HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWAG agenda 013017Agenda
Solid Waste Advisory Group
January 30, 2017 — 6:00 p.m.
Solid Waste Oaerations Center
1. Call to Order —Chair
2. Approve Meeting Summary
November 3, 2016 — Chair, Attachment
3. Inter -local Initiatives Update - Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager
a. Inter -local Agreement for Solid Waste Management
b. Transfer Station Planning
4. Financial Plan — Fee Options & Recommendations - Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager
5. Recyclable Materials Relative Value and Marketing — Muriel Williman, County Education &
Outreach Coordinator, Allison Lohrenz, County Recycling Programs Manager
6. Solid Waste Observations from Boulder, Colorado Visit — Allison Lohrenz, County Recycling
Programs Manager
7. Information Items:
a. First Quarter FY 2016/17 Solid Waste Program Data Report — Cheryl Young, County
Research & Data Manager, Attachment
b. General Staff Update Memo, Attachment
a. C &D Landfill Business Practice Evaluation
b. Emergency Storm Debris Management Site Search
c. Government Building Waste Audits
d. Chemtex /Entsorga (process engineered fuel from waste) and UNC- Energy
Services Discussions
e. Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling Facilities Improvements
f. FY 2015/16 Orange County Waste Reduction Rate
g. Away From Home Recycling Program
8. Public Comment— Chair
9. Next Meeting —There are no additional meetings scheduled. Please bring your calendars.
10. Adjourn —Chair
Dinner will be provided
aDraper Aden Associates
QEngineering • Sanvying • Enviroamenfal Services
Memorandum of Neaotiation
Gordon Dively, PE, Orange County Solid Waste
From: C. Tyros Clayton, Jr., PE
Date: December 9, 2016
Project Name: Eubanks Road Waste and Recycling Center
Subject: Negotiated Construction Price
cc: File
It was concluded that the low bid received on October 11, 2016 would not be within the allocated
fonds for the Project. Due to this, Orange County entered negotiations with D. H. Griffin to
identify items for value engineering and reduction in cost. Based on discussions and revisions to
the design documents the following items were identified for reduction in the submitted bid price:
1. Haul Route and Methods from Onsite Borrow: A revised travel path has been
delineated for the Contractor to use Off -Road haul trucks (Attachment 1). Contractor
will not be responsible for repairs to the asphalt haul road on south side of Eubanks
Road. Contractor will use metal cover plates on Eubanks Road at crossing. Topsoil
strippings from project site can be stockpiled on north side of Eubanks Road adjacent
to the project area. It is understood that all fill material for the site will be obtained
from the onsite borrow area. Additional clearing may occur within the borrow area as
necessary.
2. Permanent Turf Matting in lieu of Rip Rap Channels: Contractor will install Tensar
SC250 or equivalent PRSM in place of Rip Rap Channels (Attachment 2).
3. Storm Pipe Bedding: Storm pipes will be bedded in in -situ soils from trench
excavations.
4. Bioretention Soils: The biomix soils required for the bioretention areas will be mixed
onsite with soils provided by the Owner. Engineer will perform conformance sampling
for determination of specification compliance prior to installation.
5. Asphalt Pavement Section Revisions: Pavement sections have been revised for the
customer area of the Center (Attachment 2 & 3).
6. Gravel Pavement Revisions: Pavement section has been reduced in thickness from
12- inches to 8- inches. (Attachment 3)
7. Dumpster Pad Revision: All non - compactor site (northern wall) pads were reduced
in thickness fiom 12- inches to 8- inches. Also, rebar was reduced from two mats to
one. All compactor pads to remain as originally designed. (Attachment 4)
8. Site Electrical Revisions: Site lighting to be installed by power utility. Contactor to
coordinate and install conduit under paved sections based upon locations to be
determined. Main electrical panel to be located more central to compactors to reduce
electrical run.
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9. Concrete Retaining Walls: All walls reduced fi-om 12- inches to 9- inches thick.
Reinforcement to remain as originally designed.
10. Extend Bid Prices: Due to negotiation time frame and need to gain County
Administration approval for project, bid prices will be held an additional 60 days
(February 8.2017).
Total negotiated new contract price for all work and negotiated items is to be Three Million One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,100,000.00).
