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(d)2. Climate Smart San José
Zero Waste Element
Transportation and Environment Committee
October 6, 2025
Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Megha Prakash, Sr. Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Services Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
Background
•2018 ClimateSmart plan:
Solid waste identified as
a topic for future
research
•Update to City's 2008
Zero Waste Strategic
Plan
•Landfill capacity
•Long-term contracts
2 2023 Communitywide GHG inventory
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3 Solid Waste: Connection to Climate Goals
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4 What is Zero Waste?
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
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5 Zero Waste Element Development Process
Technical
analysis
Draft of Zero
Waste
Element
created
Stakeholder
and
community
engagement
Updates to
strategies
and GHG
estimates
Proposed
Zero Waste
Element to
T&E and
Council
2020-2022 2022-2023 Winter 2024 2024-2025 Fall 2025
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6 Stakeholder Engagement Overview
How was the community engaged?
• Online Open House
• Survey
• Community meeting
Community feedback:
Barriers:
• Limited access to recycling in public
spaces
• Difficulty disposing of Household
Hazardous Waste and hard-to-recycle
materials
• Convenience of single-use plastics
• Confusing product labels
Opportunities:
- Participating in repair clinics
- Access to free community
compost
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7 Zero Waste Element Strategies
• Community Engagement
• Materials Characterization
• Research & Development
• Sustainable Products &
Packaging
• Sustainable Purchasing Citywide
• Lead by Example
• Food Waste Prevention
• Surplus Food Recovery
• Repair & Reuse
• Construction & Demolition
Recycling
• Reduce Disposal of Compostable
Materials in Landfills
• Recycling Market Development
• Technology for Higher
Diversion
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8 Metrics: Tracking Progress
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9 Current Projects
Decreasing
Recycling
Contamination
Compost Hub
Pilot
Construction &
Demolition
Diversion
program
Zero Waste
Innovation Grant
program
Pilots to increase
diversion from
landfills
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10 Recommendation
• Accept the Zero Waste Element and recommend this
item for full City Council consideration
• Council to direct staff to incorporate this Element into the Climate Smart San José plan
Questions?
Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Megha Prakash, Sr. Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Services Transportation and Environment Committee
October 6, 2025