The following is a press release Leslie Lukacs, chair of the Zero Waste North Bay group, prepared for the Press Democrat. It is an update on the Sebastopol City Council adoption of the Zero Waste Resolution accepted by the Sonoma County Waste Management Association. Lukacs summarizes the steps the city council is taking to begin to put the resolution into action. If any Sierra Club members in Sebastopol want to become involved with the city council’s zero waste efforts, contact Theresa Ryan at theresa411@comcast.net. Windsor is the next city council the Zero Waste North Bay group will approach about adopting a Zero Waste Resolution.
–Theresa M. Ryan, Sonoma Group ExCom
During the October 16th Sebastopol City Council meeting, the passing of the Zero Waste Resolution was moved to vote by Councilwoman Una Glass, seconded by Councilwoman Sarah Glade Gurney and passed unanimously.
This pragmatic yet visionary goal sets the stage for a more sustainable Sebastopol that returns valuable carbon and nutrients to our soils, supports green job creation and economic development while protecting our groundwater and climate.
Council also moved to support the County proposed model language for a polystyrene foam ban yet to come.
Michael Carnacchi suggested formation of a zero waste subcommittee. Mayor Patrick Slayter described the steps needed to create such a committee that could look at other ordinances and actions that would further us toward Zero Waste, such as a green event policy that sets waste diversion requirements for events while helping to educate the community on proper separation of food waste/organics and other recyclable materials.
In January the council will be setting priorities for the upcoming year when a zero waste subcommittee could be formed to continue to develop policies to meet the challenge of achieving zero waste by 2030.
Food and Construction and Demolition (C&D) material are the two most prevalent material classes found in Sonoma County’s overall waste stream, according to a 2014 Study, making easy targets for increased recycling and progress toward zero waste.
Food waste is the single largest component of Sonoma County’s waste stream, making up 17.3% of what is sent to landfill, or 45,500 annual tons.
Raising Construction and Demolition (C&D) recycling targets were also discussed at the meeting. Combined, C&D materials make up 19.2% of what Sonoma County landfills, or 50,400 annual tons.
Sonoma County is meanwhile in the process of siting a new compost facility in the County that can properly handle the food and organic waste generated here while Recology, the new franchise waste hauler in town, is rolling out new waste diversion programs including improving recycling and organic waste separation to keep these resources out of our landfills.
–Leslie Lukacs, Director of Zero Waste