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| Pgs. 65-114 |
Agenda No. Pgs. 65-114
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| City Council - Regular Meeting |
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| Information |
| HISTORY: |
Staff presented a report from the Recycling Ad-Hoc Committee at the Council Work session on September 21, 2020. A summary of the recommendations from the Ad-Hoc Committee include:
- Eliminate plastics as an accepted recycling material. Apply a phased approach to plastics to simplify what is allowed/goes into the commingled container. Phase I will limit items to paper, cardboard, tin and aluminum cans to reduce contamination.
- Assuming this approach is acceptable to Council, request an amendment through the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to remove plastics from the list of accepted recycling materials.
- Implement the change through public outreach/education.
- Implement a public information campaign followed by monitoring, measuring, and the establishment of a feedback loop to citizens/customers.
- Periodically monitor and report to Council. If contamination has been successfully reduced, move to Phase II adding to the accepted recyclables list plastics of highest value.
- Re-evaluate the current collection system in 2023 if contamination continues to be a problem.
- Allow the Committee additional time to investigate legislative considerations and report back to Council in November for possible inclusion with the City’s 2021 Legislative Priorities.
HISTORY/BACKGROUND:
At the February 12, 2020 Council meeting, Council passed a motion to form a Recycling Ad-Hoc Committee with the assignment goal of providing specific recommendations to City Council to contain or reduce the cost of recycling while preserving and encouraging responsible recycling. The seven member Committee made up of two members from the Sustainability Committee, two members from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, two Council members and one citizen have met several times to go over the following items: review the existing system, provide recommendations for what items should be recycled, provide input/recommendations on education and enforcement, evaluate alternatives to the existing system and provide state/local policy considerations. |
| POLICY ISSUES: |
RCW 70.95.010 lists the State's goals and priorities for solid waste management.
RCW 70.95.090 stipulates recyclables must be collected from single and multi-family residences, unless Ecology approves an alternate program. County and city comprehensive solid waste management plans—Contents.
(7) The waste reduction and recycling element shall include the following:
(b) Source separation strategies, including:
Programs for the collection of source separated materials from residences in urban and rural areas. In urban areas, these programs shall include collection of source separated recyclable materials from single and multiple-family residences, unless the department approves an alternative program, according to the criteria in the planning guidelines. Such criteria shall include: Anticipated recovery rates and levels of public participation, availability of environmentally sound disposal capacity, access to markets for recyclable materials, unreasonable cost impacts on the ratepayer over the six-year planning period, utilization of environmentally sound waste reduction and recycling technologies, and other factors as appropriate. In rural areas, these programs shall include but not be limited to drop-off boxes, buy-back centers, or a combination of both, at each solid waste transfer, processing, or disposal site, or at locations convenient to the residents of the county. The drop-off boxes and buy-back centers may be owned or operated by public, nonprofit, or private persons. |
| PLAN COMPLIANCE: |
2014 WALLA WALLA COUNTY SOLID WASTE AND MODERATE RISK WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN (Res. 2014-121)
Recycling Goals and Objectives
Section 3.1 Education and Outreach- Goals and Objectives
• Increase recycling and recovery efforts and accomplishments.
• Expand availability of opportunities of recycling and yard waste collection within the municipalities, unincorporated County area, and Urban Growth Area.
Section 3.3 Recycling- Recycling is the second tier in the hierarchy of solid waste management in the State of Washington.
Section 3.3.1.1 Goals and Objectives
• Work toward reaching a recycling rate of 50% by 2023.
• Continue to encourage and educate residents and businesses to compost and recycle.
• Expand the availability of opportunities for recycling and yard waste collection within the municipalities, unincorporated County area, and Urban Growth Area.
GREENHOUSE GAS POLICY:
Continue to promote and expand recycling programs ... improved management of waste handling, reductions in waste generation, and expansion of waste diversion programs.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Initiative 3: Develop a strategic communications plan.
Objectives
- Tell our story
- Prioritize needs
- Build relationships - Neighborhood and business engagement, Community Oriented Policing (Council Ward Patrol Officer)
- Create two-way engagement
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| ALTERNATIVES: |
| To accept all, none or portions of the Ad-Hoc Committee's recommendations. |
| STAFF RECOMMENDATION: |
| Staff recommends that Council approve a motion to accept recommendations from the Ad-Hoc Recycling Committee as outlined in the report. |
| CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: |
| Approved for City Council action. |
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