ATTACHMENT 11 Appendix I Zero Waste Surveys I-1
Zero Waste Surveys In order to gather input from the public, interested community members and stakeholders were given the opportunity to complete a survey regarding the City s proposed Zero Waste Strategic Plan. The Zero Waste survey solicited input on the potential policies, programs, and infrastructure options identified in the Plan. Separate surveys were provided for single-family residents, multi-family residents, and businesses, to enable input specific to the interests of these individual stakeholders. To get the word out, the City initially made the survey available at the annual Santa Monica Clover Park Festival, and used interns to canvas the Farmer s Markets. The City created postcards that were placed at all the public counters and coffee shops around the City, and an email blast was sent out to over 4,000 businesses and residents. The City also reached out to the neighborhood associations and to the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce to place ads in their newsletters. The surveys included a series of questions, and responders were asked to indicate whether they Strongly Agreed, Agreed, were Neutral, Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with each question or statement. The survey questions and responses to the surveys are summarized below, and copies of the surveys are included at the end of this Appendix. Single-Family Survey The Single-Family Survey asked for input on 22 ideas for possible policies, programs, and infrastructure included in the Zero Waste Strategic Plan. A total of 238 surveys were completed. Overall, residents strongly support the City s adoption of Zero Waste, and the policies, programs, and infrastructure options that will help the City to achieve Zero Waste. Seventeen of the 22 questions received a response of Strongly Agree or Agree from 75% or more of the responders. One third of the questions received a response of Strongly Agree or Agree from 90% or more of the responders. Programs that received lower support included enforcing anti-scavenging, curbside textile recycling, and document shredding. The results are tabulated below. Policy Options Single-family residents were asked whether they support the following policy options: 1. Formal commitment to achieving Zero Waste by 2030. Strongly Agree or Agree: 88% Neutral: 8% I-2
2. Expansion of recycling efforts at City facilities. Strongly Agree or Agree: 95% Neutral: 4% 3. Evaluate and identify improvements to residential curbside recycling program and incorporate rate structure incentives. Strongly Agree or Agree: 94% Neutral: 4% 4. Require manufacturers to take back their products. Strongly Agree or Agree: 74% Neutral: 17% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 9% 5. City educating residents about sustainable purchasing practices. Strongly Agree or Agree: 87% Neutral: 11% 6. Increasing enforcement of anti-scavenging ordinance for curbside recycling containers. Strongly Agree or Agree: 39% Neutral: 24% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 37% 7. Bans on hard to recycle materials, such as plastic bags and Styrofoam food packaging. Strongly Agree or Agree: 74% Neutral: 16% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 10% Program Options Single-family residents were asked whether they support the following program options: 8. Residential food waste recycling Strongly Agree or Agree: 82% Neutral: 12% I-3
9. Business food waste recycling program Strongly Agree or Agree: 94% Neutral: 4% 10. Two container weekly collection program (organics and recycling) Strongly Agree or Agree: 73% Neutral: 16% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 11% 11. Increased educational outreach, with regular updates, circulation, and announcements. Strongly Agree or Agree: 86% Neutral: 10% 12. Free technical assistance to businesses Strongly Agree or Agree: 88% Neutral: 9% 13. Online service to reduce/stop junk mail Strongly Agree or Agree: 90% Neutral: 7% 14. School recycling programs Strongly Agree or Agree: 96% Neutral: 3% 15. Curbside textile recycling program Strongly Agree or Agree: 65% Neutral: 29% 16. Re-Use programs, such as Citywide Yard Sale Strongly Agree or Agree: 79% Neutral: 19% I-4
17. Recycling collection containers in public places Strongly Agree or Agree: 96% Neutral: 4% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 0% Infrastructure Options Single-family residents were asked whether they support the following infrastructure options: 18. Development of regional organics composting facilities in partnership with neighboring cities. Strongly Agree or Agree: 82% Neutral: 14% 19. Development of residual waste recycling facilities in partnership with neighboring cities Strongly Agree or Agree: 85% Neutral: 10% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 5% 20. Development of self-haul facility to recycle furniture, mattresses and white goods. Strongly Agree or Agree: 77% Neutral: 17% 21. Establishment of a permanent household hazardous waste collection program within City limits. Strongly Agree or Agree: 92% Neutral: 7% 22. Regular document shredding services. Strongly Agree or Agree: 53% Neutral: 36% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 11% I-5
