AB 939 & SB 1016 - Diversion Requirements
AB 939
The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939) requires each jurisdiction to divert 50% of its solid waste from being disposed in landfills. Cities, such as Foster City, were required to prepare and implement plans to achieve 25% waste reduction from 1995 through 1999 and 50% waste reduction from the year 2000 and thereafter. Under AB 939, compliance was achieved through a combination of reaching the 50% diversion mandate and showing a "good faith effort" in implementing diversion programs. The City of Foster City's Board approved diversion results from 1995 through 2006 are as follows:
| Diversion Goal | Reporting Year | Diversion Rate | Results |
| 25% | 1995 | 27% | Achieved |
| 1996 | 25% | Achieved | |
| 1997 | 54% | Achieved | |
| 1998 | 50% | Achieved | |
| 1999 | 37% | Achieved | |
| 50% | 2000 | 43% | Not Met |
| 20011 | 40% | Time Extension | |
| 20021 | 39% | Time Extension | |
| 20031 | 35% | Time Extension | |
| 20042 | 43% | Time Extension | |
| 20052 | 45% | Time Extension | |
| 2006 | 50% | Achieved | |
1The City applied for and was granted a three-year time extension to achieve the 50% mandate.
2The City applied for and was granted a second time extension for two (2) years to achieve the 50% mandate.
SB 1016
For 2007 and subsequent years, CalRecycle (formerly the CIWMB) introduced a new diversion measurement system, which was based on a City's population and disposal tons to calculate a per capita disposal rate expressed in pounds per person per day. This measurement system is described further on the CalRecycle website: SB 1016 Measurement System.
SB 1016 builds on AB 939 compliance requirements by implementing a simplified measure of the City's recycling performance. Under this measurement system, a city needs to annually dispose of an amount equal to or less than its "50 percent equivalent per capita disposal target" calculated by CalRecycle. Since the implementation of the revised diversion measurement system under SB1016, Foster City has achieved compliance by remaining below the calculated per capita disposal target set by the State:
| Reporting Year | Per Resident3 | Per Employee* | ||
| TARGET | 3.73 | 7.1* | ||
| 2007 | 3.9 | Not Met | 6.7 | Achieved |
| 2008 | 3.6 | Achieved | 6.0 | Achieved |
| 2009 | 3.3 | Achieved | 5.6 | Achieved |
| 2010 | 3.0 | Achieved | 5.6 | Achieved |
| 2011 | 2.7 | Achieved | 4.1 | Achieved |
| 2012 | 2.5 | Achieved | 4.1 | Achieved |
| 2013 | 2.6 | Achieved | 4.1 | Achieved |
| 2014 | 2.0 | Achieved | 3.1 | Achieved |
| 2015 | 2.4 | Achieved | 3.7 | Achieved |
| 2016 | 2.4 | Achieved | 4.0 | Achieved |
| 2017 | 2.4 | Achieved | 3.9 | Achieved |
| 2018 | 2.6 | Achieved | 4.2 | Achieved |
| 2019 | 2.6 | Achieved | 4.0 | Achieved |
| 2020 | 2.4 | Achieved | 4.1 | Achieved |
| 2021 | 2.6 | Achieved | 4.7 | Achieved |
| 2022 | 2.4 | Achieved | 3.7 | Achieved |
3Per Resident Disposal Rate Target (pounds per person per day (PPD)): 3.7
*Per Employee Disposal Rate Target (pounds per person per day (PPD)): 7.1
