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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-29-1993 - VIII-F 1 O R A N G E C O U N T Y BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: 6/29/93 Action Agenda Item ## 11ZIZ-F SUBJECT: Proposal for Regional Coordination for Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program DEPARTMENT: Public Works PUBLIC HEARING: Yes X No ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: Wilbert McAdoo Resolution Ext . 2627 Report from staff to LOG Proposal from Triangle Region TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Solid Waste Planners Hillsborough - 732-8181 Committee (Under separate cover) Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 Chapel Hill - 967-9251/968-4501 PURPOSE: To consider a proposal from the Triangle Region Solid Waste Planners ' Committee for a regionally coordinated Household Hazardous Waste Program. BACKGROUND: The Triangle J Solid Waste Planners ' Committee has developed a proposal for a regionally coordinated Household Hazardous Waste Program for Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake Counties . Their recommended approach includes developing permanent household hazardous waste facilities at each of the publicly owned landfills in the region and having a single hazardous waste contractor service all the sites with collection and processing of the wastes. All jurisdictions would also jointly purchase the same type storage building for these materials . The objective is to lower the cost of providing household hazardous waste services. The Landfill Owners ' Group recommended on April 22 , 1993 adoption of the attached resolution by each of the Governing Bodies . RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends adoption of the resolution regarding Regional Coordination of Household Hazardous Waste Collection. 2 MEMORANDUM To: Landfill Owners' Group From: Bruce A. Heflin, Chapel Hill Public Works Director Subject: Household Hazardous Waste Programs Date: April 22 , 1993 We recommend that the Landfill Owners' Group recommend to their respective boards, the adoption of the resolution contained on p. 11 of the attached proposal on regionally coordinated household hazardous waste collection developed by the Triangle J Solid Waste Planners' Committee. The Triangle J Solid Waste Planners' Committee has developed a proposal for a regionally coordinated household hazardous waste program for Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake Counties . (attached) Their recommended approach includes developing permanent household hazardous waste facilities at each of the publicly owned landfills in the region and having a single hazardous waste contractor service all the sites with collection and processing of the wastes. All jurisdictions would also jointly purchase the same type storage building for these materials . The objective is to lower the cost of providing household hazardous waste services. Background The Triangle J Solid Waste Planners' Committee (the Committee) has been working for two years on a variety of issues related to regional cooperation on solid waste issues. The committee consists primarily of solid waste staff from the governments in the six county region and is staffed by Judy Kincaid, Solid Waste Planner for Triangle J Council of Governments. The primary objectives of the group have been as follows: -- gathering and disseminating information about how solid waste services are delivered locally and can best be delivered, -- improving markets for locally generated recyclables, -- investigating potential for cost reduction on a variety of issues through regional cooperation, and -- investigation of a broad range of solid waste issues that affect- the region. The attached proposal to develop a regionally coordinated 'program for household hazardous waste collection, reviews the programs each county currently offers, gives background about household hazardous waste generation rates, presents national data on established 3 permanent collection facilities, and presents a timeline and process for coordinating household hazardous waste collection from permanent facilities in Chatham, Durham Orange and Wake Counties. The estimated costs for such operating such a program include from $52 , 000 to $65 , 000 for a purchasing a permanent storage buidling and staff or contract labor. This does not include the cost of hauling and treating the collected hazardous wastes or educational costs. Those costs will be developed as we have more information. The process recommended in the attached report includes the following: -- Endorsement by the governing bodies of the resolution contained in the proposal (p. 11) regarding regional coordination of household hazardous waste collection; -- Participation by one or more staff members on the Solid Waste Planners' Committee to develop requests for qualifications and requests for proposals on contract services for household hazardous waste disposal and storage buildings; -- Endorsement by the governing bodies of the concept of a permanent household hazardous waste collection facility if such a facility appears cost effective as a result of the responses to the Requests for Proposals as described above; and -- Consideration of budgeting for such a facility in FY 1994-95, should it prove cost-effective. Discussion Over the past three years, household hazardous wastes have been collected in a variety of ways in the Triangle J Region including the following: -- City of Raleigh holds two collection days per year in cooperation with Wake County. They also offer permanent collection of waste oil at landfill sites. -- City of Durham with Durham County holds an annual collection day. They also offer permanent collection of waste oil at the City landfill. -- Orange .Regional Landfill held a limited collection day on May 31 , 1992 , and holds monthly collections of waste oil, kerosene, diesel fuel, Coleman fuel and other related fluids at local shopping centers and offers two permanent sites for disposal of motor oil and auto batteries. 