CRRA2019

Residential Zero Waste Associate

Freddy works on the Residential Zero Waste team at the San Francisco Department of the Environment. He helps implement the city’s zero waste initiatives, which include ensuring that residents have access and participate to the city's “Fantastic Three” bin program. Since his start at the department, he has worked with over 500 multifamily accounts, successfully increasing recycling and composting participation in the residential sector.

San Francisco’s Department of the Environment continuously strives to expand and maintain its zero waste programs– from office to apartment buildings- to reduce material going to landfill and meet its recovery goals. However, implementing zero waste programs in the multifamily sector can be challenging. San Francisco is home to over 9,000 multi-family dwellings, these range from 6-unit apartments, to 400-unit high rises, and single room occupancy hotels. The residential sector in San Francisco is among the lowest performing, but there are proven ways to increase participation among multi-family residents. This presentation will cover tools that can be used by any jurisdiction, especially densely populated cities, to maximize recovery and reduce contamination. 

Zero Waste Property Plans, consists of site-specific recommendations tailored to multifamily properties. Action items include; the right sizing of refuse service (increasing recycling and composting collection), adding zero waste language to rental leases, installing compostable plastic bag dispensers, providing tools for recycling and compost collection, posting signage, scheduling tenant outreach, and closing trash chutes. Multifamily properties in San Francisco that have implemented Zero Waste Property Plans have significantly seen not only an increase in participation but also a reduction of contamination in the recycling and composting programs.