HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-20-2012-13 (3) Information Item
Memorandum
To: Frank Clifton,County Manager
From: Gayle Wilson,Solid Waste Director
Subject: Convenience Center Salvage Shed Use Policy
Date: November 8,2012
Convenience Center(SWCC)Salvage Sheds have historically been a very popular,and at least
at our two larger centers(Eubanks Road and Walnut Church Grove Road),have been heavily
used. Due to its size limitations,the Bradshaw Quarry Road SWCC has never been able to
support a salvage shed.
Over past years the sheds have diverted tons of furniture,books,tools and various household
items from the local landfill and in many cases have provided useful items to local residents.
Staff believes these sheds can continue to provide a valuable service within the framework of
county SWCC operations. However,based on recommendations of our convenience center
operators we are proposing to modify our current rules involving salvage sheds use policy as
follows:
Salvage Sheds
Salvage sheds are for Orange County residents only, and to provide them with an
opportunity to re-use items in good condition.
Citizens are limited to Deleted:5
V Deleted:twice
Users must wait for items to be placed into the Salvage Shed and not go to another users DeJeted,week
vehicle and attempt to take items prior to placement in the Shed. Deleted:One visit prior to 12 noon and one
Only items in good condition may be placed within the Shed, with the following exceptions: visit after 12 noon.
No mattresses or sleeper couches with mattress still in place allowed. rDeleted:Only one 15 minute visit is permitted
No clothing. Residents are encouraged to take used but usable clothing to local Thrift on Saturday and one 15 minute visit on Sunday.
Shops.
No broken glass, mirrors, or lumber.
No hazardous household waste.
Center Operator has the authority to deem what is considered an acceptable item for the
Shed.
Solid Waste staff is proposing modifications to this policy for two reasons:
• Salvage sheds are continually besieged by a small group of people who visit all
sheds on an almost daily basis and frequently several times per day. They travel to
each of the four salvage sheds and often stay longer than 15 minutes, having to be
asked to move on by the center attendants. They"hang out'near the sheds
approaching(sometimes aggressively)customers who come to drop off items,
impeding traffic flow and parking space and occasionally confront customers who
are often taken aback by their aggression. They also occasionally challenge or
VIII --
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resist center operator requests/instructions.Also these scavengers compete with
each other and staff has observed scavengers becoming aggressive to each other.
Other counties(Chatham)have had to disband their salvage shed operations due to
aggressive salvage efforts of some of their visitors. Staff is recommending this
additional modest limitation on these professional scavengers not only because they
are blocking traffic and immediately taking any/all items in reasonably good
condition, but as a stage one workplace violence prevention strategy.
• As the SWCC's are modernized and salvage shed services are expected to expand
to include used dimensional lumber. We wish to modify the policy(and customer
behavior)to prepare for this upcoming new aspect of our operations and the
increased traffic this will create.
We are implementing these policy revisions to make the salvage sheds less of a vehicle for
aggression and competition, safer and more functional/user friendly for our customers,
effective January 1,2013.
Other policy modifications will be necessary as the convenience center modernization process
continues and new materials are added. Staff will propose additional revisions to Convenience
Center Policies and Procedures once the Walnut Grove SWCC expansion is completed and we
gain practical experience with new reusable materials that become available along with various
changes to the receptacles and general site operations.
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