Waste Management
We’re reducing the waste we send to the landfill though a variety of programs.
The park routinely achieves a waste diversion rate of 70%, exceeding that of most California municipalities. Our waste management program has received numerous awards, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Green Challenge Regional Award in 2022.
Work remains to be done to achieve our goal of ultimately being a net zero waste park. Learn about efforts underway.
Composting
We operate an in-house yard-waste compost program that recovers green debris generated in the park (like at Presidio Golf Course) and composts it onsite.
Compost is converted into a high-quality soil amendment that’s used at the Presidio Nursery, on landscapes, and for forestry projects. This supports healthy landscapes while reducing disposal fees.
Low Waste Presidio Events
As a national park site, we host millions of visitors and host large public events. We’re installing a three-can waste disposal system (compost, recycling, landfill) to encourage park users to properly sort waste. Presidio Pop Up food truck vendors are required to use recyclable and compostable food service ware and may not use disposable plastic water bottles.
Supporting Presidio Residents and Tenants
About 3,000 people live in the Presidio and more than 200 organizations are based here from restaurants to schools. We’re working with our waste disposal partner, Recology, to implement a comprehensive education program to help Presidio tenants and residents, mindfully sort waste.
Building Rehabilitation and Maintenance
When we learned that 75% of construction waste was going to the landfill, we actively worked to improve our practices during building maintenance and rehabilitation.
We trained staff on sorting, worked with our waste hauler to recycle additional construction materials, and produced signage to keep the topic top of mind. Said our zero-waste coordinator, “Our strategies are simple: monitor our disposal to find opportunities for improvement, work with our haulers to maximize recycling opportunities, and educate the staff and community. Buy-in from our on-the-ground staff has been the key to our success.”
