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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCONSENT Hearing Notice re Recycling Jefferson County Board of Commissioners CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST To: Board of Commissioners Josh Peters, County Administrator From: Monte Reinders, Public Works Director Agenda Date: September 22, 2025 Subject: Recycling Program Privatization: HEARING NOTICE setting a public hearing on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 3:00 pm re: In the Matter of Adopting An Ordinance Establishing Minimum Levels of Service for Curbside Collection of Recyclables for Unincorporated East Jefferson County and Adopting New Section 8.10.045 to Chapter 8.10 Solid Waste Regulations of the Jefferson County Code (JCC) Statement of Issue: Issues related to Jefferson County's recycling program have been discussed at three regular meetings of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) between July of 2024 and January of 2025, at two joint public meetings between SWAC and Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) in March and April of 2025, and at two BoCC workshops in July and August of 2025. At the August 25, 2025 BoCC workshop, BoCC agreed with staff's recommendation to move forward with setting a public hearing on adopting Ordinance Establishing Minimum Levels of Service for Curbside Collection of Recyclables for Unincorporated East Jefferson County. Analysis: Jefferson County Public Works' recommendation is to transition to private curbside-only recycling with mixed-material cart service provided by a Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) "G-Cert" licensed hauler with direct payment to the hauler by the customer. The current contract for recycling services with Tessera(formerly Skookum Contract Services) expires March 31, 2026. Transitioning to privatized recycling will require: • Adopting a Jefferson County Level of Service Ordinance so that Jefferson County can ensure customers have a range of service options that fit their needs; and 1 • An Operating Agreement between Jefferson County and Waste Connections for the operation of the County-owned recycling center, which lowers operating costs to the benefit of curbside service customers by moderating rates; and • Establish a recycling area behind the transfer station scales to provide recycling services for the limited number of residences who cannot get curbside service due to road constraints. (Customers would be charged at the minimum weight fee of$20 to distribute program costs equitably.) • Adjust the fee schedule at the Quilcene Drop Box facility to include the continued provision of a drop off area at the facility in service to south county residents who cannot get curbside service due to road constraints. These considerations have been discussed at length previously(see most recently BoCC Workshop materials from 07/21/2025 and 08/25/2025) and more information can be found on Solid Waste's website: https://jeffersoncountysolidwaste.com/ Attached for your review: • Hearing Notice setting a Public Hearing on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 3:00 pm. • Public Hearing Power Point Presentation. • Proposed Ordinance. Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impact of setting a public hearing is the cost of publication in The Jefferson County and Port Townsend Leader. A one-time cost estimated at$5,197.00 for public outreach is budgeted for in the current 2025 budget and draft 2026 budget as part of the solid waste education program. Beginning April 1, 2026, Public Works would save an estimated annual $326,000 by discontinuing the tipping fee subsidy of the recycling program. Recommendation: Approve the attached hearing notice setting a Public Hearing on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. regarding the following: In the Matter of Adopting An Ordinance Establishing Minimum Levels of Service for Curbside Collection of Recyclables for Unincorporated East Jefferson County and Adopting New Section 8.10.045 to Chapter 8.10 Solid Waste Regulations of the Jefferson County Code(JCC). Department Contact: Al Cairns, Solid Waste Manager x213 Reviewed By: Jos eters, County Administrator Date 7/3-c-- Please publish 1 time: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 Contact Person: Al Cairns, Solid Waste Manager Bill to: Jefferson County Public Works 623 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING In the Matter of Adopting An Ordinance Establishing Minimum Levels of Service for Curbside Collection of Recyclables for Unincorporated East Jefferson County and Adopting New Section 8.10.045 to Chapter 8.10 Solid Waste Regulations of the Jefferson County Code (JCC) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing is scheduled by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners for Monday,October 6,2025 at 3:00 p.m.in the Commissioners' Chambers, County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (HYBRID). Notice of said hearing is to be published in the official newspaper of Jefferson County. The purpose of this ordinance is to establish minimum levels of service for curbside collection of recyclables by haulers operating under a Washington Utilities and Transportation tariff in unincorporated east Jefferson County and amend chapter 8.10 JCC Solid Waste Regulations by adopting new section 8.10.045 JCC Minimal Level of Service for Residential Recycling. The information is available for viewing on the County website by visiting: www.co.jefferson.wa.us —Board of Commissioners—Boards &Committees—BOCC Agenda Packets—2025 Weekly Agenda Items— 10 October 2025 — 100625 —HEARING re Recycling. You are welcome to participate in this hearing. You will need to join the meeting by 3:00 p.m. using the following