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Environmental Services

Potential Future Fees for Waste Collection Service

Overview

Measure B, passed by voters in 2022, amended the People’s Ordinance. In response to the amendment, the City plans to engage in a public process to evaluate trash and recycling collection services provided by the City of San Diego, potential areas for service enhancements, costs of services, and options for recovering costs from customers receiving those services.

Stay informed

If you receive collection services for trash and recycling from the City’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) and want to know more about potential service enhancements and fees in the future, stay in the loop by visiting this web page and joining our community engagement email list.

Four pillars are needed for successful implementation:

  1. Community outreach and engagement.
  2. Cost-of-service study.
  3. Customer enrollment.
  4. Citywide rollout of new containers.

Who does this impact?

The potential new fees would apply to single-family homes and residential complexes of four or fewer units that receive trash and recycling services from the City of San Diego. Most multi-family residences citywide are already paying for trash and recycling services through their homeowner association fees, rents or other payments.

Timeline

December 2022

  • Measure B is passed by voters and codified, amending the People’s Ordinance and allowing the City to evaluate a cost-recoverable fee for customers serviced by City forces.

December 2023

  • City releases Request for Proposals (RFPs) for cost-of-service study and community engagement.

Feb. 15, 2024

  • ESD presents to the Environment Committee a proposal for an action to authorize an “Award of Consultant Services Agreement to Complete Cost-of-Service Study for Residential Collection Services.”

March 2024

Summer 2024

  • Community engagement, operational efficiency analysis and cost-of-service study begin.
    • Sign up on the right to stay informed about engagement opportunities.

Winter 2025

  • Cost-of-service study complete.
  • Informational Item to City Council to present draft fee schedule and set Prop. 218  hearing.

Spring 2025

  • Community engagement continues.

Summer 2025

  • City Council considers fee schedule.
  • Begin customer service-level subscription.

Summer 2026

  • Citywide rollout of customer-requested service level.