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Home My WebLink About2021-08-19; Sustainable Materials Management Outreach to City Businesses (Districts - All); Gomez, PazTo the members of the: CITY COUNCIL Date 6hq IQ) CA__.!_ CC i CM-i,__ACM...x_DCM(3)� Aug. 19,2021 Council Memorandum To: Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council From: Via: Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Pub�orks {city ofCarlsbad Memo ID #2021156 Re: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager L6>{_" Sustainable Materials Management Outreach to City Businesses (Districts -All) This memorandum provides an overview of staff's outreach to businesses on implementation of the programs required to comply with the State of California's solid waste and recycling mandates. Background The city's Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Division monitors and provides oversight on implementation of programs required to comply with the state's solid waste and recycling mandates: •State Assembly Bill 939, Integrated Waste Management Act of 19891. This state law requires at least 50% of all the city's solid waste be diverted from landfills throughvarious waste reduction, recycling and composting programs. •State Assembly Bill 341, Mandatory Commercial and Multi-Family Recycling2, requirescommercial properties to have a recycling program in place if they generate four cubicyards or more of solid waste per week. •State Assembly Bill 1826, Mandatory Organics Commercial and Multi-Family Recycling3, requires commercial properties to have an organic waste (food waste, landscape waste, etc.) recycling program in place if they generate two cubic yards or more of solid wasteper week. •State Senate Bill 1383, Short-lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste Reductions4 placesregulations upon all generators of waste, including the city, to reduce statewide disposalof organic waste by 75% by 2025. 1 History of California Solid Waste Law, 1985-19892 Bill Text -AB-341 Solid waste: diversion. (ca.gov),3 Bill Text -AB-1826 Solid waste: organic waste. (ca.gov)4 Bill Text - SB-1383 Short-lived climate pollutants: methane emissions: dairy and livestock: organic waste: landfills. (ca.gov) Public Works Branch Environmental Management Department 1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-602-4646 t Council Memo -Sustainable Materials Management Outreach to City Businesses (Districts -All) Aug. 19,2021 Page 2 The SMM Division continues to proactively work with businesses that are affected by these regulations. Two current programs that the city is currently assisting businesses with include: 1) Carlsbad for a Disposable and Waste Free Future Pilot Program, and 2} a customized outreach plan with a focus on food and organic waste prevention strategies and guidance on current and potential solutions available in the city. Discussion Carlsbad for a Disposable and Waste Free Future Pilot Program The city contracted with reEarth Consulting in 2019 to reduce marine debris, litter and landfilled materials, as well as to comply with current and future state laws. The consultant reEarth's scope of services includes designing, developing and conducting a pilot program with restaurants in the city focusing on reduction and/or elimination of single-use plastics. The pilot program included investigation of the best approaches possible to motivate Carlsbad restaurants to reduce, and ultimately when other factors permit it, eliminate the generation of single-use disposable waste with high environmental impact from their operations. Additional information provided to participants included: -Training materials: A how-to manual, consulting support and marketing visibility for participants -Eco-friendly alternatives to single-use products In late 2019 and early 2020, a total of 60 Carlsbad restaurants were contacted to participate in the pilot program and a sample of 25 restaurants were selected. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and closure of restaurants started right after the pilot program launched in early 2020. Following the state and local emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, re Earth Consulting communicated with all the program participants that the pilot program would pause until further notice. The program resumed in June 2021 and concluded in July 2021, with a slightly transformed scope of work. Staff worked with re Earth Consulting to digitize all outreach and training materials and make it accessible to all businesses, which will soon be available on the city's website. A final report will be used by staff to determine next steps to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics in restaurants. Business Outreach and Assistance In 2020, staff contracted with the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation to develop a customized outreach plan for direct educational engagement with up to 100 commercial food establishments in the city. The educational information delivered and discussed will address applicable regulations and requirements for businesses with a focus on food and organic waste prevention strategies, and guidance on current and potential solutions available in Carlsbad. Council Memo -Sustainable Materials Management Outreach to City Businesses (Districts -All) Aug. 19,2021 Page 3 Currently, the city does not have food waste recycling services as required by current regulations. These services will begin with the city's new waste hauler contract, starting July 1, 2022. For this reason, staff provided outreach to businesses on best practices for food waste reduction and proper sorting. This outreach included: • Development of a resource flyer that provided information about AB 1826 and SB 1383 requirements for businesses • An in-person visit to provide education and help with business compliance. This in- person visit helps improve business responsiveness. Visits started in July 2021 • A follow-up email to pass on additional information requested during the visit, and to provide the links to further resources, in particular the Food Waste webinar recording which will be required viewing to qualify for receipt of incentives • A second follow-up and final visit will be conducted and green bins for back-of-house usage will be provided. The purpose of this final visit is to do a high level, visual inspection of newly implemented practices and best practices already in place, suggest best placement of bins and provide corrective guidance to staff as deemed necessary during the visit Next Steps Staff will continue to provide outreach and educational resources to businesses in the city about the various organics state mandates. Staff have been contacted by other North County jurisdictions that seek to replicate the Carlsbad for a Disposable and Waste Free Future Pilot Program (pilot program). These cities are requesting information about the pilot program, pilot findings and copies of outreach material. Staff will continue to provide all these outreach materials and training resources on the city's website for easy access to all city businesses and other jurisdictions. cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager Celia Brewer, City Attorney Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services Robby Contreras, Assistant City Attorney David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer James Wood, Environmental Management Director Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director Matt Sanford, Economic Development Manager Avecita Jones, Senior Program Manager