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Climate Action Plan Target 12

Current Status

Complete

Activity In 2022

Adopted in 2020. No changes were made in 2021.

Beyond 2022

The city will continue to implement the goals of the Houston long-range solid waste plan while aligning goals and targets of Resilient Houston and the Climate Action Plan.

Current Initiatives

  • Exploring plastic recycling options
  • Implementing the long-range solid waste management plan
  • Launched composting initiative
  • Launch the review of a municipal Green Procurement Policy

What Does a Long-Range Solid Waste Plan Entail?

The lifecycle of any product has three stages: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream refers to the manufacturing of the product as well as its packaging. Midstream focuses on the longevity of the product, including the reuse and repurposing of products. Downstream focuses on recovery, including recycling or energy recovery. Local governments have the largest impact on the downstream stage of a product’s lifecycle because of their role in waste and recycling systems. However, local governments can, to some degree, influence the upstream and midstream segments of a product’s lifecycle, before the materials arrive at a local government facility, by promoting waste prevention, reduction, and reuse as well as leading by example through purchasing policies. To protect public health, the environment, and local communities, the city must prioritize waste diversion to improve the capacity of Houston’s current landfill assets, which are projected to fill up before 2050. A comprehensive and integrated 20-year long-range solid waste plan has been developed by the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) to address all components of Houston’s integrated solid waste system, including strategies for the community to increase landfill diversion across commercial and residential sectors.

Current Initiatives

2022 Data Source
COH ARA / Solid Waste