Austin, TX Diversion Rate = 42% (2015)

In 2011, Austin’s Department of Solid Waste Services became Austin Resource Recovery (ARR). With that name change came a new focus: creating a zero waste system.

ARR immediately released the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan to outline actionable paths forward, including entire chapters dedicated to sustainability, materials management and economic development, complete with metrics for measuring success.

Like many cities, Austin has been taking a multi-faceted approach to achieving zero waste. One of the first changes Austin made was to require nearly all multifamily and commercial properties to make recycling more convenient. Under the Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO), all recycling receptacles must have consistent colors and branding throughout the city.

The URO established another important norm: All food service enterprises, such as grocery stores, farmers markets and restaurants must now divert food waste.

If one person’s trash is another’s treasure, then it helps to have lots of people in on the action. That’s why Austin has begun prioritizing partnerships to achieve zero waste. One of these partnerships is with the Austin Materials Marketplace, an online platform that connects local individuals with businesses to divert, reuse and/or repurpose materials that are difficult or impossible to recycle or compost.

Materials Marketplace is able to breathe new life into these materials by finding entities that are interested in purchasing them. Additionally, the platform can help organizations identify ways to reduce waste or substitute materials. The model financially benefits all participants, as sellers are able to receive revenue from a product that was formerly discarded as waste, and buyers can purchase materials and products at a significantly lower cost than new or virgin materials.

Smaller partnerships include Austin’s Economic Development Department, which builds local businesses and engages stakeholders; the Austin Chamber of Commerce, which connects ARR with real estate and broker services; and local chapters of non-profits such as Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army, which create opportunities for reusing and repurposing of goods like textiles.

Austin is also in the process of establishing a partnership with the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) at the University of Texas at Austin to foster circular economy startups and disruptive technology.

The city pays for these initiatives by charging a monthly “Clean Community Fee” to all residents and local business. But the revenues the city – as well as local businesses – enjoys from these new initiatives are substantial, proving that a zero waste system is not only sustainable, but also profitable.