methods: VIRTUALLY: Via the following Zoom, link: https://zoom.us/j/93777841705, PHONE: Dial 1-253-215-8782 and enter access code: 937-7784- 1705#and press *9 to"raise your hand"to be called upon. Access for the hearing impaired can be accommodated using Washington Relay Service at 1-800-833-6384,or IN-PERSON at the address listed above. In addition,written testimony is also invited beginning on September 22, 2025, and ending on October 6, 2025, at the end of the Public Hearing, unless extended by the Board of County Commissioners. Written public testimony may be submitted by Email to: ieffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us You may view documents and testimony received by visiting: www.co.jefferson.wa.us—Board of Commissioners—Boards& Committees—BOCC Agenda Packets—2025 Weekly Agenda Items— 10 October 2025 — 100625—HEARING re Recycling. You can also Mail your testimony to: Jefferson County Commissioners' Office; P.O. Box 1220, Port Townsend,WA 98368. Written testimony must be received by the Board of County Commissioners by the end of the hearing testimony period. Signed this 22nd day of September, 2025. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS /S/Heidi Eisenhour, Chair STATE OF WASHINGTON County of Jefferson In the Matter of Adopting An Ordinance Establishing Minimum Levels of Service for ORDINANCE NO. Curbside Collection of Recyclables for Unincorporated East Jefferson County and Adopting New Section 8.10.045 to Chapter 8.10 Solid Waste Regulations of the Jefferson County Code (JCC) WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Department of Public Works (Public Works) has provided recycling services to Unincorporated East Jefferson County residents for over 30 years; and WHEREAS, Public Works has contracted with Skookum Contract Services for over 30 years for the collection of recyclable materials from staffed and unstaffed drop off locations across Unincorporated East Jefferson County and for the processing,marketing and delivery to buyers of these materials; and WHEREAS, this service includes the processing, marketing and delivery to buyers of recyclable materials collected as part of the City of Port Townsend's mandatory curbside recycling program which is provided by the city's contract waste hauler; and WHEREAS, recycling customers separate materials into bins according to material type and this is known in the industry as a"source separated" recycling program; and WHEREAS, thirty-seven other Washington Counties have transitioned to what is known in the industry as "single" or "dual stream" collection of recyclable materials because this collection method is more efficient and gains a higher participation rate; and WHEREAS, to our knowledge, only Jefferson County maintains unstaffed drop off locations for recyclables other than glass (in some areas); and WHEREAS,unstaffed drop-off locations attract illegal dumping which has increased from 26 tons in 2022 to 41 tons in 2024 adding additional cost to the recycling program; and WHEREAS, RCW 70A.205.045 requires that each county and city comprehensive solid waste management plan includes a contamination reduction and outreach plan (CROP) that addresses reducing the contamination of materials accepted as part of the recycling program; and WHEREAS, a 2022 audit of materials from drop-off locations found the contamination rate as high as 30% in the plastic, tin and aluminum mix; and WHEREAS,additionally,RCW 70A.205.045 does not provide funding for Contamination Reduction and Outreach Plan (CROP) implementation and Jefferson County has spent an approximate $70,000 dollars in 2021 on reducing the contamination rate by limiting accepted plastics to bottles and jugs only and messaging this widely; and WHEREAS, nevertheless, and despite these efforts, the CROP campaign produced no reduction in contamination rates and high contamination rates further diminish the commodity value, effectively increasing the program costs; and WHEREAS,the drop-off locations are for residential use but are frequented by businesses and contractors which generates frequent customer complaints about over-full bins and which requires additional servicing of the sites; and WHEREAS,program costs are partially offset by 20%due to a grant from the Department of Ecology and by revenue from the sale of recyclables, however market values for recyclables decreased drastically with the closure of the Chinese market in 2017 and have not recovered; and WHEREAS, recyclable material sales offset an additional estimated 26% of program costs; and WHEREAS,current annual recycling program costs,after grant subsidies and commodity sales revenue, are estimated at$326,709; and WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Solid Waste Management Plan prioritizes landfill diversion activities as Reduction, Reuse and Recycling in descending order of priority; and WHEREAS, the recycling program accounts for 75% of all landfill diversion activity costs; and WHEREAS, currently $13.89 of every per ton transaction at the transfer station is allocated to subsidize the"free"recycling program; and WHEREAS, the term of the Recycling Services Agreement with Skookum Contract Services expires on March 31, 2026, and WHEREAS, a Request for Proposals for the continued operation of the current recycling program is likely to produce higher contractor fees that reflect the high rates of inflation that have been experienced in the last several years and which are ongoing; and WHEREAS,the continued operation of the current recycling program would require either an increase to the tipping fee or a reduction in other services or a combination of both in order to improve the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund cash reserve balance; and WHEREAS, the combined cost savings of