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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-18-2005-9e1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 18, 2005 Action Agenda Item No. `~.e,- SUBJECT: Policy on Salvage/Scavenging of Items at Solid Waste Convenience Centers DEPARTMENT: Public Works/Solid Waste PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Draft Policy Wilbert McAdoo, 245-2627 09/08/05 SWAB Resolution Terry Edmonson, 245-2637 Gayle Wilson, 968-2885 PURPOSE: To consider approval of a proposed policy governing the removal of items from salvage sheds and from bulk disposal sections of Orange County's Solid Waste Convenience Centers (SWCCs). BACKGROUND: Since the opening of staffed solid waste convenience centers in October 1993, Sanitation Division staff have tried to observe certain practices governing what items may be removed, and under what circumstances, from different parts of each convenience center. There has been confusion at times regarding what, and how, the public may and may not salvage from convenience centers. The accompanying proposed policy attempts to strike an appropriate balance among the desirability to recycle/reuse as many materials as possible, the promotion of efficient operations, and safety far both citizens and employees. The Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) recommended the adoption of this policy at its meeting on September 8, 2005. Specific issues which the proposed policy would address include, among others: • maintaining and promoting environmental responsibility and personal safety of SWCC users and employees • minimizing inappropriate loitering which can interfere with customer access to containers, impede customer or service vehicle traffic flow, or limit user parking • providing clarity and consistency of standards for site attendants to explain to users at SWCCs throughout Orange County • maximizing and preserving the market value of recyclable materials, which contribute to the revenue stream that funds recycling service delivery and educational outreach • prevent the disassembly, breakup, or other fragmentation of any material or item that would render the material more difficult to collect, store, ship, or market. Since the implementation of roll-off containers at four of the solid waste convenience centers, Highway 57, Eubanks Road, Ferguson Road and High Rock Road), the volume of scavenging has decreased. This has promoted a positive impact on congestion and safety concerns at these centers, especially on weekends. Implementation of this policy will further these improvements. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no significant financial impact associated with adoption of this policy. There could be same minor positive impact on the amount of recycling revenue received by the County (e,g. if personal computers left for disposal are recycled intact rather than being cannibalized by certain citizens and then returned as scrap), probably measured in the thousands of dollars annually. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the proposed policy. 3 Draft Policy Removal of Items from Salvage Shed and Scavenging of Waste or Recyclable Material from Solid Waste Convenience Centers (70 5 05) The following policy statement shall govern the removal of any waste item or discard delivered to the County Solid Waste Convenience Centers by citizens or county employees for the purpose of disposal or recycling. The purpose of this policy is to: • maintain and promote environmental responsibility and the personal safety of citizens/customers; • eliminate loitering which can interfere with customer access to containers, impede customer or service vehicle traffic flow, or limit user parking; • provide clarity and consistency far site attendants; • maximize and maintain the market value of recyclable materials; and • prevent the disassembly, breakup, or other fragmentation of any material or item that would render the material more difficult to collect, store, ship, or market. All waste or recyclable materials/items delivered to Solid Waste Convenience Centers become the property of Orange County upon their placement at the center in any of the designated containers or discard areas. This includes: • roll-off containers • roll-carts • electronics recycling trailers • dumpsters • salvage sheds • containers for dry cell batteries, waste oil, oil filters, anti-freeze, or other materials • wet-cell (lead acid) battery pallet or pallets for any other materials • waste or recyclable staging areas (whether on the ground or elsewhere) for electronics, yard waste, scrap metal, furniture or other bulky items or other waste or recyclable discard area within the center Salvage Sheds Citizens are prohibited from removing waste/recyclable materials deposited at a Solid Waste Convenience Center, except from within the salvage shed. Salvage sheds are the only location within the center from which public/citizen salvaging is allowed or permitted at any time. Citizens may place or remove items from the salvage shed located at four of the six Solid Waste Convenience Centers (Eubanks Road, Ferguson Road, Highway 57 and High Rock Road). Since loitering is not permitted due to the volume of solid waste convenience center users, a 15-minute twice daily time limit was established far depositing or removing items from the salvage shed. Citizens are encouraged to place reusable items in good condition in the Salvage Shed, excluding clothing, electronic devices, broken or poor conditioned items, construction materials, and mattresses and box springs (health regulations). Solid Waste Center Operators will be the final arbiters of determining whether an item is suitable to be deposited at the Salvage Sheds or determining when an item has been available in the shed for salvage a sufficient time to determine that it is unwanted and should be considered waste. 