By signature below, all parties are in agreement with the negotiated scope and contract price:
Engineer: Contractor: Owner:
IV ZZ2:6 1 ILA
Signafure Pq f Signatu a Signature
C. Tyros Clayton, Jr, PE Manager Gordon Dively, PE
Draper Aden Associates D. H. Griffin Infrastructure, LLC Orange County Solid Waste
Attachments: 1. Haul Road Exhibit
2. New Site Layout - Pavement Revisions (Sheet C6.0)
3. Revised Pavement Sections
4. Revised Concrete Details (Sheet C6.2)
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Memorandum
To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Management Director
Subject: Information Report— Status of Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling Facilities Project
Date: January 24, 2017
This memorandum is provided as an update of the status of the Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling (W &R)
Facilities construction project. This project marks the second and final of the planned District Centers
that provide expanded services and longer hours of operation. The next W &R Center reconstruction
project is planned for FY 2017/18 and consists of the High Rock Road W &R Center becoming the first
Neighborhood Center, which would maintain fewer hours of operation and less comprehensive services.
This project includes the modernization of the existing Eubanks Waste & Recycling Center to include the
installation of stationary compactors, improved loading for various waste and recyclable materials,
sanitary facilities and improved amenities for staff, incorporation of the Household Hazardous Waste
operation currently located on the southern portion of landfill property, site paving, improved public
safety and handicapped access and other operational efficiencies. Additionally, textiles, food waste,
cooking oil and plastic film services are added.
This construction project was originally planned to commence in FY 2014/15, but was delayed due to
permitting and design related delays, including a value engineering application. The project was first bid
in February 2016 and the lowest bid received was $782,142 over the budget of $3,175,858. Staff then
proceeded to obtain another engineering firm and a performed a comprehensive evaluation and
substantial redesign of the project. A second bid was conducted with a low bid of $3,318,000 received
from DH Griffin of Greensboro in October of 2016.
Through several weeks of negotiation and additional value engineering a final bid price of $3,100,000
was achieved. An attachment delineates elements of this negotiated price reduction. Additionally, the
$214,000 cost of the stationary compactors is managed as recurring capital as are other stationary
compactors currently utilized by the department. These compactors were planned to be acquired
outside of the construction bid in order to reduce purchase costs. Staff is proposing to utilize the
$75,858 balance from the project budget to help fund the compactors cost. An allowance of $62,000 is
also contained in the project budget in the event unsuitable soils are encountered that will also be made
available to fund the compactors if not needed for construction. So the compactors may have a net cost
of only $76,142.
As a point of information, the Eubanks W &R Facilities project costs exceed the costs of the previously
completed Walnut Grove Church Road W &R Center project by about $1,650,000, not including
engineering consulting services or land acquisition costs. Several reasons explain this cost difference:
• Includes relocation of the landfill entranceway and scale house operations
• Being located in the Town of Chapel Hill planning jurisdiction created additional design and
construction requirements and standards and an extended approval process
• Includes the extension of sewer connections
• Includes additional z -wall slots
• A four year timeframe from establishing the current project budget and an almost three year
construction delay resulted in project cost inflation (costs were not escalated or increased for
inflation over that time period)
• Includes additional storm water structures required to meet the regulations for storm water
control in Chapel Hill.
• Includes both east and west bound turning lanes required to address NCDOT standards for the
projected traffic volumes obtained from a comprehensive traffic impact analysis.
• Walnut Grove Church Road center had an existing large concrete pad that was preserved that
Eubanks does not have
• Includes a much larger HHW facility(service relocated from south side of Eubanks) with loading
dock to accommodate the large quantities of material received at Eubanks Road
• Includes additional amenities that were incorporated based on lessons learned from Walnut
Grove Church Road Center e.g. larger and better placement of center operator observation
building, storage shed for site equipment and shelters at the compactors for center operators.
• The Eubanks Road Center requires a substantial amount of fill material to make the site useable.
Much of the filling operations required to make the Walnut Grove site work was coordinated by
County Staff and free clean structural fill generated from an area construction site.
A preconstruction meeting with DF Griffin is scheduled for January 31. A Notice to Proceed would be
issued at or immediately following this meeting. Erosion control device installation, land clearing,
deconstruction and cut - and -fill activities would begin the first week of February. The project should be
completed in November /December of 2017.