closing the Quilcene Drop Box Facility and eliminating the Solid Waste Education program, Household Hazardous Waste collection events, the low-income discount program, the employment program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the transfer of funds to Public Health in support of responses to illegal dumping would not offset the current cost of the recycling program; and WHEREAS,residents in unincorporated east Jefferson County may subscribe for curbside collection of garbage and recycling through Waste Connections as the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission(WUTC)"G-Cert"hauler; and WHEREAS,rates for curbside collection of garbage and recyclables are set by the WUTC through a"tariff'; and WHEREAS, the current WUTC tariff for mid-level service for every-other week collection of garbage and recycling is currently$31.91 per month; and WHEREAS, Public Works will require a low-income discount rate within the WUTC tariff; and WHEREAS, Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5284 was passed in the 2025 State legislative session and this bill obligates single use packaging producers to pay for recycling programs but does not obligate single use packaging producers to pay for recycling programs until January 1, 2030 and then only up to 90%of program costs; and WHEREAS, Public Works has reviewed these issues at regular SWAC meetings on July 25, 2024 and September 26, 2024, a special SWAC meeting on January 23, 2025, at joint SWAC and BoCC meetings on March 26, 2025 and on April 29, 2025, and BoCC Workshops on July 21, 2025, and August 25, 2025, and WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Solid Waste Management Plan includes as a goal: "Promote the use of private industry to carry out the components of the solid waste system, if feasible"; and WHEREAS, Public Works has now proposed that recycling services be provided to unincorporated east Jefferson County residents through curbside collection by subscription; and WHEREAS,Public Works has also proposed that it provides a single drop off area located behind the scales at the transfer station for customers who are unable to receive curbside service and that that those customers will be charged the current minimum fee or at the current per ton rate if the load exceeds the minimum charge weight; and WHEREAS, Public Works has also proposed that it continues to provide a south county drop off area at the Quilcene Rural Drop box for customers who are unable to receive curbside service and to adjust the fee schedule to include this service; and WHEREAS, Public Works recommends the adoption of a Minimum Level of Service Ordinance in order to effect the recommended changes to the recycling program; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON: Section 1. Whereas Clauses Adopted as Findings of Fact. The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners hereby adopts the above"Whereas" clauses as Findings of Fact. Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish minimum levels of service for curbside collection of recyclables by haulers operating under a Washington Utilities and Transportation tariff in unincorporated east Jefferson County. Section 3. Adopting New Section 8.10.45 JCC. Chapter 8.10 JCC Solid Waste Regulations shall be amended by adding new section 8.10.045 JCC Minimal Level of Service for Residential Recycling, as reflected in Exhibit A. Section 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause,phrase of this Ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Ordinance or its application to other persons or circumstances shall be fully valid and shall not be affected. Section 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance is effective upon April 1, 2026. Section 6. SEPA Categorical Exemption. This Ordinance is categorically exempt from the State Environmental Policy Act under WAC 197-11-800(19). (SIGNATURES FOLLOW ON THE NEXT PAGE) APPROVED and ADOPTED this day of ,2025. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF SEAL: COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Heidi Eisenhour, Chair Greg Brotherton,Member Heather Dudley-Nollette, Member ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: Carolyn Gallaway, CMC Date Philip C. Hunsucker Clerk of the Board Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney EXHIBIT A Adding New Section 8.10.045 JCC Minimal Level of Service for Residential Recycling (1) Purpose and intent. A. The purpose of this section is to define minimum levels of service for curbside recycling collection,which shall be provided to households serviced by the solid waste collection company operating in the unincorporated areas of east Jefferson County. B. It is the intent of the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners to: a. Establish residential recycling programs as an integral component of the collection of solid waste, incorporating Washington State's goals as set forth in RCW 70A.205.005, to make source separation of waste a fundamental strategy and to make recycling at least as affordable and convenient to the ratepayer as mixed waste disposal; b. Increase diversion of recyclables from single-family and multi-family residences in Jefferson County; c. Make recycling easier and more convenient for residents through use of efficient collection systems; d. Retain low-cost strategies to encourage participation; and e. Encourage the private sector to develop and operate the recycling facilities that are needed to process and market recyclables collected in unincorporated east Jefferson County. (2) Definitions. For the purposes of this section,certain terms,phrases,and words,and their derivatives,shall have specific meanings as defined in this section. Terms, phrases, and words used in the singular shall also apply