HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.26.2024 SWAC Minutes APPROVEDJefferson County, Washington State
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)
Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting, Thursday, September 26, 2024, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Public Works Office, 623 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA
Hybrid Meeting
Audio and video recordings posted under Meeting Recordings on this website
https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/483/Solid-Waste-Advisory-Committee
Opening Business
Meeting agenda posted on website on September 23, 2024.
1. Call to Order and Roll Call – Tracy Grisman, Chair
Committee Members Present for Roll Call:
Heidi Eisenhour, County Commissioner Tracy Grisman, Chair & District #1
Don Rhoden, District #2 Steve Chappuis, District #2
Tim Deverin, District #3 (during public comment) Phil Sonne, Citizen-at-Large
Glenn Gately, Conservation District Bliss Morris, City of Port Townsend
Alysa Thomas, Skookum Site Manager
Committee Members Absent
Pete Hanke, Port of Port Townsend Joey Deese, Waste Connections
Staff Present
Laura Tucker, Public Works, Solid Waste Education and Outreach
Chris Spall, Public Works Support Staff
Guests/Visitors: Gavin & Sally Wuttken, Around Again; Kami Bruner, Repair x Reuse Washington; Lacy
Kooiman, Grants Manager for WA State Dept. of Ecology; Lisa Crosby, James Murray, Jim Friedman, Tom
Thiersch, Mandi Johnson, Blake Nelson, WA State Dept. of Ecology
There is a quorum.
2. Public Comment was given on:
• Changes at the Quilcene Drop Box, such as the two-can minimum, having a negative impact on Quilcene
residents. Please consider impact to the community before making such changes.
• Please reconsider proposal made at the 7/25/2024 SWAC meeting to move from self-haul recycling to
curbside collection. Discontinuing self-haul recycling is a bad idea and will lead to a lot of recyclable
material being landfilled instead of recycled.
3. Approval/correction of 07/25/2024 meeting minutes. Motion to approve minutes made by Heidi and
seconded by Tim. Under Future Agenda Items, strike reference to triple bottom line in the SWMP. The
motion carried to approve the minutes with the correction.
4. Staff report: (Q&A on Staff Report) Laura brought up the 9/25/2024 Managers Report on the screen and
there was brief discussion on it.
5. Old Business:
a. Role of SWAC – Laura gave a slide presentation explaining the role and suggested responsibilities of
the SWAC in the County Solid Waste Program. The Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is a
guiding document. Laura ended the presentation explaining where SWAC fits into the
review/decision process for actions by the Solid Waste Program.
b. Reminder of recycling program evolution – Laura gave a slide presentation on “Changes to Recycling
in Jefferson County.” Despite many efforts (flyers, audits & feedback, signage, etc.) over the years to
educate the public on what is and is not accepted, recycling contamination has not significantly
changed, and plastics are the biggest problem. Plastics pollute our oceans and beaches, kill wildlife
that ingest them, and break down into micro-plastics that damage our bodies and the environment.
Responsible disposal of non-recyclable plastics is in the landfill. Look at the landfill as temporary
storage until there is a way to do something good with plastics.
6. New Business.
a. Recycling Program Update – Tracy talked about the Recycling Program Issue Paper and the SWAC
Survey on Proposed Recycling Program Revisions that Al Cairns sent to the SWAC. In short, the
recommendation is to move to single-stream curb-side collection only, with drop-off locations for glass.
Eight SWAC members responded to the survey with four strongly agreeing and four agreeing in support
of the recommendations in the survey. The survey was intended to start the conversation on the
recommendations for changes to the recycling program. More conversations will take place.
b. Around Again in Sequim – Gavin Wuttken spoke about this non-profit business that has been in
business for close to 15 years. Its Mission Statement is “working to make waste a resource. Everything is
donated and items are priced to sell at 33% of retail price. Goal is to move stuff through and keep it out of
the landfill.
7. Partner Updates:
a. Artist in Residency (AIRE) program (Tracy Grisman) – Margie McDonald is completing her
residency and the AIRE Reveal #2 will be on Oct. 16, 5-6 p.m. at the Transfer Station.
b. Skookum (Alysa Thomas) –Cardboard and mixed paper are little above average, TAP holding
steady, and stockpiling glass until something opens up. Capital investments going on at Strategic
and they aren’t taken anything from outside that County.
c. Waste Connections/Olympic Disposal – No one in attendance
d. City of Port Townsend solid waste/recycling/composting (Bliss Morris) – Nothing to report at
this time.
8. Future Agenda Items – Field trips to MRF and Around Again in Sequim.
Meeting adjourned at 4:27 pm..
Next Meeting Date: December 5.
2024 Regular Meetings
Thursday, January 26
March 28
May 23
July 25
September 26
December 5