REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Authorize the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Santa Clara County Local Public Agencies Related to the Joint Funding and Operation of the Composting Education Program
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote Sustainability and Environmental Protection
BACKGROUND
The Composting Education Program is a vital initiative that directly supports the County's waste reduction goals by engaging the community in sustainable waste management practices. Residents attend in-person classes where they are educated about home composting and are encouraged to turn food and yard waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that will benefit their gardens and landscapes. The Composting Education Program has been popular with residents in the community. In 2024, the Composting Education Program conducted 37 compost workshops, 21 events, and worked at 24 schools across Santa Clara County. This included three events with 460 attendees and four compost workshops in the City of Santa Clara, which drew a total of 82 Santa Clara residents.
The Composting Education Program has historically been funded by the Solid Waste Planning Fees (SWPF) which are assessed county-wide on each ton of waste disposed of in a landfill. In 2016, California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) was adopted, setting goals to reduce the disposal of organic waste in landfills in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The successful implementation of the SB 1383 organics diversion programs has significantly reduced landfill disposal tonnage countywide, causing SWPF revenue to decrease. At the same time, the costs to run the programs have been increasing.
With reduced SWPF revenues and rising costs, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the Santa Clara County Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission (RWRC) needs to find alternative funding avenues to continue providing residents access to beneficial programs. SWPF revenues alone will not be s...
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