CAC Thursday November 13,,,12-2
rican...@aol.com
COUNTYWIDE INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE/ CRRA San Diego Chapter and Zero Waste San Diego Public Meeting MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
WHEN: Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 12:00 – 2:00 pm
This meeting will be in-person with the option for virtual attendance
PLEASE NOTE: floor and room change for in-person attendance County of San Diego, Department of Public Works
5510 Overland Ave
3rd Floor, Conference Room #371
(For access - please ring the C&D bell located at the County Surveyor counter) San Diego, CA 92123
MEETING LINK: Join the meeting now
Phone call in through Teams:
Call +1 619-343-2539 and enter the meeting ID 299 560 363 771#
Contact: Steve Weihe 858-694-2559
Submit Agenda Items to Chair Rick Anthony and County Staff Steve Weihe 2 weeks prior to the next meeting: RicAn...@aol.com and Steve...@sdcounty.ca.gov
Agenda
1. Welcome, Introductions and Attendance
2. Approval, Minutes October 2025
3. Chair’s Report
4. Staff Reports
a. Cities
b. County
c. Haulers
d. Non-Profits
5. Public Comments and Communication
6. Regional Planning Issues
a. Wasting Fee
7. Legislative Update
8. Roundtable
9. Adjournment
Minutes
Thursday, October 9, from 12:00-2:00 p.m.
1. Welcome, Introductions and Attendance
a. Chair
i. Stephen Mergener, Zero Waste San Diego* (*in-person attendee)
ii. Ric Anthony, Zero Waste San Diego*
b. Guests
i. Steve Weihe, County of San Diego*
ii. Kirk Kinder, County of San Diego*
iii. Ani Putnam, City of San Diego
iv. Lotte Phoummavong, Goodwill Industries of San Diego
v. Bob Hill, EDCO*
vi. Ron Askeland, Sierra Club/resident
vii. Helen Kagan, resident
2. Approval, minutes from September 2025
a. Approved
3. Chair’s Report –
a. Global Zero Waste Forum in Turkey October 17-19, 2025
b. National Zero Waste USA Conference - https://zerowasteusa.org/event/national-zero-waste-conference-2025/ 10/22/25
i. Day one - spotlight on businesses
ii. Day two – spotlight on local government
c. Ric attended the National Recycling Congress - https://www.nrcrecycles.org/congress/
i. Many reuse/repair options available
d. CRRA will be held in downtown San Diego - August 2026
e. Zero Waste Symposium – call for speakers closed recently
f. Attendees discussed
i. Mountain Meadow Mushroom farm –are in the unincorporated county.
4. Staff reports
a. City of San Diego
i. Outreach
1. Measure B
a. Will start to swap out trash bins (grey) for Monday customers; should take about one year to deliver to all 250K homes; City residents have 30 days to adjust bin size; City will be launching a tracker through get it done app with approximate timeline for bin swap out.
b. 63% of previous city-service multifamily complexes have transitioned to private service.
c. https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/trash-service-updates
2. CalRecycle grant
a. Will incorporate door to door outreach for multifamily complexes and target a total of 6,000 doors through 64 properties.
A. ReCREATE is the contractor (Most Likely To (MLT) is main contractor)
B. Handouts include kitchen pails and What Goes Where guide
C. Contractor is working on outreach development (videos/billboards/radio).
3. Fix It Clinics
a. November 1st - https://zerowastesandiego.org/event/sd-fixit-clinic-in-san-diego-at-skyline-hills-library/2025-11-01/
4. Events
a. https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/events
5. I Love A Clean San Diego
a. Pending contract renewal
6. Attendees discussed
a. Where will the black bins end up?
A. Will be recycled/reused
b. Styrofoam ban
A. Is complaint based – https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling?redirect=recyclingworks-com
b. County of San Diego
i. Site Visits
1. Actively visiting Tier I/II businesses (under SB 1383), commercial as well as multi-family residences to assist with recycling and organic waste educational outreach.
ii. Waivers
1. Reviews continue both on organic waste waiver exemptions and self-haul forms for recyclables.
iii. Van wrap
1. Working on finalizing graphics to wrap our County van in Recycle Right and/or Organic Waste recycling messaging.
iv. Events
a. Solana Center workshops
b. Residential Cleanup event in Julian Saturday, 10/11 from 8 AM to 12 PM at the Julian Library/High School (No HHW)
A. Free shredding service and mulch giveaway
c. HHW and E-Waste Collection event at Borrego Springs High School Saturday, 11/1 from 9 AM to 2 PM
d. Residential Cleanup event in Fallbrook Saturday, 11/8 from 8 AM to 12 PM at Fallbrook High School (No HHW)
A. Tires will be accepted
v. Outreach
1. OOPS tag procurement
a. In process of procuring “OOPS” tag contract
A. Will monitor all three-waste stream and “tag” bins with contamination; targeting multifamily, single family and commercial sectors.
