The City of Austin is committed to a zero waste goal to reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills by 90% by the year 2040. The diversion rate at the end of fiscal year 2021 was 41.96%. You can learn more in Austin Resource Recovery's 2021 Annual Report.
Zero waste is a philosophy that goes beyond recycling, to focus first on reducing trash and reusing products and then recycling and composting the rest. Zero waste recognizes that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and everything is a resource for something or someone else.
Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan
On December 15, 2011, the Austin City Council unanimously approved the adoption of the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan. A culmination of two years of research, stakeholder engagement and community input, the plan sets the stage for the department’s programs and services for the next 30 years and beyond. The aim is to reach the Austin City Council’s goal of zero waste by 2040, which means keeping at least 90% of discarded materials out of the landfill. The master plan outlines aggressive milestones to ensure that goal is achieved on time, if not sooner.
Austin Resource Recovery Comprehensive Plan
Austin Resource Recovery is currently working on a Comprehensive Plan that will serve as an update to the department's existing Master Plan. Austin Resource Recovery has engaged the community on the development of the Comprehensive Plan via surveys and focus groups. Additionally, the analysis and recommendations portion of the project has been finalized.