to the plural. Terms, phrases, and words used in the plural shall also apply to the singular. A. "Automated recycling container or cart," means a wheeled, plastic receptacle designated for the collection of recyclables and designed to be picked up and emptied by mechanical means into the company's collection vehicle. B. "Automated Collection" means a route serviced by a vehicle with mechanical means to pick up garbage and recycling at the customer's residence. C. "Commodity credit" means the amount of recycling revenue returned to residential customers from the sale of recyclable materials collected through curbside residential programs, as required by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. D. "Recyclable materials" or "recyclables" means those solid wastes that are separated for recycling or reuse and thus diverted from landfill disposal. E. "Recycling rate" means the percentage rate achieved by dividing the total tonnage of recyclables by the sum of the total tonnage of waste disposed added to the total tonnage of recyclables. F. "Set-out counts" means the number of residential customers that set-out their recyclables containers every collection day; or a monthly average of the set-outs as compared to total number of customers. G. "Residence"means any residential dwelling receiving solid waste and recycling collection service where the owner or tenant is billed for solid waste collection service to the dwelling as an individual unit.This may include,but is not limited to,duplexes,mobile homes within mobile homes subdivisions, or attached single-family structures such as townhouses, row houses, or triplexes. H. "Single-stream collection"means the collection of designated recyclables commingled in one covered, wheeled container, collected with automated or semi-automated trucks. I. "Solid waste collection company" means a privately owned solid waste and recycling transportation company or"hauler",which provides collection services in designated areas of Jefferson County and is regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission(WUTC)under the provisions of chapter 81.77 RCW. The companies may be collectively referred to as "certificated haulers" and means every person or his lessees, receivers, or trustees, owning, controlling, operating or managing vehicles used in the business of transporting solid waste for collection and/or disposal for compensation over any public highway whether as a"common carrier"or as a"contract carrier." J. "Source separation" means the separation of different kinds of solid waste at the place where the waste originates. K. "Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission" or "WUTC" means the State agency which regulates privately owned solid waste collection companies who provide collection service to the unincorporated areas under a G certificate. (3) Minimum levels of residential curbside recyclables service. A. The minimum levels of service for residential curbside collection in unincorporated east Jefferson County shall include the following: a. Single-Stream Collection Service. i. Collection companies shall provide every-other-week (EOW), single- stream curbside collection of recyclables to all residences that subscribe to automated curbside solid waste service as a bundled service, provided that access to the residence by the service vehicle is feasible. ii. The collection companies shall provide the curbside recycling collection with all combinations of automated solid waste cart service approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) for their respective certificated areas. iii. Residents in automated service areas may request curbside recycling service without having solid waste service at a rate set by the WUTC. iv. Residents will maintain the choice of whether they want to participate in recycling collection, regardless of whether they are participating in solid waste service. v. The collection services to the customers shall be on the same day as garbage collection, unless the collection company can demonstrate to the County that an alternative collection schedule is necessary because of geographic or development limitations, such as road width or density, that require an alternative truck system or collection schedule. 1. The hauler shall identify the location of the area affected; the alternative collection schedule; and the reasons supporting the alternative. 2. The County shall consider whether the number of customers affected is minimized; that program participation is not adversely affected; whether there is substantial cost savings due to the alternative schedule; whether an alternative collection schedule can result in higher levels of participation and recycling; and other information presented by the hauler. B. Recycling Collection Containers. a. Collection companies shall provide one wheeled container to each of their residential customers signed up for curbside collection. b. Collection companies shall provide residential customers with a choice of either an approximate 95-gallon cart of and approximate 65-gallon cart with no difference in monthly service fees between the sizes of recycling containers. c. All containers shall contain, or have attached, information about the proper preparation of materials and the name and contact information of the certified hauler. The information may be stamped into the container,on a waterproof sticker, a combination of both, or some other alternative, which provides the customer with sufficient permanent information to be able to contact the hauler. If stickers are chosen, hauler shall provide replacements to all customers in the WUTC service area when normal aging and weather exposure has made them unreadable. d. Replacement of the containers necessitated by normal use or by container