Temporary Center Operations
A temporary W &R Center will be established at the Future Millhouse Road Park property on Millhouse
Road. This center will provide reduced services for the duration of project construction to include yard
waste, electronics recycling and municipal solid waste. The hours of the temporary site will mirror the
hours of the Eubanks Road W &R Center (6 days /week). Due to operational restrictions on the
temporary center residents with recyclables will be directed to the recycling drop off sites of which
Cedar Falls on Weaver Dairy Road is the closest. Residents with scrap tires, clean metal, clean wood,
waste oil, bulky wastes, etc. will be diverted to another W &R Center or the facilities located at the
landfill.
Public Notification and Outreach
A comprehensive public notification and outreach plan will be implemented to include the following:
• At the Eubanks Road W &R Center prior to construction
• Signage announcing the eminent closing and planned reconstruction of this center
• Site plan of the new center layout posted for public information
• Flyers handed out to users providing details of the project, timeline, temporary center,
recycling options, etc.
• General outreach prior to construction
• Letters to property owners and residents /businesses located within 1,500 feet of the
Eubanks Road W &R Center
• Information posted on Solid Waste Management web site relative to the project
• Press releases and articles in local publications and a -news, radio announcements and
interviews, paid advertisements, etc.
• Coordination with Orange County's Community Relations Department to amplify
outreach efforts
• During Construction
o Signage at the closed center announcing the location of the temporary center
• Signage at the temporary center
• Social Media updates
• Flyers available at temporary center to inform residents of issues related to the project
• Notification to Chapel Hill /Carrboro Transit, Chapel Hill Public Works and to Morris
Grove Elementary of Eubanks Road travel interruptions while turning lanes are being
constructed
Periodic updates on progress of the construction progress will be provided to the BOCC and SWAG
throughout the period of construction. Feel free to contact staff with questions or suggestions as
necessary.
Attachment: Memorandum of Negotiation
Memorandum
To: Solid Waste Advisory Group
From: County Staff
Subject: General Staff Updates /Status Reports
Date: January 30, 2017
The following updates are provided for the SWAG's consideration. Questions or comments are welcome
as necessary.
1. C &D Landfill Business Practice Evaluation
County staff is in the process of initiating an evaluation of the existing Construction &
Demolition Landfill to determine if there are alternative management strategies to make this
facility more financially productive and cost - effective while maintaining focus on C &D waste
reduction priorities. The study will evaluate existing C &D landfill operations and economics,
assess ways in which this facility's economics can be enhanced, evaluate the performance of the
Regulated Recyclable Materials Ordinance, including evaluation of alternative waste reduction
and recovery options, and examine C &D waste flow for disposal from Orange County to
surrounding counties.
2. Emergency Storm Debris Management Site Search — (Attachment)
3. Government Building Waste Audits (Attachment)
In November 2016, Solid Waste staff investigated the contents of waste from nineteen major
Orange County buildings and four in Town of Hillsborough. Solid waste was not investigated
from smaller facilities. Waste from Town of Carrboro and Chapel Hill major buildings will be
audited in early 2017. The intent of the waste audit was not to be all- encompassing, nor to
involve all government employees and facilities. Instead, the scope of the study was to examine
buildings and departments with high traffic that are frequently used by relatively large numbers
of employees or the public to assess the need to improve waste reduction and recycling efforts
internally.
At this point, only Orange County waste audit results have been evaluated. Evaluation of data
from audit results from Town of Hillsborough are pending. From the targeted buildings in this
survey, Orange County produced 302 pounds of waste collected November 17. Of this, 246
pounds were materials properly placed in the trash. Fifty -seven pounds of disposed materials
were actually recyclable, reusable or hazardous and therefore incorrectly put in trash bins.
Overall, in the 2016 audit, 18.9 percent of Orange County government building waste was still
recyclable or reusable. Four buildings had under ten percent recycling in the trash. In contrast,
in 2008, 28 percent of measured County building waste was recyclable. Thus in eight years,
Orange County government buildings and employees have reduced by 33 percent the weight of
recyclable materials remaining in the trash.
Solid Waste Management staff sorted through the samples and removed recyclable materials
such as bottles, cans, paper, corrugated cardboard, reusable materials like hardbound books or
ceramic cups, and electronics like calculators or cell phone as well as other forms of hazardous
waste including anything that might be considered toxic, corrosive, flammable or explosive such
as batteries.
