Implementing California's Waste Reduction Goals, ft. Steve Weihe, County of San Diego & Lisa Wood, TRC Companies

In this episode, we explore the landscape of solid waste management and CEQA compliance with Lisa Wood, Environmental Planner with TRC Companies, and Steve Weihe, Recycling Specialist II at the County of San Diego.

Lisa brings decades of experience and was instrumental in updating CEQA guidelines for solid waste impacts – moving beyond the outdated "is there landfill capacity?" question to comprehensive impact analysis that considers state mandates and local infrastructure capacity.

Steve, a certified Master Composter and TRUE Zero Waste Advisor, has developed innovative programs including mattress recycling at Miramar Landfill. He discusses the County's approaches to organic waste diversion and meeting SB 1383's requirement for 75% reduction in organic waste disposal.

Together, they discuss how do we analyze solid waste impacts under CEQA when state diversion mandates increase but infrastructure capacity falls short? What happens when local agencies must balance ambitious waste reduction goals with limited processing capacity? 

This conversation offers insights for environmental professionals working at the intersection of CEQA compliance and sustainable waste management, from source reduction strategies to cumulative impact analysis.