Zero Waste Strategy
NEW RECYCLING & SOLID WASTE SERVICES
On July 16, 2007, after eighteen months of work led by Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Environment, Emergency Management, and Utilities (EEMU) Committee, the Seattle City Council unanimously adopted a zero waste strategy to increase recycling, reduce trash and upgrade Seattle’s transfer stations. Councilmember Conlin said, “The Council’s commitment to sustainability put the City on the right path. Instead of accepting more trash as inevitable, we are now treating waste as a resource to be reused, recycled or composted. That’s a sea change in the way that we view it! This plan gives us a real shot at shortening our daily mile-long train to entomb garbage in the ground.” The City now aims to increase the percentage of waste that is recycled or reused from our current 44% to 70% with a new set of strategies and waste reduction programs.
Learn more:
- Press release: Council Passes Zero Waste Strategy
- Zero Waste Strategy, Resolution 30990
- Podcast: Zero Waste, Seattle P-I Blog
- Councilmember Conlin's September newsletter
- Councilmember Conlin's newsletter article on Zero Waste
- Volume 1 of the Seattle Solid Waste Recycling, Waste Reduction, and Facilities Opportunities consultant report
- Volume 2
This volume includes all the strategies that were considered for the report.
- Media stories on Zero Waste:
- Recycling: Reduce the waste, Seattle P-I, July 11, 2007
- Residents urge council panel to ban Styrofoam, end proposed garbage handling site, Seattle P-I, June 8, 2007
- Plastic foam, grocery bags could end up on Seattle hit list, Seattle P-I, June 7, 2007
- Georgetown neighbors talking trash with city, Seattle P-I, June 7, 2007
- Reducing Waste: Good for Earth, Seattle P-I, April 20, 2007
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Listen to Council President Conlin and Seattle Public Utility Solid Waste Director Tim Croll discuss the proposed changes on KUOW.
