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Home My WebLink AboutSWAB key points 090706 Memorandum To : Solid Waste Advisory Board From : Gayle Wilson Subject : Key Solid Waste Plan Decision Points Date : September 7 , 2006 At the August SWAB meeting and prior to that at the Solid Waste Plan Work Group ' s May meeting , requests were made for a memo outlining key decisions involved in the Solid Waste Plan Development process . This memo provides an outline of the key decisions regarding the waste reduction and recycling element of the plan as well as other elements including waste collection and disposal/transfer which are also highly important to plan success and demand key decisions as well . The outline is a condensed version of the decision points memo that was distributed to the Solid Waste Plan Work Group prior to the meeting with RRSI in June . We plan to also present this decision points outline to the Work Group along with the report due from RRSI next week . We further expect to introduce some of these points to the group when we receive the Rural Solid Waste collection study, projected in December 2006 . Many of the points contained in the earlier, more detailed decision points memo are not included below as they are relatively minor and will not directly affect the major decisions . Some however are tied to bigger decisions , for example : if you select automated single - stream curbside recycling as the collection method, you must use a roll cart , not bins . As an alternative approach, single - stream , non- automated collection can be done with the pending two -bin system that Orange County will use in its curbside program for the next several years . That will not be as efficient but may be cheaper in the short run equipment- wise . The major areas for decision making include : Processing The key decision is to build a facility or ship out the recyclables . This decision can be subjected to a series of economic tests based on soliciting specific proposals from current out of county MRF operators to take our materials , proposals from hauling companies to get them there and proposals from equipment providers to process the materials . The costs generated from those proposals could then be used to evaluate more precisely the economics of transport v . processing and marketing . Development of a commercial recycling program is another key plan element that demands some decisions . RRSI plans to present some case studies of other communities ' approaches to commercial recycling and offer cost estimates of capitalizing and operating a commercial recycling program at two different levels of participation and diversion that should help with the economics of establishing a commercial sector recycling program . Some minor but not insignificant decisions include : Expanding the food waste program to cover all the potential points of generation . This is straightforward at about $ 80 per ton using the current contractor . We believe that there are another 1000 to 1500 tons of food waste readily collectable from the commercial sector . Timing of when to take the multifamily program from its current source separated program to two stream as the curbside programs are now . Staff is prepared to do this next fiscal year, 2007 - 08 . When and how to expand rural curbside recycling to the 40 % of homes in the unincorporated part of the County that do not now have that service , is another element of the program . Other major areas for decision making include Rural waste collection for residential and non -residential sectors for which a background cost and environmental study is being prepared for December distribution , The future of drop off and convenience centers , Siting a waste transfer station , Overall program integration and planning that includes financing and integrating all the above considerations . 2 Outline of Key Decisions The Waste Reduction Goal : Reaffirm 61 % goal or consider an alternative goal ? Timeline for reaching the adopted goal Prol4rams and Services Residential Continue the dual stream (that started this fall) v . a single stream/commingled program Materials County collected or franchised/contracted Frequency — all once a week, all biweekly or mixed as now . Non -residential ( commercial) Commingled v . dual stream Standardized service or custom- tailored Materials County- collected or franchised/contracted Multifamily When/if to go dual or single stream Processing ■ Transfer ■ Sort it all at on site facility ■ Sort paper OR cans/bottles ■ Include evaluation of alternatives ■ Siting decision ■ Will there be an ability to receive source separated materials from other • generators/haulers ■ Including other materials we don ' t now collect ■ Accepting out- of- county materials ■ Organics Management — build processing facility? Continue to contract • collections and processing Emergency storm debris , stumps and inert debris processing (not landfilling) Regulations Mandatory/ Transfer or landfill bans 3 Convenience Centers ( SWCCs ) and Drop off sites (the convenience center issues also dovetail with solid waste management issues as much as recycling ■ Keep all sites OR ■ Eliminate all unstaffed ( or some) ■ Consolidate SWCCs OR keep all ■ Charge fees at SWCCs ■ Allow commercial use of SWCCs ■ Add more materials ■ Keep source separated , go dual or single stream (regardless of what is done at the curb ■ Other functional changes : hours of operation , go to paved sites with compactors and other modernizations Non - recycling related plan makinLy decisions Emergency Storm Debris Management Site and build a facility Operate it for recycling and waste diversion primarily or exclusively Rural Waste Collection Residential and Non- residential • Universal , ` mandatory ' ( i . e . you must pay for service) • Un regulated collection • Franchised (universal or exclusive) • County provides service Siting and building a waste transfer station 4