Delegation Visits Recology Zero Waste Facility in San Francisco

A delegation led by Mrs. Jargal Balchindorj, Director of the Waste Collection, Cleaning and Service Monitoring Agency of Ulaanbaatar City, visited the “Recology Zero Waste” recycling facility in San Francisco, United States, on May 8, 2026. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views and experiences on improving urban waste management systems, encouraging waste separation practices among citizens, and developing environmentally sustainable solutions. Moreover, the delegation observed the various stages of waste sorting and processing and exchanged information regarding policies and implementation measures aimed at reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.

The facility serves as the primary waste management operator for the City of San Francisco and is recognized as one of the leading organizations in the United States for its experience in recycling, compost production, and public environmental education. Household and business entity waste, both sorted and unsorted, is collected and separated into ten categories, which are then further divided into three main streams: recycling (blue), composting (green), and landfill disposal (black).

San Francisco is considered one of the leading cities in the United States in terms of waste diversion and recycling performance. The facility also promotes public awareness of environmentally friendly practices by processing food waste into organic compost. As part of these efforts, the facility management regularly organizes compost donation programs for schools to expand environmental knowledge among students and communities. The facility employs approximately 100 workers and utilizes advanced robotic optical sorting technology developed in France to efficiently separate and prepare thousands of tons of waste per day for recycling and further processing.