Of the materials improperly placed in the trash, the majority by weight, (see chart below), were
paper products, such as multi -page documents, forms, booklets, and newspapers.
For the purpose of this study, reusable items are items that made their way into the trash but
could be used in daily settings again. Examples found in the audit of reusable materials include
mugs and books. Hazardous and electronics refers to products that could be recyclable, but
must be disposed of separately, rather than within the general recyclable waste stream. These
included batteries, CDs and DVDs and an empty printer toner cartridge.
Results from the three Towns will be presented as soon as they are available to the Town
Managers, and as an update to the SWAG. Following the audits, interviews, on -site surveys and
offers to assist in waste management will be conducted within each County Department to
identify how to reduce waste and improve recycling. The Towns will be offered a similar
opportunity. After the surveys are completed, a second round of waste audits is planned later in
the fiscal year to determine further progress in waste reduction. Training or employee
education will be available to Town and County departments as requested.
4. Entsorga /Chemtex (process engineered fuel) and UNC -CH Energy Services Discussions
County staff has been participating in preliminary discussions between Entsorga /Chemtex and
UNC -CH regarding the financial and technical feasibility of the Mechanical - Biological Treatment
(MBT) of solid waste generated in Orange County for use as an engineered fuel suitable for
combustion in the University's power plant. The concept is that this engineered fuel might
replace a fraction of the coal currently utilized by the University while also providing a
renewable use for the solid waste generated in Orange County. We wish to emphasize that
these discussions are very preliminary and may or may not lead to more formal dialogue or
technical /financial assessments.
S. Eubanks Road Waste & Recycling Facilities Improvements Project — (Attachment)
6. FY 2015/16 Waste Reduction Rate
Last fiscal year, the State of North Carolina calculated Orange County's waste reduction rate at
( -62% ) meaning that compared with the base year of 1991 -92 (1.36 tons per person), Orange
County landfilled 62% less waste per person in FY 2015 -16 (0.52 tons per person). All waste from
all sources is included in this measurement. While this is 'down' from the -64% peak reached
the previous two years running, the overall trend is still in the right direction. We again
exceeded our County -wide goal of -61 %; we were the most waste- reducing County in the state.
See the full report at: https://deg.nc.gov/ about / divisions /waste - management /waste-
management- rules- data /solid- waste - management- annual- reports.
Open the link then click FY 15 -16 and open the report entitled "FY 15 -16 Per Capita County
Report" to see the performance of all counties across the State. Overall, the State reported a
5% increase in waste landfilled per person compared to the base year, but last year the coal ash
removed from ponds at various power plants and transferred to landfills was included as solid
waste originating in the Counties from which it was removed (Buncombe and Rockingham) and
that totaled over 761,000 tons. Eliminating that put the statewide waste reduction rate at - 2%
compared to the base year.
The table below compares Orange with other Counties in the Triangle area and Alamance
County
County
Waste Reduction Rate
FY 15 -16
Tons landfilled per person
FY 15 -16
Alamance
-17%
0.76
Chatham
-34%
0.55
Durham
-18%
0.96
Orange
-62%
0.52
Wake
-21%
1.02
State total (without coal ash)
-2%
1.05
7. Orange County's "Away From Home' Recycling Program (Attachment)
Orange County's program to offer recycling 'away from home' includes multiple elements and
has been informally characterized recently by one state recycling official as 'the best 'Away from
Home" program in North Carolina'. While collection points exist throughout the County in all the
jurisdictions, all are serviced by the County and collections are integrated into the "Government
Buildings Program' which is operated by one employee using a box truck filled with roll carts
into which he empties container contents at each stop.
The program could be dated from when the first downtown pedestrian bin was placed in front
of the Old Post Office in downtown Chapel Hill on E. Franklin Street in 1993. It has grown to
include:
Pedestrian recycling bins in the downtown areas of Carrboro (Main St. Weaver St. and N.
Greensboro St.), Chapel Hill (Franklin St. & W. Rosemary) and, most recently Hillsborough
(Churton St., King St. and Margaret Lane) for collection of cans and bottles. (The decision to limit
this program to 'cans and bottles' simplified the messaging resulting in relatively low
contamination rates). The Towns have funded the containers using competitive State matching
grants and pay Orange County per container for collection services.
