AB 939 & SB 1016 - Diversion Requirements

AB 939

The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939) requires each jurisdiction to divert 50% of its solid waste from being disposed in landfills. Cities, such as Foster City, were required to prepare and implement plans to achieve 25% waste reduction from 1995 through 1999 and 50% waste reduction from the year 2000 and thereafter. Under AB 939, compliance was achieved through a combination of reaching the 50% diversion mandate and showing a "good faith effort" in implementing diversion programs. The City of Foster City's Board approved diversion results from 1995 through 2006 are as follows:

Diversion Goal Reporting Year Diversion Rate Results
25%  1995 27% Achieved
1996 25% Achieved
1997 54% Achieved
1998 50% Achieved
1999 37% Achieved
 
50% 2000 43% Not Met
20011 40% Time Extension
20021 39% Time Extension
20031 35% Time Extension
20042 43% Time Extension
20052 45% Time Extension
2006 50% Achieved

1The City applied for and was granted a three-year time extension to achieve the 50% mandate.
2The City applied for and was granted a second time extension for two (2) years to achieve the 50% mandate.  

SB 1016

For 2007 and subsequent years, CalRecycle (formerly the CIWMB) introduced a new diversion measurement system, which was based on a City's population and disposal tons to calculate a per capita disposal rate expressed in pounds per person per day. This measurement system is described further on the CalRecycle website:  SB 1016 Measurement System.

SB 1016 builds on AB 939 compliance requirements by implementing a simplified measure of the City's recycling performance. Under this measurement system, a city needs to annually dispose of an amount equal to or less than its "50 percent equivalent per capita disposal target" calculated by CalRecycle. Since the implementation of the revised diversion measurement system under SB1016, Foster City has achieved compliance by remaining below the calculated per capita disposal target set by the State:

Reporting Year Per Resident3 Per Employee*
TARGET 3.73  7.1* 
2007 3.9 Not Met 6.7 Achieved
2008 3.6 Achieved 6.0 Achieved
2009 3.3 Achieved 5.6 Achieved
2010 3.0 Achieved 5.6 Achieved
2011 2.7 Achieved 4.1 Achieved
2012 2.5 Achieved 4.1 Achieved
2013 2.6 Achieved 4.1 Achieved
2014 2.0 Achieved 3.1 Achieved
2015 2.4 Achieved 3.7 Achieved
2016 2.4 Achieved 4.0 Achieved
2017 2.4 Achieved 3.9 Achieved
2018 2.6 Achieved 4.2 Achieved
2019 2.6 Achieved 4.0 Achieved
2020 2.4 Achieved 4.1 Achieved
2021 2.6 Achieved 4.7 Achieved
2022 2.4 Achieved 3.7 Achieved
2023 2.3 Achieved 3.5 Achieved

3Per Resident Disposal Rate Target (pounds per person per day (PPD)): 3.7
*Per Employee Disposal Rate Target (pounds per person per day (PPD)): 7.1