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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-15-2008-3bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 15, 2008 Action Agenda Item No. _~ (? SUBJECT: Evans and Bond Award for Outstanding Toxicity Reduction Program DEPARTMENT: Orange County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Background Memo to County Manager Monica C. Evans, MPA Intern, Manager's Office, 245-2128 PURPOSE: To recognize the Solid Waste Management Department for its efforts in reducing hazardous waste in Orange County and to commend the department for receiving the 2007 Bill Evans and Carol Bond Award for Outstanding Toxicity Reduction. BACKGROUND: The Evans and Bond Award, named for two people active in reducing hazardous wastes, is given annually on a competitive basis by the Carolina Recycling Association. This award recognizes an exceptional program or business that is dedicated to toxicity reduction. Orange County recently received this award based on Solid Waste's Toxicity Reduction Improvements Program (T.R.I. P.). The following selection criteria are used to determine the award recipient: • Type of program and funding • Financial highlights, such as the cost per pound, cost per household, etc. • Creative problem solving to municipality or business hazardous waste problems Orange County's T. R.I.P. has been operating, in some capacity since 1991. Highlights of the program include: • A permanent hazardous household waste collection site, which is also open to small business, that is open six days a week at the landfill • Six locations to drop-off residentially generated electronics for recycling, including one spot at the landfill where businesses may also drop-off electronics at no cost • Six locations, including the landfill and five convenience centers for residential drop-off of motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze and all types of batteries • Five additional retail locations for deposit of old dry cell batteries. • Cooperation with the semi-annual collection of electronics at Research Triangle Park where Orange County accepts mercury, phones and batteries for recycling. 2 FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the receipt and recognition of this award to the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department. RECOMMENDATION(S): The- Manager recommends that the Board recognize and commend the Solid Waste Management Department's achievement in winning the 2007 Bill Evans and Carol Bond Award for Outstanding Toxicity Reduction. 3 Memo To: Laura Blackmon, County Manager From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director Subject: Orange County Wins 2008 Toxicity Reduction Award from Carolina Recycling Association Date: April 3, 2008 The Carolina Recycling Association, a bi-state organization representing recycling interests across the Carolinas, has awarded Orange County the annual Carol Bond and Bill .Evans Award for Outstanding Toxicity Reduction Program. CRA presented the award at their annual conference March 27 in Raleigh. The award, named for two people active in reducing hazardous wastes, is given annually on a competitive basis. The Bill Evans & Carol Bond Memorial Award for Outstanding Toxicity Reduction recognizes an exceptional program or business that is dedicated to toxicity reduction. Can include a household hazardous waste (HHW) program. This program shows a strong focus on toxicity reduction education, collection, processing and disposal. It can be a temporary event or a permanent facility, astand-alone project, or part of a bigger waste reduction operation. The following selection criteria are used to determine the winner: ® Type of program and funding ® Financial highlights, such as the cost per pound, cost per household, etc. ® Creative problem solving to municipality or business hazardous waste problems ® All major players in the program and their roles (example: city or county, hauler and process/contractor) should be included in the nomination Orange County's Toxicity Reduction Improvements Program or T.R.I.P. has been operating in one form or another since we began collecting used motor oil in 1991 at periodic collection events. The program has expanded to include the following highlights: ® A permanent hazardous household waste collection site open six days a week at the landfill. The program is also open to small businesses in Orange County at no charge. ® Six locations for drop off of residentially generated electronics for recycling including one spot at the landfill where businesses may also drop-off electronics at no cost ® Six locations, including the landfill and five convenience centers for residential drop-off of motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze and all types of batteries ® Five additional retail locations for deposit of old dry cell batteries. ® Cooperation with the semi-annual collection of electronics at Research Triangle Park where Orange County accepts their mercury, phones and batteries for recycling Some program highlights for FY 2006-07 include an eight percent increase overall in hazardous wastes collected from 595 tons in FY 2005-06 to 642 tons in 2006-07 including a 19% increase in electronics collected at a lowered cost per unit due to a sharp increase in the value of the metals in the CPUs and circuit boards and elimination of fees for recycling those computer monitors and CPUs accepted from businesses and non-profits at the landfill site.