Park and Ride lots including those at Eubanks Road, Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro Plaza and
Southern Village. The collection point at Friday Center that was initiated by the County is now
integrated into UNC's recycling program.
Parks throughout the County including County, Town and State parks as well as non - profits like
Rainbow Soccer fields. Each jurisdiction is a billed Solid Waste Program Fee for each unique
location. If a jurisdiction collects from a park itself and consolidates, then no SWPF is charged for
that park.
• Convenience Stores (18) at gas islands. This program was recently featured in an article in the
magazine Plastics Recycling Update. (November 2016). The stores pay the annual SWPF.
The program expands incrementally in conjunction with the needs of the various governments
and in response to outreach to convenience stores throughout the County. It is characterized by
fairly low contamination rates, broad community acceptance and use of a variety of container
types suited to the needs, aesthetics and economics at the differing locations.
The Value of Recycling
Meaning and Markets
Orange County
Solid Waste Advisory Group
January 30, 2017
Muriel Williman
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Orange County Solid Waste Management Department
Does Recycling Have Value?
"Our side " — most people say YES!
• Social responsibility toward sustainability
— Reduces waste being landfilled
— Reduces natural resource consumption
— Historical commitment made by Orange County
• "It's who we are!"
• 64% waste reduction
• Leadership and modeling
Does Recycling Have Value?
The MRF Side
• Commodity issue
— Processing costs at the MRF are static, while
commodity prices rise and fall
• Processing at Sonoco Raleigh approximately $60 /ton
• Weighted average price at $60 -70 /ton
• "Rebate" paid to OC is based on weighted average price
• Times when there is more money generated, times when less
— Global and local economies
• Recycled plastic can't compete with virgin resin when oil
prices are low
— Supply and demand
• When China buys, pricing improves
Weighted Average Price
• Significantly driven by price of PLASTICS
— Even though relatively small percentage, it has a
high value relative to fiber grades
Trash 13.90%
OCC 22.08%
NEWSPAPER
12.37%
GLASS 24.62%
Mixed Paper
18.69%
Total Plastic 6%
Total Metal 3%
Total Paper 53%
Glass 25%
ALUMINUM CANS
1.09%
STEEL 1.53%
_HDPE Color 1.09%
HDPE Natural 0.93%
PET 3.38%
Plastic #3 -7 0.32%
Price Volatility
.. ,.._
GLASS N/A GLASS
4LUMINUM CANS ALUMINUM CAF
STEEL STEEL
$460
$620
$280
$60
$55
$90
$1,060
$20
$420
$560
$130
$55
$45
$80
Reasons for Volatility
• Changes in global markets/ financial (in)security
• Consolidation of markets
• Recycled goods compete with "virgin" material
pricing -- low oil prices impact recycled plastic value
• "Evolving ton"
• Known, salable, commodities lighter, harder to sort, lower
7tl Uloaies Singte Serve
percentage relative to unsalable or lower value materials
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• packaging styles have changed Inza
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• MRFs expected to sort it all out and still make money
— Recycled commodities are worth less, compounded by
cost increases for technology, equipment and labor
required to process variety of materials
• Still need to meet the quality requirements of end users
GLASS is the HARDEST
• Triple Economic Hit
— Consolidation in local markets
• Strategic Materials acquired Reflective in December 2015
eliminating competitive pricing for glass.
• Revenue neutral in 2015, SONOCO charged tip fee in 2016.
— Low value material (25% of what the MRF gets)
• New custom to quote two rebate prices— commingle with glass,
and commingle without glass.
— Damages equipment, reduces value of other commodities
• Chews up disks; $12,000/ month replacement costs
• Sorting suffers when disks fail; plastic with paper, glass goes with
plastic, reduces sale value across the board
• Glass shards stick to other commodities making them harder to
process and clean for remanufacture
Disks worn away due to
grinding effect of glass
New sorting disks
Sonoco moved glass breaker to the front of the line
• Improve "quality matrix" for Strategic
• Reduce damage to disks
I ACTION
Aluminum and Steel
• Aluminum has highest monetary value yet
SMALLEST percentage of material collected
— It's the law in NC!