damage due to the hauler's negligence shall be the responsibility of the hauler. Replacement necessitated by container damage or loss due to the customer's negligence shall be at the customer's expense. C. Exceptions to Collection Alternatives for Restricted Access or Storage Situations, or for Residents with Limited Mobility. a. Criteria. Collection companies shall have a process in place to work cooperatively with residents to tailor the single-stream recycling collection service to meet the needs of residents in situations where: i. Private driveways are inaccessible or incapable of withstanding the weight of collection trucks and collection of recyclables or garbage cannot be provided under the approved drive-in rate tariff for such situations; ii. Because of long, steep and/or winding driveways, a resident would have difficulty in moving a large recycling container, manually or by vehicle, from their house to the public access road for collection; iii. A resident could not provide a storage place to keep recycling or garbage containers at the end of the driveway close to the public access road; iv. Truck access or container size is in any way otherwise restricted due to density and road width or where outside container storage is limited by homeowners' association covenants; or v. Residents with special needs, such as physical infirmity or physical limitations,with no able-bodied person living in the residence to set out the container, and need reasonable accommodation. vi. Alternatives: Collection companies shall offer alternatives that suit their collection system or the particular customer's limitation. The alternatives may include: 1. A drive-in tariff rate and/or a walk-in tariff rate for those situations where a recycling truck can negotiate the long-driveway and where the driveway can support the weight of the truck; and 2. Any other solution mutually agreed to by the customer and the solid waste collection company per WAC 480.70.366. vii. Monitoring Alternative Service Options: The Solid Waste Collection Company shall maintain an updated list of customers who have requested an alternative collection system, a description of the problem and of the chosen solution, or how the problem was otherwise resolved, and will provide an annual list to Jefferson County. viii. Nothing in this section shall either prevent or require collection companies from developing a centralized drop-off site in neighborhoods, to be maintained by the hauler, where such access problems are clustered or where covenants prevent outside storage of containers. D. Materials Collected. The following recyclable materials, at a minimum, shall be collected from residences when properly prepared and meeting the material description as specified. a. Cardboard. Corrugated cardboard and Kraft paper,including unbleached,unwaxed paper with a ruffled ("corrugated") inner liner. b. Metal cans.Tin-coated steel cans and aluminum cans,excluding aerosol spray cans. c. Mixed-waste paper. Clean and dry paper, including, but not limited to: glossy papers; magazines; catalogues; phone books; cards; laser-printed white ledger paper; windowed envelopes; paper with adhesive labels; paper bags; nonmetallic wrapping paper;packing paper; glossy advertising paper; chipboard, such as cereal and shoeboxes; juice boxes; and milk-style cartons of the refrigerated variety (nonrefrigerated products contain aluminum linings). d. Newspaper. Printed groundwood newsprint, including glossy advertisements and supplemental magazines that are delivered with the newspaper. e. Plastics. Bottles and jugs#1-2, including but not limited to: primarily polyethylene terephthalate (PET - #1), such as soft drink, water, and salad dressing bottles; and high-density polyethylene (HDPE - #2) such as milk, shampoo, or laundry detergent bottles; including any bottle with a neck narrower than its base. E. Glass Collection. The Solid Waste Collection Company shall provide a minimum of two (2) drop-off locations within the WUTC service area for marketable glass containers and these locations should provide relative service equity considering the service area and population centers. F. Optional Materials. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a hauler from exceeding the minimum requirements set forth above by collecting additional materials including,but not limited to, food waste, yard waste, scrap metal, glass, or other materials in the future. G. Amending the List of Required Materials. Prior to proposing any amendments to the list of materials to be collected, the County will negotiate and mutually agree upon any proposed changes to the collected materials list with the haulers. H. State Accepted Material Standardization. Should the State adopt a standardized list of material types required for collection; such list will supersede the list included herein. I. Recycling Collection Rates. Collection companies shall request the WUTC to approve a rate structure,which includes the costs to implement the modified single-stream residential curbside recycling program for all solid waste customers contained in in the WUTC service area. The collection companies shall include the following elements in the tariffs proposed to the WUTC: a. A rate structure designed to provide customers with adequate options and incentives to reduce their level of solid waste collection service as a result of their participation in waste reduction and recycling programs; b. The rates shall include the costs of the containers, stickers, collection equipment and staffing; c. Collection rates should include a separate delivery service fee equal to or less than the replacement cost of the bins. This service replacement cost shall not apply to the first-time delivery of the container, or for the first-time delivery of