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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSWAG Meeting Summary 061719-draftDraft Solid Waste Advisory Group Meeting Summary DATE: June 17, 2019 LOCATION: Solid Waste Administration Training Room ____________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERS PRESENT: County Commissioner Mark Marcoplos, County Commissioner Penny Rich, Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger, Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle, Hillsborough Commissioner Mark Bell, Hillsborough Commissioner Matt Hughes, UNC-Chapel Hill Representative Brad Ives MEMBERS ABSENT: Chapel Hill Council Member Donna Bell, Carrboro Alderman Randee Haven-O’Donnell, UNC-Healthcare Representative Mel Hurston STAFF PRESENT: County Solid Waste Director Robert Williams, County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Hillsborough Public Works Director Ken Hines, Carrboro Assistant Public Works Director Kirsten Benoit, County Solid Waste Staff: Bruce Woody, Evan Brown, Blair Pollock, Rachel Smith, Wanda McCain, Chapel Hill Public Works Staff Wendy Simmons, UNC-Chapel Hill Solid Waste BJ Tipton ____________________________________________________________________________ Call to Order Approval of Meeting Summary March 27, 2019 meeting summary approved WasteZero- Textile Recycling Presentation, Dennis Wise M. Bell asks are there areas not covered in Orange County. Wise states that the areas covered would be the municipalities – Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. There are outlying areas in the county that would be too far to drive which would defeat the purpose of keeping the cost down. Hemminger asks how the relationships with non-profits work. Wise states that we are happy to have a conversation with them. This activity has zero impact on charities. This is aimed at getting that material out of the trash cans. Marcoplos asks about the percentage of households reached and how many households are gained once you’re in a community. Wise states that in terms of reach we go after everyone. With participation there are two big cleaning time periods – Spring/Fall. Pollock asks about multifamily participation and how Raleigh is doing with counts per household. Wise states that Raleigh needs a little more work to bring up their volume. Simple Recycling will pickup recycling wherever you all pickup recycling. Marcoplos states that at the next meeting we can have information from the appropriate staff of how it might impact their jurisdiction. Williams states that the SWAG leadership will take on the role of contacting the non- profits to get their input and invite some of them to the next meeting. Draft Pollock states that the revenue received from the sale of the textile recycling at the Eubanks Road and Walnut Grove Church Road Waste & Recycling Centers is going to the PTA Thrift Shop and OCIM. Food Waste Program Update – Amy Fulford – Brooks Contract, Justin Senkbiel – Compost Now Lavelle ask how the home subscription service for Compost Now works. Senkbiel states that once you sign up, the container is provided and swapped out based on the subscription level or the frequency of collection. It’s weighed and put on a dashboard so the customer can see how much material is diverted. Hemminger asks how successful are the drop off programs. Is there too much contamination? Fulford states that contamination isn’t too much of a problem now. There is some contamination from time to time but it’s not much. Marcoplos asks about the cost of a subscription service. Senkbiel states the range is $19 - $29/month for weekly or bi-weekly collection. The cost is a function of scale – how many people are on it, level of density and the level of service offered. In our surveys, we found that people in a lower income bracket aren’t going to pay anything for a service so it’s best to create some other program that is financed a different way. Hemminger asks how you get other businesses to sign up to do this. Why should they sign up? Fulford states that we are currently under the direction of OC Solid Waste staff on how to expand. Williams states that everything is financed by Orange County and there is a contract budget amount. We are letting the larger users know that they can finance this on their own and allowing smaller generators to be added. In looking at the scope of what we are trying to do with organics, through the Solid Waste Master Plan, we can identify the proper way to proceed. Hughes asks as large users are shifted off, do they continue to compost. Pollock states that our experience shifting larger users off is that they have all continued to compost. Initially Whole Foods, Weaver Street Market (4 locations) and UNC Hospital took up their own composting collection. This year, Carolina Inn, Carol Woods, Granville Towers, Mediterranean Deli and Rizzo Center will leave the County program November 1 and have stated their intent to continue composting using Brooks or its subcontractor. Rich asks can we do an online survey to see if people are ready to do compost pickup. Hammersly states that as part of the Solid Waste Master Plan, an important part of that is to manage expectations. Not to discourage composting but as we look at what the recycling market is facing, we will have to manage expectations of how things are done going forward. In response to asking the larger generators to go off, we told them that we would no longer pay for the large corporations. Regulated Recycling Material Ordinance Update Marcoplos ask how many are cited for violations. Woody states that there are currently 13 active cases. Entsorga, WV Trip Williams states that there will be doodle poll to choose a date to visit the Entsorga facility in August. Meeting adjourned at: 7:40pm Name of Minute Taker Wanda McCain