— Sonoco sells to Alcoa in Tennessee
• Steel goes to Pittsburgh, PA region
— Less cost associated with freight
when there are local markets
.. rZ
Plastics
• Strong local markets
THE
— UNIFI would buy LL PET bottles in NC N °ACE1 ha .
v 1926
but too much contamination; prefer
bales from "bottle bill" states. por•
— Envision Plastics, Reidsville, NC
buys most HDPE
— Economic Driver in NC I
• "Your Bottle Means Jobs"
V. I
• NC State Law to recycle drink bottles to support
industry
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• SONOCO is a packaging production company
• Value -added proposition in a vertically ip, „
integrated com ancompany
m, m, irr
— Owns 20 paper -stock dealers primarily in s
southeastern USA; OCC from Target and WalMart
Use paper they collect (2.5 million tons US last year)
to feed their own mills 41P.-I W
— Fiber from NC goes to Sonoco mills in
Richmond, VA and Hartsville, SC
Contamination Hurts OC
MRF rebates dropping; we bank on that revenue
Damage to equipment and danger to staff
Waste of time, material, fuel and money
— 50% of dedicated staff to clean -up contaminated carts
drop -off and commercial sites, salary /benefits - $22,300
— 5% or 30 minutes of each day for all drivers, processing
pad staff and supervisor salary /benefits - $42,900
— Fuel and maintenance of dedicated truck and 1% of
collection trucks- $8,300
— Supplies (education materials, oops tags) - $1,500
— Disposal costs of contaminated material - $1,000
Total - $76,000
Makes program, towns, tourist areas look bad
— "Broken Window Theory"
— Ripple effect of ordinance violations
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Contamination HURTS the MRF
Cooperative messaging.
_ Collaborative advertising.
Recycling,
EXPENSIVE!
Contamination in recycling cost Triangle communities over ONE MILLION
last year. Increase recycling's value and decrease environmental costs.
Keeping recycling loose and contamination -free benefits everyone.
A QUICK STOP
for COLLECTION e�
Convenience stores and gas stations have long been leaders in selling bottled beverages for
consumption on- the -go. Our author investigates how one county has worked to also make
those retailers prime spots for plastic container diversion. BY BLAIR L. POLLOCK
Angysis of plastic container recycling rates in
North America often point to an inconvenient
truth about convenience: Because plastic water
bottles and other containers are designed to be
easily utilized away from home, they tend to be discarded
In environments without well - established recycling
infrastructures.
How can the plastics recycling industry address this issue and
set up more collection points in key locations? A well- established
effort focused on gas stations in one North Carolina county
offers insights on how local governments and businesses can
work together to make plastics progress in the away -from -home
environment.
PROGRAM'S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
For over 20 years, the Recycling Division of Orange County,
N.C.'s Solid Waste Management Department bas slowly been
building a network of convenience stores that have recycling at
their gas islands as part of advancing overall away -from -home
recycling throughout the county.
Orange County is located in central North Carolina and
has a population of just under 134,000. The county seat is
Hlllsborough, and the county is also home to the tovm of Chapel
Hill, the location of a major University of North Carolina campus.
Of the approximately 30 convenience stores with gas pumps
throughout the county, 16 now have recycling collection and tarts
provided by the county.
The county's informal program began with a single location
that was serviced by a local curbside recycling contractor — the
recycling program manager lived nearby, knew the note owner
gave him a blue bin and added the stop to the route. Simple
enough start.
This public program now includes all six Orange County
stores in The Pantry chain and aB three Orange County
locations from the regional Cruisers chain. It also includes six
independently owned stores and the gas islands at the North
Carolina Department ofTrampomtion ( NCDOT) maintenance
shop. County recycling staff have integrated weekly collections
from these sites Into their existing county-wide government
building and street -side bin collection program.
Many of the stores in the program utilize county- issued carts
to collect materials, though the Cruisers chain chose its own style
— a larger recycling container instead of a cart is located at each
pump island. The NCDOT site, meanwhile, uses a homemade
wooden bin.
The county estimates that over 700,000 cans and bottles
PRU I Nov ber2046 21
ate collected from these 16 stops each
year, an analysis that assumes each
cart u half full each time it's collected,
this convenience sere infrastructure
is complemented by pedestrian -
oriented collections bins maintained
along high - traffic areas in our three
ewes— Carrboro, Chapel Hill and
Hillsborough. Recycling carts or
containers are also available in every
park operated by the county and towns.