a smaller sized container if the smaller size is requested by the customer; d. Rates should include but are not limited to the haulers' costs for the mutually agreed upon coordinated public outreach program, monitoring set-out participation, and any other costs for the data reporting system required by the County; e. The haulers shall capitalize and amortize the equipment costs as determined by the WUTC; and f. The haulers shall provide a low-income discount rate for qualifying residents, said qualifications and the process for determining eligibility being mutually agreeable to the haulers and the County. (4) Customer service responsibility and coordinated public outreach programs. A. Collection companies shall work with the County to develop and implement a coordinated public outreach program. B. Haulers' customer service responsibilities shall include, but are not be limited to: a. Notifications of new service availability, program sign-up, container delivery, bin stickers, explanation of rate structure, schedule of collection days and container replacement information; b. Delivery of containers within ten days of a request for service with collection service beginning within thirty-five days of a request; c. Contact information for the purpose of providing program information and accepting service complaints clearly shown on the collection equipment, included in all mailings, and on other publicity materials; d. A process to resolve participation problems if access to the program is restricted due to impassable road conditions, other than those occasionally caused by severe weather situations. If the hauler deems the road conditions are regularly impassable by collection vehicles,the hauler will work with customers to determine a mutually agreed upon location for the collection of recyclables, preferably from the nearest roadway which is accessible by the hauler's collection vehicle; e. Notification to both new and ongoing solid waste customers of different solid waste collection service options including cart sizes, frequency, and costs. Hauler shall notify solid waste customers of the above during phone calls, in billing inserts and special mailings, on their website and during new service sign up procedures. Hauler will ensure that website is updated and links to Jefferson County-specific information are working. The website shall also provide a link to the appropriate Jefferson County webpage to provide residents with additional waste disposal and reduction information; and f. Maintaining a website describing the haulers' services,how to sign-up for the new program, how to resolve a service complaint, the availability of a low-income rate and eligibility requirement, and information about drop-off alternatives. (5) Reporting requirements for residential recyclables collection. A. Collection companies shall provide the county with regular and accurate reports of data on all residential recycling collection services as determined necessary by Jefferson County for evaluating the effectiveness of recycling programs. B. Residential Curbside Recyclables Collection Program. a. At a minimum, annual reports will be provided by March 1'the next calendar year and shall contain the flowing data,broken down by each month and by certificated area, including but not limited to: i. The number of residential solid waste collection customers subscribing to each level of garbage collection service; ii. Aggregate tonnage of recyclable materials collected from residential customers per year; iii. Recyclables collected per customer expressed as average pounds of recyclables generated per customer; iv. Aggregate tonnage of solid waste disposed of from single-family customers; v. Log of unresolved customer complaints with summary of measures taken to resolve any problems; vi. Any percentage residue amounts or contamination problems reported by processing facilities if such data are available; and vii. Summaries of tons and value of single stream materials sold. (6) Annual coordinating meeting. The haulers shall meet with the Jefferson County Department of Public Works (Public Works) representatives annually at a minimum to review program effectiveness,resolve issues,and discuss any suggested changes to increase efficiency and participation in the curbside program. (7) Processing facilities. Solid waste collection companies shall use processing facilities that have obtained all applicable local, state, and federal permits. (8) Disposal limitations. The haulers shall not under any circumstances dispose of marketable recyclables by landfilling or incineration except due to market disruptions and upon consent of the Public Works. (9) County notification of WUTC tariff filings. A. Whenever a collection company files a proposed tariff revision for solid waste and recyclables collection rates with the WUTC, the collection company shall simultaneously provide the County with copies of the proposed tariff submitted to the WUTC. B. After tariffs are approved by the WUTC, the collection company shall notify the County of the approved rates and the effective dates. (10) Commodity credit. RCW 81.77.185 requires the Utilities and Transportation Commission allow solid waste collection companies collecting recyclable materials to retain up to fifty percent (50%) of the revenue paid to the solid waste collection companies for the material if the companies submit a plan to the WUTC that is certified by the appropriate local government authority as being consistent with the local government solid waste plan and that demonstrates how the revenues will be used to increase recycling. Public Works shall review a plan upon submittal and determine consistency with the Jefferson County Solid Waste Management Plan and whether the plan will increase recycling rates.