1 • Solid Waste Center Operators may not be expected to help remove items, especially during high traffic periods, • Solid Waste Center Operators do have the discretion to ask citizens to leave if they are disrupting the center or abusing the system. • Salvage Shed items may be removed in whole, however, no disassembly, repair ar part removal is allowed. Waste or Recyclable Collection Receptacles or Designated Areas (Except Salvage Sheds) Citizens are not permitted to scavenge, remove, explore, rummage, partially disassemble, remove parts, etc, of any items anywhere in the Solid Waste Convenience Center unless such items are located within a Salvage Shed, Furthermore: No citizen or county staff may remove any item from a solid waste or recycling container or climb on or into a container for purposes of waste/recyclable item removal, This includes dumpster and roll-off containers. • No citizen or county staff may contaminate regulated recyclable materials as to make them no longer recyclable. Regulated recyclables include metal, clean woad, yard waste, white goods, tires, and cardboard. • The removal of any data bearing devices such as Computer Processing Units (CPU's) is not permitted due to the possible sensitive/personal information remaining on the hard drive, i.e.. social security numbers, bank account information. • Solid Waste Center Operators may not be expected to help remove Salvage Shed items. • Loitering by citizens is not permitted due to the volume of Solid Waste Convenience Center users and a 15-minute twice-daily time limit is established for obtaining items from the salvage shed, • Solid Waste Center Operators do have the discretion to ask citizens to leave if they are violating this policy, disrupting the operation of the convenience center, pilfering, using abusive or vulgar language, blocking customer access, interfering with waste or recyclable collection personnel or equipment, or other legitimate reason as determined by the Center Operator. • Failure of customers to follow Center Operator directives regarding loitering, salvaging, or other Convenience Center policies may result in a citizen being trespassed from County Convenience Centers, notification of Sheriff deputies or both. z 5 Resolution Recommending that the Board of Orange County Commissioners adopt a policy on scavenging and salvaging at the Solid Waste Convenience Centers Whereas the Solid Waste Advisory Board has reviewed and considered issues surrounding current practices on scavenging and salvaging at the Solid Waste Convenience, and Whereas SWAB members have observed firsthand such practices that were unsafe and unsound, and Whereas the SWAB received testimony from staff also indicating many problems at the SWCC's related to scavenging and salvaging, and Whereas the SWAB realizes that the County wants to encourage practical and economic reuse of'materials by its citizens to reduce waste, and Whereas the SWAB is aware that many of these reusable items and materials are delivered to the SWCCs where others wait to take them, and Whereas some residents of Orange County depend on use of these materials for meeting their basic economic needs, and Whereas many materials such as scrap metal delivered to the SWCC's have economic value to the County when sold as commodities and such value needs to be preserved, and Whereas allowing unrestricted scavenging at SWCCs creates unsafe conditions, potential environmental hazards, and increases the likelihood of injury to the scavenger and others, and Whereas increased scavenging activities create conflict at the SWCCs, and Whereas the Solid Waste Convenience Center operators are in need ofclear guidance and regulations to ensure citizen safety, their own safety and an unambiguous policy to communicate to SWCC users, and Whereas the SWCC operators need additional training and guidance to professionalize their jobs and improve their ability to carry them out, Therefore be it now resolved that the Solid Waste Advisory Board recommends that the Board of Orange County Commissioners direct the Solid Waste Department staff to draft a policy for BOCC adoption that will address the issues identified herein. Said policy should incorporate policies governing salvaging and scavenging activities at the Solid Waste Convenience Centers that maximize safe and effective salvaging of usable or repairable goods by citizens and eliminate scavenging of'materials from any area other than the designated salvage area(s) Be it further resolved that the SWAB recommends that such a policy provide clear, unambiguous, and consistent standards and guidelines for citizens, SWCC operators and other staff involved in managing solid waste in Orange County. ~.y";!I a j~~a+x~c .Jan Sassaman, Ph.D., Chair Solid Waste Advisory Board This is the 8th day of _September -2005.