CRRA 2022 Conference & Tradeshow

Professor, Ph.D.

Illegal dumping of durable waste (like auto parts, household appliances, mattresses, furniture, construction and home renovation waste, and electronics) is different from littering and requires distinct prevention and mitigation strategies.

To help policymakers and other stakeholders better understand the significant environmental, economic and societal harms that illegal dumping creates (both where the dumping occurs and in surrounding communities), this presentation identifies drivers of illegal dumping and explores public policy options to address the problem.

Director

In this session, we will explain how a data-driven, behavior-based model was used for developing effective outreach aimed at reducing abandoned waste. After identifying specific target behaviors, we conducted barrier-benefit research that identified the outreach materials, strategies, and tools needed for the abandoned waste programs in the City of Palmdale and County of San Diego. Reducing abandoned waste directly impacts water quality and may also reduce the costs of doing site cleanups. Therefore, this presentation was organized to provide valuable behavior-based insights to program planners.

The County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program embarked on a behavior-based trash pilot study focused on reducing abandoned waste in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. The County chose to follow the community-based social marketing (CBSM) approach, a research-driven process grounded in the social and behavioral sciences. CBSM involves five steps: (1) strategically selecting behaviors, (2) identifying the barriers and benefits to the selected behaviors, (3) developing strategies that reduce the barriers to the behaviors to be promoted while simultaneously enhancing the benefits, and (4) piloting the strategies, and (5) broadly implementing the effective strategies.

Selection of specific waste items for a pilot were determined via conversations with code compliance, community advocates, and waste haulers. A literature review was conducted to determine proper disposal method options and common considerations for the proper disposal of common items. To build upon this initial research, a mail survey was conducted with 800 randomly selected households.

To address the identified barriers and benefits to proper disposal, a suite of materials was developed. A flyer and a door hanger were created and tailored for single- and multi-family living situations. Behavior change tools were infused throughout the materials including highlighting social norms, setting the County up as a helper, capturing attention, goal setting, and commitments. The materials were designed to be flexible so that they could be easily distributed during times with a high potential for waste abandonment. The multi-family materials were designed to integrate smoothly into the move-out process. The research process provided important insights into how to design and develop needed outreach targeting abandoned waste in communities across San Diego.

The City of Palmdale is the sixth most populous city in Los Angeles County and the second largest geographically, with upwards of 150,000 residents spread throughout an area covering more than 100 square miles. Low population densities coupled with large undeveloped open spaces that are adjacent to residential areas has created an environment primed for illegal dumping of bulk waste.

A web-based survey and literature review were conducted as the foundation for development of citywide outreach strategies. The campaign included: (1) a landing page on the City of Palmdale’s website highlighting proper disposal options; (2) a vehicle wrap for Palmdale’s lightning loader featuring the campaign’s tagline and a QR code/link to the landing page; and (3) twelve social media posts promoting the proper disposal of mattresses and other bulk waste items for use on the City of Palmdale’s social media channels.

Superintendent of Technical Services

The pandemic and the homeless crises have created challenges for local jurisdictions to keep our public spaces free of illegally dumped materials and litter.  Traditional illegal dumping programs are effective in collecting concentrated dumps of bulky items, but struggle to address defused litter and spaces occupied by the unhoused. This presentation will describe Sacramento County efforts to address illegal dumping and litter issues in the unincorporated County, highlighting our approach to education, enforcement, and material collection.

Waste Management Program Associate

See description above.