As the City of San Diego enters the second phase of community listening sessions for enhanced trash collection services and potential new fees, San Diegans are once again invited to participate in the process. During Phase 2 of the Trash Study outreach for residential customers serviced by the City’s Environmental Services Department (ESD), the City will host meetings in each Council District, starting Nov. 12, to share what has been learned so far and to gather additional feedback.  

The City’s robust Trash Study community engagement kicked off in August 2024 with a series of open house meetings designed to gather diverse perspectives and build an understanding of preferences. Community members living in residential properties currently serviced by ESD were invited to learn about the history of waste management in San Diego, find out how services are presently funded, and to share their thoughts and views about the services they currently receive.  

In Phase 1, the City heard from more than 6,000 residents through events, surveys and monthly meetings with leaders from several community-based organizations. The City also completed much of the financial work that will inform recommendations to the City Council.   

“We are very pleased with both the quantity and quality of what we’ve learned so far,” said Andrea Deleon, Deputy Director, Environmental Services Department. “We heard from thousands of people about the current services they receive and what enhanced services they would be interested in. Several themes came up again and again as priorities, including bulky item pickup, increased recycling collection and replacement of broken bins at no additional charge. This kind of insight is invaluable as we move forward with this first-ever, historic opportunity to engage with San Diegans about waste management.”  

Another key takeaway from Phase 1 engagement is the desire for ongoing education and outreach for how to properly dispose of trash, recyclables and organic waste. These insights will be considered as the City moves toward Phase 3 (another round of meetings and the completion of an extensive Cost-of-Service Study) in spring 2025, leading up to the City Council considering a proposed fee schedule in June 2025. 

Phase 2 meetings will consist of a brief overview to include priorities expressed by residents and a comparison of trash and recycling services and charges in nearby cities. An open house will follow, during which participants can review the data, ask questions and provide feedback. Spanish speakers will be on site to provide translation at each meeting. Requests for other language translation services can be made in advance.  

A virtual meeting, in English and Spanish, will be offered on Dec. 6. In addition, community members are invited to take a second questionnaire that builds on an earlier version to help the City better understand their views about trash, recycling and organic waste collection services. Residents who prefer more formal presentations of study information can attend meetings of Community Planning Groups and Town Councils where the Trash Study is on the agenda. The City also continues to host tables at farmers markets and other community events. A complete schedule is available at cleangreensd.org.  

The City’s Trash Study comes as a result of the passage of Measure B in 2022, amending the “People’s Ordinance” to allow the City to charge a cost-recovery fee for trash and recycling collection services. Such a fee would apply to approximately 285,000 residential properties currently serviced by the City. This includes single-family homes and residential complexes of four or fewer units that meet City requirements for City-provided trash and recycling collection. Currently, these properties do not directly pay for trash and recycling collection, while residents in apartment complexes and those with homeowner associations, for example, do pay private waste collection companies for these services. 

For more information about the Trash Study, visit cleangreensd.org. 

Phase 2 Open House Meeting Schedule

·         Council District 6: Nov. 12, 5:30 to 7 p.m., University Community Library, 4155 Governor Drive, San Diego, CA 92122

·         Council District 2: Nov. 18, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Cathy Hopper Friendship Center at the North Clairemont Recreation Center, 4425 Bannock Ave., San Diego, CA 92117

·         Council District 7: Nov. 19, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tierrasanta Recreation Center, 11220 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92117

·         Council District 3: Nov. 20, 4 to 5:30 p.m., San Diego Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

·         Council District 5: Nov. 25, 5:30 to 7 p.m., San Diego Oasis at Rancho Bernardo, 17170 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

·         Council District 8: Nov. 26, 5:30 to 7 p.m., San Ysidro Library, 4235 Beyer Blvd., San Diego, CA 92173

·         Council District 9: Dec. 2, 5:30 to 7 p.m., College-Rolando Library, 660 Montezuma Road, San Diego, CA 92113

·         Council District 4: Dec. 3, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Educational Cultural Complex Upstairs Lobby, 4343 Ocean View Blvd., San Diego, CA 92113

·         Citywide: Dec. 6, 10 to 11 a.m., online via zoom. Visit cleangreensd.org to register.

·         Council District 1: Dec. 10, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Pacific Beach/Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St., San Diego, CA 92109 

About the Environmental Services Department

The Environmental Services Department (ESD) ensures that City of San Diego residents have a clean and safe environment. The department pursues waste management strategies that emphasize waste reduction; recycling and composting; and environmentally sound landfill management.