2. Attendees discussed
a. Bob
A. Current contamination rates in the blue bin are around 20-25%.
B. Demographics can impact contamination rates
3. Starting to give out kitchen pails to multifamily residents to help with the convenience of storage/transport. Bringing to tabling events.
4. Newly revised MFC bag designs have been approved and ordered; delivery anticipated by the end of the year.
5. Looking into agricultural plastics recycling options.
vi. Self-Haul
1. Some businesses have decided to stop self-hauling recyclables (too much work) and have switched back to cart/dumpster service.
c. Haulers
i. EDCO
1. Two new digesters are anticipated for the Escondido location (four total) bringing the organic waste processing capacity to 186 tons/year.
2. Attendees discussed –
a. Will we see more trash in the blue bin if City of San Diego residents want smaller bins (to reduce costs)?
A. Additional contaminants may be added to the blue bin. EDCO performs studies with the City periodically and could help identify if this occurs.
3. Plastics pricing is low (baled plastics for recycling).
a. Could negatively affect buy back centers
4. Seeing more wine bottles in the recycling stream
5. Wine cartons – what is happening to these (CRV is being paid out)?
a. EDCO is not able to process and no markets have been identified.
d. Non-profits
i. Zero Waste San Diego (ZWSD)
1. Reuse and Repair Collective- 611 Beech St. San Diego 92101
a. Grand opening was held; over 100 attendees
b. Tool lending library/bike repair/textiles
c. Garnering media attention
2. Zero Waste Symposium 2026
a. Tentatively scheduled for February 18, 2026
3. Fix-It Clincs
a. https://zerowastesandiego.org/sdfixitclinic/
A. 5 more through the end of the year
4. Contracted with LA County for Fix It (15 total)
a. Working with LA County libraries
ii. Goodwill
1. Partnering on events
iii. I Love A Clean San Diego
1. Events https://www.cleansd.org/events/
2. Steve shared
a. Coastal Cleanup Day numbers are in!
A. 69,075 lbs. of litter removed
B. 3,887 volunteers across 101 sites
C. 5,530 lbs. recycled (included in total litter)
D. 16,409 cigarette butts collected
iv. Sierra Club
1. Ron
a. Attended the Board of Supervisors meeting on 8/27 and spoke during public comment. At least one Board office was interested and directed Dahvia to reach out.
b. Met with County staff to discuss the Wasting Fee on 9/15 virtually.
c. Ron shared that the County may be researching other cities/counties and their current fees.
d. Goal is to increase the current fee by $1 to $1.02.
e. Attended a Firesafe Council event
A. Helped to provide three stream bins for the event
f. Artificial turf concerns
v. League of Women Voters– No report
5. Public Comments and Communication
a. Attendees discussed
1. Helen
a. Shared observations from their trip to France and recycling differences.
b. Discussed waste-to-energy (WTE) in Europe
c. Bob-EDCO has the option to separate film plastics in the MRF; no viable end markets have been located.
6. Regional Planning issues
a. Wasting Fee discussion (from Chair)
i. N/A
7. Legislative update (https://www.calpsc.org/legislation)
New 2025 bills introduced:
a. AB-762, Single-use Vaping Devices Sales Ban
This bill would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2026, a person from selling, distributing, or offering for sale a new or refurbished disposable, battery-embedded vapor inhalation device in this state. The bill would define a “disposable, battery-embedded vapor inhalation device” to mean a vaporization device that is not designed or intended to be reused, as specified.
Current Status: In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author; 04/29/2025.
b. AB-823, Solid waste: plastic microbeads.
