Measure description
Refuse is defined as any type of waste that requires collection and transport to a processing and disposal site, including recycled, composted, and trash waste. The Recovery Rate is the percentage of total residential and small business refuse that is recovered through recycling and composting, and therefore not sent to a landfill. It is a key indicator of San Francisco's current recycling and composting practices as it works toward its goal of achieving zero waste. The Department of the Environment is responsible for tracking the performance of this measure as part of its waste reduction efforts.
Why this measure is important
Reporting on the monthly Recovery Rate provides the public, elected officials, and City staff with a current snapshot of San Francisco's progress in achieving zero waste.
The Department of the Environment is currently working with Recology to bring recycling and composting collection to all City residents and small businesses, including those with physical constraints (space or access) to recycling, composting, and trash bins. The Department is also conducting ongoing efforts to encourage recovery by educating residents and employees on how to properly separate materials into the proper bins.
The interactive chart below presents the City's average workday tons Refuse to Primary Landfill.
The chart's legend is below:
- Y-axis: Percentage of residential and small business refuse recovered through recycling and composting
- X-axis: Calendar year
- Actuals above the 55% target line are preferred.
Recovery Rate
How performance is measured
The monthly Recovery Rate is calculated using the following methodology:
Monthly total tons of recycled and composted material divided by monthly total tons of small generator refuse (recycling, composting, and trash)
Recology reports to SF Environment monthly tons collected for each refuse stream (compostables, recyclables, landfill) minus “residual” materials. Residual materials are contaminants that come from recycling and composting streams that end up being landfilled.
The number displayed on the scorecard page represents a fiscal year average of the values in the chart above.
Data
All Recovery Rate data comes from the San Francisco Department of the Environment. Data are reported with a two to three-month lag. For example, May's data will be available at the end of July.
Additional information
Learn more about SF Environment's Zero Waste Initiative.
City Performance Scorecards
This page is part of the City Performance Scorecards.
Return to the Sustainability & Climate Action Scorecard.
Return to the City Performance Scorecards Home Page.