FAQs

The County oversees the unincorporated areas within the county. These areas are generally east, north and south of the City of San Diego, noted in pale yellow on the map. The unincorporated area encompasses approximately 3,570 square miles. This includes large sections covered by federal, State, and Tribal lands that are outside the County's jurisdiction. About 35%, or 807,000 acres of the unincorporated county is privately owned. Privately owned areas are divided into 23 Community Planning Areas under the County's land use jurisdiction. 

The plan is intended for residents, businesses, and visitors in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County.

Everyone living in, doing business in, or visiting unincorporated communities will be impacted. This includes individuals, local businesses, and organizations involved in waste generation or disposal.

Key industry stakeholders include:
• Franchise waste haulers
• Construction and demolition companies
• Recycling facilities
• Composting operations
• Landfill and transfer station operators
• Other County service providers and partners

Please visit the following link to learn more about the County’s waste and recycling programs.

Yes. This update will only affect the unincorporated County.

Waste diversion refers to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills by:

• Recycling materials 
• Composting organic waste 
• Reusing items 
• Reducing waste generation overall 

For example, an 80% diversion rate means 80% of waste is kept out of landfills through recycling, composting, reuse, or other diversion methods.

SW-2.1 is an action identified in the Climate Action Plan. This states: Update the County's Strategic Plan to Reduce Waste by 2028 to include strategies to achieve 80% diversion by 2030 and zero waste (90% diversion) by 2045.

The Climate Action Plan is our community’s plan to reduce pollution that warms the Earth. The plan explains steps we can take to reach our climate goals.  These include saving energy, reducing waste, and using cleaner transportation. These efforts help protect our environment and make our community healthier.

Greenhouse gases are gases in the air that trap heat around the Earth, kind of like a blanket. Some are natural, but too many make the planet warmer. Examples include carbon dioxide and methane.