As the nation’s fourth largest city, can Houston become a zero-waste city? Other Texas cities, like San Antonio, Austin and Dallas have long-term solid waste policies to try to reduce the trash going into landfills by as much as 90 percent.
Houston is certainly taking steps in the zero-waste direction. In January, the city approved a new contract with environmental services company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, Inc. (FCC) to build a zero-waste Multiple Recycling Facility similar to the one they did in Dallas. Dallas’ goal is to achieve increased waste diversion away from landfills over the next 20 years – 40 percent by 2020, 60 percent by 2030, and 80 percent zero waste by 2040. By comparison, the current national average for waste diversion is 34 percent. Houston’s facility will be larger, with a 35-ton-per-hour throughput.