycle Central was fitted with 21,000 square feet of new solar panels. The $2.1 million project, installed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Power Enterprise, generates about 330,000 kilowatt hours of power annually—up to 30% of the facility’s energy needs. That energy helps power mechanical conveyers and sorting and baling equipment, making Recycle Central the first recycling sorting facility in the nation to run on its own clean solar power.
