San Diego Considers Deposits on C&D Projects

San Diego officials are considering including mandatory deposits as part of a construction and demolition debris recycling mandate, according to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The proposal calls for contractors to put down a deposit on C&D projects, which will be paid when applying for a permit. If the materials are properly recycled and documented, the money will be returned. If not, the money will go to fun the city’s recycling efforts, according to the report.

San Diego has been considering a C&D recycling mandate to help bolster its waning recycling rates, which slipped from 48 percent in 2000 to 45 percent in 2003, according to the Union-Tribune.

California state law calls for cities to divert half their excess material from landfills, or face heavy financial penalties.

San Diego officials see the C&D arena as a place for improvement. Nearly 400,000 tons mixed C&D debris ends up in the city’s Miramar Landfill per year, according to the report.

The Union-Tribune reports that the plan is modeled on similar ordinances in San Jose and the rest of the Bay Area.

The proposal has drawn criticism from contractors, who call it a premature action, and from some government watchdog groups, who want an audit of San Diego’s recycling funds before supporting a new fee, according to the report.