Sustainable Materials Management

workers at the Cascade Recycling Center sort plastic contamination out of paper on conveyor belts

Why does it matter how the community manages its waste?

We have a finite amount of resources so it’s important to make the best use of them. Recycling and composting alone are not enough. Sustainable materials management is a systemic, holistic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles.

 How was Kirkland doing before adopting the Sustainability Master Plan?

  • Kirkland's recycling rate in 2019 was 54% of waste recycled or composted, and our goal is to increase the amount the community recycles and composts up to 70%, which represents a 30% increase over ten years

    In 2018, each person in Kirkland generated about 20 pounds of waste a week (including recycling and compost), with just under 9 pounds going to the landfill.
  • In 2018, Kirkland residents recycled or composted just over half of their waste (by weight).
  • Kirkland adopted a plastic bag reduction policy in 2016.

What key sustainable materials management goals are included in the Sustainability Master Plan?

Kirkland's current waste disposal rate is about 8.7 pounds per person per week, and our goal is to reduce that to 5.1 pounds per week, representing a 40% reduction over 10 years

Key sustainable materials management goals include:

How can the community help meet these goals?