The History of Zero Waste Policy

The History of Zero Waste Policy

The term "zero waste" was first used by Palmer (2004) while receiving resources from chemicals. 

Canberra, Australia

Places that have adopted zero waste policies. The idea for having a zero waste community originated in Canberra, Australia. ACT (Australian Capital Territory) No Waste by 2010 bill in 1995. The passing of this bill marked the first time ever a city created a zero waste goal. 

In there first year of launching the ACT No Waste Campaign, Canberra was able to divert 42% of waste from the landfill. During the year between the beginning of the campaign and the end of the goal year of 2010 there was leveling off and only slight increases. With the being said by 2009 the city was diverting 73% of its waste away from landfills. 

The most recent changes that have been made in an effort for Canberra to become zero waste, they have made an adjustment to the 2010 goal, with a new goal of 90% diversion by 2025. This is the new ACT Waste Strategy which was appointed in 2011 after the initial 2010 goal was not reached. 

New Zealand

Following Canberra, just two years later the Christchurch City Council (CCC) of New Zealand pasted the Zero Waste New Zealand Trust. This began the movement of zero waste and minimizing of waste in New Zealand. With a variety of efforts put in place the goal was to achieve zero waste by 2020. Unfortunately the initial goal was dropped in 2001, with revisions of 65% diversion by 2020. By 2006 the campaign was changed once again with the revisions being a goal of 320 kg/person/year to landfill by 2020. 

The Trust voiced a goal of creating “a closed loop materials economy; one where products are made to be reused, repaired and recycled, an economy that minimises and ultimately eliminates waste” (Tennant-Wood, 2003).

Del Norte County, Califorina

The first state to implement a zero waste plan in the United States was in 2000, in Del Norte County, California. In California the California Integrated Waste Management Board applied zero waste goals as an effort to manage waste. 

“... a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use. ZW means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and mate- rials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them” (ZWIA, 2009).

Toronto, Canada 

The next city to establish a zero waste goal was the city of Toronto, Canada. Similar to other policies the goal of this policy was to achieve zero waste by a certain year. The Task Force 2010 was launched in 2001 and had a goal year of 2010. Prior to launching the Task Force 2010 policy, Toronto had been shipping its waste to other sites. Once the policy was in place and changes were being made, Toronto achieve a landfill diversion rate of 27% in 2001 and in 2003 reached the rate of 32%. The city had met its original goal of 30% for Phase l, but hitting the next goal for Phase ll of 60% diversion by 2006 did not seem like it would be reached, so the date was pushed back to 2008. With this set back the overall zero waste to landfill goal year was moved from 2010 to 2012. After building new landfill sites and not staying on track to meet the zero waste goal of 2012, Toronto implemented a new policy, Target 70. Target 70 was a program with the ultimate goal being 70% diversion by 2010. By 2010 the city have not reached its new goal and only had a diversion percentage of 47%. Overall the city of Toronto has had a slight decrease in the amount of waste being sent to the landfill since establishing a number of different zero waste policies. 

San Fransisco, California

A majority of cites are beginning to create zero waste goals with the main goal being zero waste landfills. San Fransisco is an example of a city who’s goal is to reach to zero waste landfills by 2020. This 2020 goal was not the first goal established in the city of San Fransisco. The first initiative was launched in 2002 with the goal of achieving 75% diversion by 2010. Once 50% diversion was reached the city would then determined what year to place a goal of 100% diversion. This is where the current 2020 goal comes in. After one year of implementing this campaign, San Fransisco was able to achieve 50% diversion from landfills. They intended to achieve this goal by redirecting waste away from landfills. Due to the practices of production, consumption and waste this goal will most likely not reach 100% diversion, but has the ability to make a significant impact. Setting these goals and creating methods in which to achieve them spread awareness of the need for more cities to follow in the footsteps of cities like San Fransisco and the cities that first inspired the zero waste movement. If cities are not willing to put zero waste polices and practices in place, starting with local communities and businesses are a step in the right direction. 

Since establishing a zero waste goal, as a city San Fransisco has been able to achieve 77% waste diversion. The approach that the city has taken it is currently ranked the highest in the United States to achieve this percentage of waste diversion. Enacting strong waste reduction legislation, partnering with a like-minded waste management company to innovate new programs, and working to create a culture of recycling and composting through incentives and outreach are the three parts the city used to achieve 77% waste diversion. 

Sources

Krausz, Robert. All for naught? A critical study of zero waste to landfill initiatives. Diss. Lincoln University, 2012.

Song, Qingbin, Jinhui Li, and Xianlai Zeng. "Minimizing the Increasing Solid Waste Through Zero Waste Strategy." Journal of Cleaner Production 104 (2015): 199-210.