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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-30-2000 - 1ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 30, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. 1 SUBJECT• Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Task Force Report DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste Management PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): 8/24/00 Staff Memo C&D Recycling Task Force Report (distributed at 8/15/00 BOCC meeting) INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director, 968-2885, awilson(cr~.co.orange. nc.us Blair Pollock, .968-2788, bpollock(p~co.orange.nc.us TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To review and discuss the final report from the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Recycling Task Force. BACKGROUND: In November 1999, the BOCC appointed a citizen task force to develop recommendations for improving management of C&D waste that would observe the following principles: • Promote and encourage the `3Rs' hierarchy -reduce, reuse, recycle -for C&D waste management. • Promote and encourage pre-generation alternatives such as development of C&D waste plans, building permit provisions, surety bonds or up front fees, education, etc. • Promote, encourage and/or require early separation of reusable and/or recyclable materials. The C&D Recycling Task Force met from December 1999 through May 2000. They developed a report and submitted it to the BOCC on August 15, 2000 with detailed recommendations for recycling and reducing C&D waste in Orange County. Staff recommends that the Board discuss the findings and recommendations reflected in the task force report and provide direction that the staff will develop into a detailed implementation plan for subsequent review and approval by the BOCC. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impart associated with the review and discussion of the task force report itself, but the financial impact of implementing the "'~'.ommendations could be significant. That would include at least a new position related to nentation of a proposed mandatory C&D separation ordinance for Orange County (see 2 Attachment B to the report for position details and costs). Additionally, the impact could also include the costs of development of a mixed C&D recycling facility and site. The estimated financial impact of C&D task force recommendations can be refined as part of the Manager's recommended implementation plan. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss the task force recommendations and provide direction to the Manager and staff regarding a C&D waste management implementation plan to include: timeline; cost analysis; budget; staffing; equipment needs; and estimated impact on the C&D waste stream. MEMORANDUM To: John Link, County Manager From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director Subject: Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Task Force Report Date: August 24, 2000 At their August 15, 2000 meeting, the BOCC received a copy of the Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Task Force report. The report contained: • a set of principles • a history of the task force meetings • a summary of recommendations • details of those recommendations, and • appended background materials on C&D recycling The report did not include an action plan or set priorities for the recommendations. The set of eleven specific recommendations included: • mandating separation of C&D waste for recycling • adoption of policies to implement the separation program • finding a location for C&D management • hiring a second recycling educator to focus on C&D • pursuing C&D recycling partnerships • diversion of inert debris • consideration of a used building materials retail center • addressing UNC C&D recycling possibilities • conducting acounty-wide-survey of abandoned mobile homes • promoting green building and deconstruction • urging implementation during the 2000-2001 fiscal year Action on some or all of these recommendations would involve a significant potential workload for Commissioners and staff. Given the extensive work carried out by this citizen task force, the potentially positive impacts that some of their recommendations could have on reducing the C&D waste stream, and the limited capacity remaining at Orange County's C&D landfill, I believe it would be fruitful and expedient for the BOCC to provide direction to staff at the August 30 work session regarding the Board's interest in and priorities for implementing recommendations in the Task Force report. I would recommend that we refrain from referring the Task Force report to the Solid Waste Advisory Board for a number of reasons: • the SWAB has an extensive workload of other pressing solid waste matters that need their attention; there has already been substantial, diverse citizen input into the development of C&D waste management recommendations through this task force process; 4 • several of the C&D Task Force members are likewise members of the SWAB and accordingly have already provided some SWAB input into the process; and • time is of the essence in moving forward with action steps that may lengthen (even if only briefly) the life of the existing C&D landfill and in resolving the County's plans for managing C&D waste after that landfill closes. However, I do believe it would be valuable to circulate the recommended implementation plan for future C&D waste management to both SWAB and C&D Task Force members for their comments, prior to the Manager's distributing it to the BOCC for formal approval this fall. The current C&D landfill has only about 18 months of life left and any effective recycling program that involves processing or storage of materials cannot be practically and cost- effectively initiated at the current location atop the disposal unit. Thus, a new location is likely needed for both C&D recycling and disposal. Development of a new location that could accommodate recycling and/or disposal is expected to take at least a year. Action by the BOCC early this fall could greatly improve the chances of securing a site and making it operational by the time the current C&D landfill area is full, sometime in early 2002.