Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
Climate Smart San José
Zero Waste Element
San José City Council
November 18, 2025
Jeff Provenzano, Director, Environmental Services
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 Community-wide GHG inventory
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
Solid Waste: Connection to Climate Goals
3 Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
4 What is Zero Waste?
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
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
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
6 Stakeholder Engagement Overview
• Multilingual engagement (English, Spanish, Vietnamese) • Digital outreach: ads and newsletters
• Engagement channels: survey, Konveio comment platform • 200+ comments received on the Element
Barriers Opportunities/Interest
Limited access to recycling in public
spaces
Participating in repair clinics
Difficulty disposing of
household hazardous waste and
hard-to-recycle materials
Access to free community compost
Convenience of single-use plastics
Confusing product labels
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
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
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
8 Metrics: Tracking Progress
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
9 Current Projects
Decreasing
Recycling
Contamination
Compost Hub
Pilot
Construction &
Demolition
Diversion
program
Zero Waste
Innovation Grant
program
Pilots to increase
diversion from
landfills
Delivering world-class utility services and programs
to improve our health, environment, and economy.
10 Recommendation
• Accept the Zero Waste Element
• Direct staff to incorporate into the Climate SmartSan José plan
Questions?
Jeff Provenzano, Director, Environmental Services
Valerie Osmond, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Megha Prakash, Sr. Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Services San José City Council
November 18, 2025