2021 Waste Strategy
The City of Chicago released the 2021 City of Chicago Waste Strategy, a comprehensive waste and materials management plan that overhauls the City’s waste system with the goal of decreasing waste disposal and associated negative environmental impacts; reducing costs and increasing efficiency; maximizing economic investment and workforce development opportunities; and addressing social and environmental justice inequities.
More than 63 resulting strategic recommendations to address waste management were identified and 12 have been prioritized by the City to be addressed in 2021 and 2022. The City of Chicago partnered with Delta Institute, a well-respected 501c3 nonprofit that is a specialist in municipal solid waste management planning, to evaluate, assess, document and update the many interrelated aspects of waste in the City. The University of Illinois at Chicago provided analysis and current condition assessment that informed the proposed strategies.
Strategies were developed through collaboration with more than 90 different City representatives and stakeholders from numerous municipal departments, nonprofits, universities, community groups, and individuals to:
- Review current waste and recycling data, programs, policies, and infrastructure;
- Analyze best practices and programs in peer cities; and
- Engage with stakeholders in the City, the private sector, and Chicago neighborhoods.
The 2021 City of Chicago Waste Strategy is comprised of multiple reports and assessments that include:
- Chicago Waste Strategy Executive Summary
- Existing Conditions Report
- Waste Characterization and Generation Update Report
- Peer City Analysis
- Materials Management Strategies
- Download one-page infographic of the report
As the City of Chicago moves forward with specific actions to advance the Materials Management Strategy, updates are issued on a regular basis to inform stakeholders and interested parties of measurable progress made toward the short-term priorities described in the document.