Zero Waste

Reduce, reuse, recycle. You can be waste-free in your home and business. Learn how.

Tori Morin

NEW! Compost voucher

plantingDel Mar residents can receive free compost by redeeming a voucher at the City of San Diego’s Miramar Greenery. The vouchers expire June 30 and are good for up to one cubic yard of mulch, which adds important nutrients to the soil, improves root growth, reduces water run-off and helps to conserve water.

Download voucher (PDF)

Zero Waste

At its most basic, zero waste is about significantly reducing, and eventually, completely eliminating, the amount of stuff that we send to a landfill.

According to CalRecycle, the City of Del Mar generates approximately 9,800 tons of solid waste annually, which accounts for 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions from its residents and businesses. Approximately 3,200 tons of this waste is diverted annually.

The City is aiming to exceed state requirements with Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals for waste diversion of 80 percent by 2020 and 95 percent by 2035. According to CalRecycle, "diversion is any combination of waste prevention (source reduction), recycling, reuse and composting activities that reduces waste disposed at landfills and recycling facilities."

Food waste diversion is critical to reaching these goals, as half a million tons of food waste is sent to the landfill in San Diego every year, with $218 billion spent nationally on food that gets wasted annually. Through better planning, we can all waste less food. Methods for food planning include assessing existing food needs, making more accurate purchases, storing food appropriately, controlling portion size and re-purposing leftovers. Many options exist for reducing, donating, composting and mulching organic waste which can be found below. 

What You Can Do to Reach Zero Waste:

Learn how you can help move the City forward to become a zero waste community, including composting tips, vouchers, and other ways to reduce, divert, and recycle.

Plastics/Zero Waste Guide

Reducing

Recycling

Food Waste Diversion 

Donating Food

Composting & Mulching

Composting is the natural process that converts food and yard waste into a nutrient-rich, water-retaining soil amendment which promotes healthy soil. There are many resources available to assist with your composting needs:

Construction 

Textiles