These locations together create a
platform for a robust and well -used
away -from -home recycling program
that helps divert a significant number
of plastic containers ins the recycling
stra m.
In March 2016, county staff did
a one -day collection sampling from
eighteen recycling cars at six different
convenience stores and found that 70
percent of items were plastic border,
23 percent were aluminum cans and
the remaining containers were, a variety
the, included some sceptics containers,
recyclable cups, glass bottles and motor
oil bottles. The local MRP has indicated
it can handle those non - plastic and
non - aluminum materials In small
quantities.
The smdy also found Gash made
up 23 percent of the mix, or 87 of the
383 semi items. Those are not Included
when calculating the percentages of
recyclable material shown in the graph
on this page.
A WIN FOR EVERYONE'
The initiative has been a welcome
addition for many retailers because it
helps them meet customer expecrations.
One newer participating
convenience see, brand is The Pantry,
which is now part of the Circle K
chain. The six The Pantry stores in
Orange County have now been part of
the program for a year.
,We have gotten great feedback
from our customers in Orange County,"
said Paul Stoner, regional director of
operations at Circle K. "In our business,
we not only create a lot of recyclable
crash, we sell a lot of items that can
be recycled and to be able to offer our
customers a way to responsibly dispose
of that is a win for everyone."
Proving the success of container
collection efforts at a few of the stores
in North Carolina could have positive
repercussions nationally— Circle K
22 PRU I November20%
Phstc wzin rborcles, A%"
�. No�et Chart In roi 1 d,d f � scat of r ahai me¢t h �� r �
An away- from-home collection effort in North Carolinds Orange County prom0es receleaces to ye +,i +.,,
and recycling receptacles at gas islands.
operates nearly 8,000 locations across our customers as we continue to series to
the U.S. "I think many of our directors be positive stewards of the environment,"
would be willing to offer this service to Stoner said.
To bring more businesses into the
fold, county employees recruit stores one
at a time, the old-fashioned way, County
representatives stop in, buy gas or snacks
and ask the owner or manager if the
business wishes to participate. Staff follow
up via email or ground mail, offering a
simple no -fee contract to assure stored
engagement and understanding of the
program.
While the answer more often than not
from store owners has been "yes," it is also
useful for the county to understand the
thinking of those who decline.
One operator stated he did not want
his staff to have to "maintain" the cot as
described in our contract. Thus, we later
clarified in the contract language that
stores are simply asked to wipe down the
exterior of the collection receptacle and to
call us if high levels of contamination are
present. Even that apparently was more
work than that one business wanted to take
on, however.
One unexpected issue for participating
stores was seen when the originallyplaced
35- gallon barrels blew away in a winter
storm. The county replaced those donated
barrels with repurposed 35- gallon rollcarts
that had come out of service at government
offices when converting to single - stream
collection. We drilled a restrictive hole in
the lid and drilled holes at the lid edge for
cotter pins to prevent lifting the lid.
The biggest problem, however, may be
that those carts are an "olive drab" green
rather than the varying shades of blue that
have become associated with recycling
over the pose 30 years since the origins of
the blue box program in Tomato. And in
fact, the county has otherwise stuck to the
blue motif for all other county recycling
containers.
'Ilse county has tried to solve that
color waundrum by plastering the
cars with stickers that identify them as
recycling collection receptacles,stating
"cans and bottles only." We've found it is
much simpler and easier to communicate
this message than also using phrases such
as "all clean, dry paper.' The result is
relatively low rates of contamination given
the fact that these receptacles are being
used by people who are stopping for gas
and taking that opportunity to clean out
their cars.
TOOL IN THE FIGHT FOR MORE
PLASTICS RECYCLING
Along with stickers on the carts, the county
has tried with sporadic success to place a
state - generated sticker on the surrounding
trash containers stating that it's illegal
in North Carolina to dispose of plastic
hordes or aluminum cans and they should
be recycled. Sometimes the stickers are
removed or ignored, but they do or as
another "weapon" in the fight to capture
recyclable plastics and other materials.
