HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.27.26 Solid Waste Program Report1
August 27, 2026
SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING:
SOLID WASTE PROGRAM UPDATE
Transfer Station Replacement Planning Process
Staff provided feedback on the traffic pattern of a draft new transfer station site plan and the plan was
revised accordingly. Staff will meet with the consultant in early September to review 3D modeling of the
building.
Solid Waste Division Staffing
With an extended leave for one of our Solid Waste Tech I employees and a reassignment of a Tech 1
part time employee from the transfer station to our Finance team we’ve been lean on staff right at peak
customer demand. We’ve successfully backfilled these positions with some great additions to the
transfer station crew.
Transfer station labor hours for 2027 are slightly fewer than in 2026. The ratio of labor hrs. to tonnages
and labor hours to transactions has remained nearly the same for over a decade.
Recycling Program Revisions
As could be expected with a major program shift, many adjustments were found necessary in fitting the
recycling drop off area behind the scales at the transfer station and staff has been responsive to
customer feedback. The bins are now “right-sized” and customers are becoming accustomed to the new
traffic pattern. A visual survey of the materials in the bins shows no improvement to the contamination
rate.
Curbside Collection Low-Income Discount
The BoCC will review the Solid Waste Management Plan amendments necessary for adoption of the low-
income discount as a first-in-state rate in the Utilities and Transportation Commission tariff at their
August 24 meeting. If approved, the revisions will be forwarded to the Department of Ecology and the
UTC.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events/Kitsap County Interlocal Agreement
3 collection events have been held to date in Quilcene, Port Townsend, and Chimacum with one event
left for September 12 at the Chimacum High School parking lot. The average cost of a single event is
$40,000 plus $5,000 in County staff labor costs.
A new Interlocal agreement with Kitsap County was finalized on May 18th which will provide Jefferson
County residents with free hazardous waste drop off service at the Kitsap County Moderate Risk Waste
facilities through June 30, 2029.
WA Organics Recycling Council Webinar
Staff will be among panelists for a webinar sponsored by the Washington Organics Recycling Council on
organics diversion happening in WA counties that aren’t subject to the state’s curbside organics
management requirements. The link to register is: https://waecy-wa-
gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/fjfwqZcFRPKEuHaxlaK1ug?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdel
ivery#/registration
And the announcement:
2
Composting Close to Home: Community -
Scale Solutions in Washington
Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. Pacific time | Register
for the webinar
As Washington works to meet new organics diversion requirements under the organics
management laws, community-scale systems are emerging as a critical component of a distributed,
efficient, and resilient statewide organics infrastructure.
The Washington Organics Recycling Council (WORC) is hosting a webinar on September 8th from
12-1pm to dig into community-scale organics management solutions in Washington.
Each of the panelists operate in areas of the state that aren’t subject to the state’s curbside
organics management requirements, specifically BOMA or ORCA. Yet, they have created their own
community-scale organics management solution. The discussion will feature the community
demand for the solution, operational insights, and lessons learned in getting their community scale
solutions off the ground.
This webinar will brings technical insights from Washington operators actively a dvancing
community-scale composting: Al Cairns (Jefferson County), Zoey Gray (Methow Recycles), and Kate
Wynne (B2G Compost in Winthrop). The panel will be moderated by Brenda Platt of the Institute for
Local Self -Reliance (ILSR).