4 -- Chatham County offers a permanent site for disposal of motor oil and auto batteries. The Committee conducted research nationally (see pp. 2--6 of attached proposal) and determined that creation of permanent facilities throughout the region would be a less costly approach than continuing to hold one-day collection events. In addition, contract collectors of hazardous waste stated in interviews with the Committee that use of a single contractor would lower collection costs . Further opportunities to reduce costs could be realized through more use of local government staff to identify, handle and pack many of the materials. By contrast, the one-day collection events require intensive publicity and staffing, but are subject to vagaries of weather and offer limited, often frustrating, opportunities to the public to responsibly dispose of hazardous materials. The North Carolina Division of Solid Waste Management encourages establishment of permanent sites at permitted solid waste management facilities (see attached policy memorandum #15) . The only permanent facility now established under the state's guidelines in North Carolina is at the Cumberland County landfill. We have requested documentation on their permit application so we could follow the same guidelines for getting a permit to establish a site at the Orange Regional Landfill. As part of the proposed Fiscal Year 93-94 workplan, we are scheduled to collect latex paint and pesticides at a permanent site. Latex paint collection is not regulated by the state and can be conducted by the staff at a site designated at the landfill. We have budgeted to establish this facility adjoiing the white goods processing area at the landfill and staff it one day per month using our current recycling staff. In order to conduct collection of pesticides, which the Landfill Owners' Group has already approved and budgeted, we would need the same permit as required to collect all household hazardous wastes. We therefore plan, as part of the FY 93-94 workplan, to apply to the state for this permit and begin pesticide collection at the landfill once the permit is approved. The State of North Carolina Pesticide Program has stated that they will, at no cost to us, dispose of pesticides we collect at that site. Recommendations We recommend that the Landfill Owners' Group recommend to the governing bodies that the Owners' Group proceed with the process proposed by the Triangle J Solid Waste Planners' Committee and described in the background section above. This process could result in establishment of permanent household hazardous waste collection facilities, joint purchase of storage buildings for these materials and joint selection of a single contractor to 5 service all the collection facilities. Attachments: 1. Policy Memorandum on HHW 2 . Proposal for Regionally Coordinated HHW Programs in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties • 6 A RESOLUTION REGARDING REGIONAL COORDINATION OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION WHEREAS, many common household products such as oven cleaners , metal and furniture polishes, pesticides , drain cleaners , disinfectants , rug and upholstery cleaners , motor oil , transmission and brake fluids and paints can be a threat to public safety and the environment if not properly handled and disposed of ; and WHEREAS, the average household discards 21 pounds of hazardous household waste per year ; and WHEREAS , the current Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program in the County of Orange captures only a very small percentage of the household hazardous waste disposed of by its residents ; and WHEREAS, permanent household hazardous waste collection facilities have been successful in other jurisdictions in greatly increasing the amount of household hazardous waste collected from residents ; and WHEREAS, short-term storage and consolidation of household hazardous waste at a permanent collection facility has enabled other jurisdictions to lower the disposal cost per unit of this material ; and WHEREAS, the sharing of disposal contractor mobilization and transportation expenses through a disposal contract coordinated with other local governments in the Triangle would likely reduce disposal costs for household hazardous waste ; and WHEREAS , joint bidding on household hazardous waste storage buildings and equipment with other local governments in the Triangle would likely result in cost savings ; and WHEREAS , the Triangle Region Solid Waste Planners ' Committee has conducted a ten-month study of permanent household hazardous waste collection facilities in the United States and produced a valuable report and recommendations for the Triangle region; NOW , THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the County of Orange supports the efforts of the Triangle Region Solid Waste Planners ' Committee to determine the cost-effectiveness of coordinated household waste collection from permanent collection facilities in the Triangle region ; and HE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County of Orange authorizes the Manager to appoint one or more representatives to serve on the Triangle Region Solid Waste Planners ' Committee for the purpose of developing and reviewing responses to region-wide Requests for Qualifications and Requests for Proposals regarding: • 7 ( a ) a coordinated disposal contract for household hazardous waste collected from permanent sites in the region; and (b) a joint bid on household hazardous waste storage buildings and equipment ; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that , if a permanent facility in the County of Orange appears cost-effective as a result of responses to region-wide Requests for Proposals for coordinated household hazardous waste disposal , the County of Orange endorses the concept of establishing a permanent household hazardous waste collection facility within its jurisdiction . This the 29th day of June 1993 .