In 2009, the stare passed a law adding
plastic battle — as well as pallets, oyster
shells and oil filters —to a statewide
landfill ban. In the wake of that action, the
state reponed doubling the plastic bottle
manage recovered, so even though the
ban is largely unenforced, the law initially
had an impact. As North Carolina has not
been successful in passing a bottle bill, we
make do with using the law and, in Orange
County's case, by trying to make recycling
as convenient as possible. PRU
Blair I.. Pollock is a solid waste planner for
Orange County, N.C. He tart be contacted
at bpollock@orangecounryncgov.
PRU I Novsmber2016 23
Overview of Recycling 1st Quarter FY 2016 -17
Compared With 1St Quarter FY 2015 -16
Urban Curbside:
Tons UP 5%
Set Out Rate UP 38% CH 35% CB 32% H '(` 48%
Participation Rate UP 25% CH '(` 24% CB 'j` 31% H '(` 20%
Multifamily:
Tons UP 10% CH 1r 10% CB t 17% H *( 21%
Commercial Collection:
Tons NO CHANGE CH T22% CBS, 4% H T 62%
Rural Curbside:
Tons UP 21%
24 Hour Drop -Off:
Tons UP 9%
Waste and Recycling Centers
Tons DOWN 14%
Overall Recycling Tonnage UP 7%
Memorandum
To: Solid Waste Advisory Group
From: Gayle Wilson, Solid Waste Director
Date: January 30, 2017
Subject: Emergency Storm Debris Site — Northern Orange
County staff has been seeking a larger temporary emergency storm debris management site (DMS)
north of 1 -40 for several years to supplement the existing <5 acre site on Mincey Road. The Mincey Road
site is sufficient for small storm events but would be wholly inadequate for a major event such as
Hurricane Fran. A major event could require a 25 -30 acre cleared site area with reasonable vehicle
access and ability to meet stringent state permitting requirements such as buffers. The preference has
always been to utilize county -owned property so that infrastructure investments could be maintained
long term to the county's benefit, state permitting would be easier, the absence of lease agreement and
costs and generally more flexibility in operations during an event and afterward for restoring the site.
After an exhaustive evaluation of county owned and managed property and consultation with Duke
University regarding their property the only site that met all criteria was the Future Northeast District
Park site (previously the Kirby Property). However, in 2008 the Board of County Commissioners
approved a conservation easement agreement with the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) covering most
of this property, except for about 10 acres that border on Mincey Road (5 acres of which were
purchased by the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund for solid waste uses, including a possible future Waste &
Recycling Center).
In 2013 the County Manager submitted a letter requesting that the TLC consider allowing Orange
County, in a declared extreme emergency weather event, to utilize this open space temporarily. In an
undated letter of reply, the Executive Director declined to endorse making this site available. He
indicated that should the Manager wish to formally request an amendment to the easement that
request would then be presented to the board of directors for a decision. The Easement Amendment
Policy was attached.
Following receipt of this letter County staff redoubled their efforts to find a suitable site, but were
ultimately unsuccessful. In 2016 the County Manager submitted a second letter to the TLC Executive
Director in accord with the previously provided amendment policy, requesting that TLC allow use of the
interior core of the property for temporary emergency debris management in the event of a declared
catastrophic weather event. The TLC letter in reply indicated different amendment criteria which it does
not appear that Orange County can reasonably meet. TLC now names maintaining open space as a
conservation value. As such, it will be near impossible to have a net neutral effect on the easement if
there is any impact, even temporarily on the open area. The Amendment process no longer sets up a
method for getting heard by the TLC Board, opting instead to go before a committee if certain enhanced
criteria are met. There are also now costs associated with requesting a formal amendment.
It is staff's conclusion that current TLC policy will prohibit any opportunity, even in the most calamitous
of weather events, for the residents of Orange County to utilize this county owned property as part of
recovery operations. Absent direct involvement and persuasion by the County Board of Commissioners
toward TLC this property will not be further considered or pursued by staff.
Staff will now initiate a process by which privately owned property that is suitable for obtaining
permitting as a temporary DMS will be solicited, with guidance from the County Attorney and
Purchasing Agent. Staff will keep the SWAG apprised of any progress.
Orange County Government Building Waste Audit — November 2016
Composition of Recycable Material by category found in Orange County
Government Building Waste: November 2016
Hazard/
Electronics
7.4%
Reusable
15.2%
Cans, Bottles, #2, #4, #5
19.3%
Corrugated Cardboard 2.54%
Recycable Paper
55.7%
0
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