San Diego, CA — In a forward-looking initiative that unites environmental innovation with social impact, the City of San Diego has successfully completed a pilot program designed to enhance compost quality while creating meaningful employment for individuals transitioning out of homelessness. The two-week initiative, known as the “Follow the Compost Pile” project, marks an important milestone in the city’s commitment to sustainability, workforce reintegration, and community empowerment.
At the core of this program was a simple yet powerful idea: tackle one of the biggest challenges in composting—contamination—while providing job opportunities for those eager to re-enter the workforce. Through a partnership with the East County Transitional Living Center, participants were hired to manually remove contaminants such as plastic bags, glass bottles, scrap metal, and other non-organic waste materials from green bins. By taking this hands-on approach, the program directly addressed the inefficiencies that mechanical grinding and screening processes alone cannot resolve.
“If we are able to implement this process moving forward, we can lower the number of contaminants at the end, improve operational efficiencies, and in turn produce better compost to put out to the community,” said Jennifer Winfrey, Assistant Deputy Director in the City’s Environmental Services Department (ESD).
A Transformative Step in Composting Practices
Since the introduction of green bins in 2023, more than 200,000 San Diegans have embraced the practice of recycling food scraps and yard waste. This effort has significantly boosted organic waste diversion, with total collections rising from 142,297 tons in 2023 to an impressive 194,310 tons in 2024. These numbers demonstrate the city’s rapid progress in advancing California’s climate action goals while also fostering local community participation in sustainable practices.
Prior to the pilot program, Miramar Greenery—the city’s composting hub—relied heavily on machinery to screen out contaminants. However, small items, particularly thin plastics, often slipped through. The addition of manual labor provided a more precise solution, while also documenting and weighing contaminants to gather essential data for future planning.
The insights gained from this pilot will take weeks to analyze, but the early results are already signaling a promising pathway toward cleaner compost, higher efficiency, and scalable models for other municipalities facing similar waste management challenges.
Climate Responsibility Meets Workforce Empowerment
The program highlights the city’s dual mission: protecting the environment while uplifting vulnerable populations. By employing people transitioning out of homelessness, the initiative not only improved the city’s compost output but also provided participants with dignity, skills, and an income—essential stepping stones toward stability and self-sufficiency.
“Every bag of food scraps or yard clippings San Diegans place in a green bin is part of a bigger story,” Winfrey explained. “It’s not just about recycling; it’s about reducing methane emissions, supporting climate goals, and creating second chances for individuals in our community.”
Methane reduction is at the heart of this initiative. Left unmanaged, organic waste decomposes in landfills and releases methane, a climate super pollutant 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. With organics responsible for 20% of California’s methane emissions, programs like this have profound implications for statewide and global climate efforts.
Educating the Community for Long-Term Success
One of the persistent challenges in organics recycling is public education. Plastic bags—whether conventional or labeled compostable—remain a leading contaminant. Even a single bag can fragment into thousands of tiny pieces during the grinding process, undermining the integrity of the final compost product.
To address this issue, San Diego’s ESD will launch a public education campaign this fall, designed to inform residents about what belongs in green bins and what does not. This outreach will focus on making the process clear and actionable for residents, encouraging greater participation while reducing contamination at the source.
Acceptable items include yard waste such as grass clippings and tree trimmings, as well as food scraps including eggshells, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and even chicken or meat bones. For items not suited for composting—such as electronics, bulky furniture, and appliances—residents can find sustainable disposal options at WasteFreeSD.org.
A Model for the Future
The “Follow the Compost Pile” project represents a forward-thinking model that other cities can replicate. By combining environmental responsibility with social reintegration, San Diego has demonstrated how municipal programs can simultaneously achieve ecological progress and community uplift.
As the city analyzes the data and refines its approach, the potential long-term benefits are profound: reduced landfill waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner compost for local gardens and farms, and renewed hope for individuals rebuilding their lives.
In an era when cities are under increasing pressure to deliver on climate commitments, San Diego’s initiative serves as a reminder that innovation often begins at the local level. With its blend of sustainability, inclusion, and operational efficiency, the city is charting a course for urban communities nationwide to follow.