This bill would, on and after January 1, 2027, prohibit a person from selling, distributing, or offering for promotional purposes in this state a cleaning product, as defined, or a personal care product in a rinse-off product, containing one ppm or more by weight of plastic microbeads that are used as an abrasive, as specified. The bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, prohibit a person from selling, distributing, or offering for promotional purposes in this state a coating, as defined, cleaning product, or personal care product, that contains one ppm or more by weight of plastic microbeads that are not used as an abrasive. Current Status: Passed Assembly and Senate. Enrolled and presented to the Governor.
c. AB-864, Hazardous waste: solar photovoltaic modules
This bill would exempt solar photovoltaic modules not identified as hazardous waste and treated as universal waste, as defined, from state hazardous waste regulations, if transferred to a designated recycler for legitimate recycling.
Current Status: Passed Assembly; in Senate. Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator McNerney.
d. SB-45, Recycling: beverage containers: tethered plastic caps.
The bill would require, on and after January 1, 2027, beverage containers, as defined, intended for sale in this state, to have a cap that is tethered to the container that prevents the separation of the cap from the container when the cap is removed from the container by the consumer. (Rick spoke on this one).
Current Status: May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. 5/23/2025.
e. SB-501, Household Hazardous Waste Producer Responsibility Act
This bill would create a producer responsibility program for products containing household hazardous waste and would require a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to ensure the safe and convenient collection and management of covered products at no cost to consumers or local governments. The bill would define “covered product” to mean a consumer product that is ignitable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive, or that meets other specified criteria.
Current Status: May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. 5/23/2025.
f. SB-561 Hazardous waste: Emergency Distress Flare Safe Disposal Act. (Marine Flares)
This bill would create a manufacturer responsibility program for the safe and proper management of emergency distress flares. The bill would define “covered product” to include certain pyrotechnic devices that meet the criteria for household hazardous waste, as specified. The bill would require a manufacturer of a covered product, individually or through a manufacturer responsibility organization, to develop and management of covered products, as specified.
Current Status: Passed Senate; in Assembly. July 15 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
g. SB-615, Vehicle Traction Batteries
This bill would require a battery supplier, as defined, to be responsible for, among other duties, ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of a vehicle traction battery if it is removed from a vehicle that is still in service, as provided, or if the vehicle traction battery is offered or returned to its battery supplier, and reporting information regarding the sale, transfer, or receipt of a vehicle traction battery or module to the department, as provided.
Current Status: Passed Senate; in Assembly. Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.
h. AB-80 Carpet recycling: product stewardship for carpet: fines
The act includes a product stewardship for carpet program and a successor carpet producer responsibility program. The product stewardship for carpet program requires a manufacturer of carpets sold in this state, individually or through a carpet stewardship organization, to submit a carpet stewardship plan to the department. The program authorizes the department to administratively impose a civil penalty of $25,000 per day on any person in violation of the program if the violation is intentional, knowing, or negligent.
Current Status: Passed Assembly; in Senate. In committee: Held under submission.
i. SB-353 Income tax: credits: food banks.
The Personal Income Tax Law
and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by
those laws, including, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017,
and before January 1, 2027, a credit for qualified taxpayers in an
amount equal to 15% of the qualified value of fresh fruits or vegetables and
specified raw agricultural products or processed foods donated to a food bank.
This bill would extend the authorization for those tax credits indefinitely.
Current Status: Passed Senate; in Assembly. July 14 hearing: Retained in suspense file.
j. AB-998 Household hazardous waste: vape pens.
Under this bill, a vape pen confiscated by a school as contraband is presumed to have been generated by a household and does not lose its status as household hazardous waste when properly managed and disposed of at a household hazardous waste collection facility or through a household hazardous waste collection program.
Current Status: Passed Assembly; in Senate. In committee: Held under submission.
k. AB-1148 Food packaging: hazardous chemicals.
This bill would authorize the Department of Toxic Substances Control to adopt regulations to restrict or prohibit the distribution, sale, or offering for sale in the state of food packaging that contains intentionally added antimony trioxide, bisphenols, or ortho-phthalates, as specified.
Current Status: Passed Assembly; in Senate. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing cancelled at the request of the author.
l. Bills vetoed by the Governor (previous session):
i. SB 1066 -- EPR for Marine Flares
ii. SB 615 – End-of-life management for vehicle traction batteries
8. Roundtable
a. Concerns about SB 54 and additional materials being pushed on MRFs that don’t have the ability to capture additional materials.
a. Federal Senate has approved a Recycling and a separate composting bill
i. S. 1194 Recycling and Composting A87ccountability Act
ii. S. 1189 Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2024 Passed Senate on 3/12/24.
9. Adjournment