Multi-Family Survey The Multi-Family Survey asked for input on 15 ideas for possible policies, programs, and infrastructure included in the Zero Waste Strategic Plan. A total of 113 surveys were completed. Overall, multi-family residents strongly support the City s adoption of Zero Waste, and the policies, programs, and infrastructure options that will help the City to achieve Zero Waste. Twelve of the 15 questions received a response of Strongly Agree or Agree from 75% or more of the responders. Questions that received lower support included satisfaction with their current recycling processes and satisfaction with current work to divert hazardous items from landfills. The results are tabulated for each question below. Policy Options Multi-family residents were asked whether they support the following policy options: 1. Formal commitment to achieving Zero Waste by 2030. Strongly Agree or Agree: 93% Neutral: 6% 2. Evaluate and identify improvements to recycling program and incorporate rate structure incentives. Strongly Agree or Agree: 94% Neutral: 3% 3. Satisfaction with your building s current recycling processes Strongly Agree or Agree: 34% Neutral: 23% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 43% 4. City educating residents about sustainable purchasing practices Strongly Agree or Agree: 89% Neutral: 8% 5. Require manufacturers to take back their products. Strongly Agree or Agree: 71% Neutral: 20% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 8% I-6
6. Bans on hard to recycle materials, such as plastic bags and Styrofoam food packaging. Strongly Agree or Agree: 77% Neutral: 15% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 8% Program Options Multi-family residents were asked whether they support the following program options: 7. Residential food waste recycling. Strongly Agree or Agree: 85% Neutral: 9% 8. Increased educational outreach with regular updates, circulation, and announcements. Strongly Agree or Agree: 89% Neutral: 9% 9. Curbside textile recycling collection. Strongly Agree or Agree: 75% Neutral: 20% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 5% 10. ReUse program, such as Citywide Yard Sale. Strongly Agree or Agree: 86% Neutral: 13% 11. Recycling collection containers in public places. Strongly Agree or Agree: 95% Neutral: 5% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 0% Infrastructure Options Multi-family residents were asked whether they support the following infrastructure options: 12. Development of regional organics composting facilities in partnership with neighboring cities. Strongly Agree or Agree: 91% Neutral: 6% I-7
13. Does your building currently work to divert hazardous items from landfills, such as batteries, ink, paint, and other E-Waste? Strongly Agree or Agree: 25% Neutral: 14% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 61% 14. Use of posters, signs, decals or promotional materials to help neighbors recycle. Strongly Agree or Agree: 79% Neutral: 16% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 5% 15. Development of self-haul facility to recycle furniture, mattresses and white goods. Strongly Agree or Agree: 79% Neutral: 17% Commercial Survey The Commercial Survey asked for input on 19 ideas for possible policies, programs, and infrastructure included in the Zero Waste Strategic Plan. A total of 84 surveys were completed. Overall, the responders indicated strong support for the City s adoption of Zero Waste, and the policies, programs, and infrastructure options that will help the City to achieve Zero Waste. Thirteen of the 19 questions received a response of Strongly Agree or Agree from 75% or more of the responders. One fourth of the questions received a response of Strongly Agree or Agree from 90% or more of the responders. The results are tabulated for each question below. Policy Options Commercial businesses were asked whether they support the following policy options: 1. Business policies for waste reduction. Strongly Agree or Agree: 96% Neutral: 1% 2. Business recycling Strongly Agree or Agree: 98% Neutral: 1% I-8
3. Satisfaction with current recycling program. Strongly Agree or Agree: 68% Neutral: 14% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 18% 4. Staff responsible to ensure recycling. Strongly Agree or Agree: 76% Neutral: 13% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 11% 5. Employee incentives to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Strongly Agree or Agree: 72% Neutral: 21% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 7% 6. Require manufacturers to take back their products. Strongly Agree or Agree: 61% Neutral: 28% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 11% Program Options Commercial businesses were asked whether they support the following program options: 7. Weekly collection program that separates wet waste (organics) from dry waste (recycling). Strongly Agree or Agree: 81% Neutral: 13% 8. Increased education outreach, with regular updates, circulation, and announcements. Strongly Agree or Agree: 88% Neutral: 7% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 5% 9. Facilities for compostable materials. Strongly Agree or Agree: 90% Neutral: 6% I-9
10. Native or low water, low maintenance plans to reduce trimmings and water use. Strongly Agree or Agree: 60% Neutral: 33% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 7% 11. Recycling of hazardous items, such as batteries, ink, paint, and other E-waste. Strongly Agree or Agree: 84% Neutral: 8% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 8% 12. Use of recyclable or compostable packaging material. Strongly Agree or Agree: 95% Neutral: 4% 13. Use of reusable shipping containers. Strongly Agree or Agree: 93% Neutral: 6% 14. Use of returnable pallets. Strongly Agree or Agree: 83% Neutral: 17% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 0% 15. Use of posters, signs, decals, or promotional materials to help employees recycle. Strongly Agree or Agree: 70% Neutral: 22% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 8% 16. Support Santa Monica s Green Business Certification Program. Strongly Agree or Agree: 79% Neutral: 17% 17. Procurement of recyclable products for your business operations. Strongly Agree or Agree: 93% Neutral: 5% I-10
18. Desire to receive more information on Green Business Certification Program. Strongly Agree or Agree: 59% Neutral: 32% Disagree or Strongly Disagree: 9% 19. Interest in learning more about Zero Waste. Strongly Agree or Agree: 75% Neutral: 19% I-11