Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency (LEA)
Permitting and Inspections Programs
Responsibilities of the LEA include accepting and processing all new
and revised solid waste facility permits, issuing permits, and
conducting regular inspections of permitted facilities. The California
Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) must concur with
the solid waste facility permit before it can be issued by the
LEA. Any development plan proposing to handle, process, transport,
store, or dispose
of solid wastes including household trash and garbage, construction
debris, commercial refuse, sludge, ash, discarded appliances
and vehicles, manure,
landscape clippings, and other discarded wastes shall contact
the LEA for determination of the need for a solid waste facility
permit.
Active Landfills
The City of San Diego has two active landfills, Sycamore and West
Miramar. West Miramar receives approximately 1.4 million tons per
year making it the eighth largest landfill in California for the
receipt of annual tonnage. The LEA inspects each site monthly for
compliance with State Minimum Standards, and to evaluate potential
public health, safety and environmental impacts associated with
the site.
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Transfer Facilities
Transfer facilities receive, temporarily store, separate and transfer
solid wastes from smaller to larger vehicles for transport. Some
facilities may have a material recovery program to remove designated
recyclables for alternative markets. The LEA conducts monthly inspections
of transfer facilities and either annual or quarterly inspections
of transfer operations.
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Composting Facilities
Composting is the biological decomposition of organic material
that occurs both naturally or in an artificially controlled
process. The LEA conducts monthly
inspections of all composting facilities within the City. For more information
see California Integrated
Waste Management Board's Organic Materials Management. |
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Solid Waste Haulers
Solid waste haulers within the City of San Diego must be
inspected annually. The LEA inspects each vehicle for cleanliness,
general maintenance and safety.
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Closed, Illegal and Abandoned Dumps
Closed, illegal and abandoned solid waste disposal sites include
older disposal sites that ceased accepting waste prior to the existence
of closure and post-closure regulations. Illegal sites are sites
where waste has been buried without proper permits and abandoned
sites are sites that have no identifiable responsible party. These
sites may pose a potential threat to public health, safety and the
environment from exposed waste, leachate, landfill gas, vectors
and hazardous materials. Inspection frequencies may range from monthly
to quarterly or annually, depending on the nature of the site.
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Burn Sites
Trash burning was phased out in California in the early 1970's
in response to federal and state clean air laws. Today, burn ash
remains on some of these historic dump sites and is regulated as
a solid waste. This regulation is necessary because burn ash is
often found to contain elevated levels of heavy metals, such as
lead, and other contaminants. The lead is a result of the burning
of food cans with lead based solder, glassware, newsprint, and materials
painted with lead-based paint. Lead associated with burn ash becomes
a concern when burn ash is exposed on a surface where small children
are present who may ingest the lead-contaminated materials and/or
soil. Lead contamination may effect normal childhood development.
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