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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSolid and Hazardous Waste (PDF)Jefferson County Public Health 2009 Report Performance Measures Solid and Hazardous Waste Mission: The mission of the Solid Waste Code Compliance and Education Program is to enforce Washington State and Jefferson County solid and hazardous waste code, educate the community about ways to reduce solid and hazardous waste, and to promote the goals and objectives for solid waste reduction and recycling outlined in the Jefferson County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan. Goals for FY 2010: 1. Investigate all solid and hazardous waste complaints. 2. Resolve solid and hazardous waste violations through voluntary compliance or citations and legal action when necessary. 3. Reduce the incidence of illegal dumping. 4. Assure all permitted facilities (past & present) meet current regulation standards. 5. Increase awareness of small quantity generator and household hazardous waste (HHW) disposal requirements and options through education and outreach efforts. 6. Promote re-use, recycling, and a reduction in consumption to decrease annual tonnage of solid waste. 7. Reduce the incidence and risk of contamination of Puget Sound by ensuring use of BMPs by businesses along the water. Objectives: 1. Coordinate with other agencies to resolve more difficult solid waste violations. 2. Work with the County’s Prosecuting Attorney to pursue legal remedy for the most difficult enforcement cases. 3. Continue to utilize motion-activated cameras at illegal dump sites to identify offenders and work with citizens to identify and clean-up sites quickly. 4. Educate consumers at point of purchase about proper disposal of HHW and non-toxic alternatives. 5. Work with Public Works to promote HHW collection days and educate participants about non- toxic alternatives. 6. Promote reduction of consumption and re-use, that recycling is not enough. 7. Actively work with Marinas, Ports, and businesses within them to ensure use of best management practices and reduce toxic and hazardous wastes from entering the water. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: 2007 Actual 2008 Actual 2009 Actual 2010 Projected Total number of solid waste complaints received 184 114 60 75? Total number of solid waste violations resolved 135 117 90 100 Number of illegal dumps complaints received 27 12 14 15 Number of illegal dumps complaints resolved 23 11 19 15 Number of citations/tickets issued 49 28 24 Number of court hearings attended 19 Tons/cubic yards of solid waste removed/recycled through compliance efforts (not including junk vehicles) 50+ tons >450 cu yards Total number of solid waste violations awaiting legal action/abatement 2 2 1 2 Number of warrants of abatement obtained/completed 1 1 0 2 Number of Jeff. Co. permitted facilities meeting current regulation standards (out of 9) (1) 6 of 8 8 of 9 8 of 9 8 of 8 (1) Total number of active EnviroStars businesses (Out of100 eligible in Jefferson County) 10 10 14 17 Number of new EnviroStar businesses 2 1 3 3 Number of active Green Businesses 21 26 Number of new Green Businesses - 6 5 Number of Junk Cars removed/recycled 701 279 139 100 Number of “Amnesty Day” events 0 1 0 0 Tons/yards of solid waste recycled/disposed of during “Amnesty Day”. 300+ tons (2) 2500 tires Plus 601 tons (2) Notes: (1) At the end of 2008 JCPH broke out several facilities that had previously been lumped together. (Jefferson County Transfer Station, Recycling Center, and closed Municipal Landfill.) This will enable clarification for the purposes of monitoring and permitting. In 2010 Olympic Corrections Bio-solids composting facility will be permitted through Ecology, reducing # of sites to 8. (2) JCPH worked with Washington Department of Ecology to remove and properly dispose of 904 tons of tires from 5 large sites, at no cost to Jefferson County. Initial numbers from 2007 were 300 tons. Final numbers for the project by the end of 2008 were 904 tons. JCPH then sponsored a one-day tire recycling event for county residents which collected an additional 2500 tires. (3) Public Works organized and staffed 4 Household Hazardous Waste events, 3 of which were in South County. JCPH helped promote the events with press releases and distribution of fliers, especially in South County, but did not staff them. 2009 Analysis: The number of solid waste complaints reported and resolved, including illegal dumps, has fallen since its peak in 2007. We saw an initial spike in complaints reported and resolved after the 2005 code revision that allowed for the issuance of citations and other legal action. The cases closed in 2009 include a higher percent of difficult, long-term cases that require a greater amount of time and resources to resolve (e.g.: multiple citations, court hearings, and warrants of abatement.) There were no properties cleaned-up through warrants of abatement this year. Two that were imminent changed ownership through foreclosure and were cleaned-up by the new owners. It is anticipated that during 2010, the overall number of solid waste cases will decrease, with a relatively high percentage of time-intensive cases. This should stabilize in time as the backlog of these cases is resolved. We also expect to have a shift towards more hazardous waste casework due to referrals from the Local Source Control (LSC) during 2010. LSC is an Ecology funded program, started in 2008, where JCPH proactively visits businesses that utilize or produce toxics and hazardous materials. Guidance and education is offered regarding the proper disposal of these materials. Sites found to be in gross violation of the law and/or apparently contaminated, are referred for site hazard assessment and clean-up. JCPH continues to investigate hazardous waste complaints and perform site hazard assessments (SHA’s) for Ecology. In addition to complaints, the solid waste team will proactively focus on marinas and boatyard activities this year. Several Jefferson county Ports are already in the process of becoming Clean Marina/ EnviroStar certfied by Ecology and JCPH. JCPH’s Local Source Control staff person will focus on businesses within the marinas/ports, assisting eligible businesses to become Envirostars and Green Businesses, and assisting others with best management practices and code compliance issues. JCPH is participating with Ecology to provide spill kits to businesses, and we will be focusing on businesses in the ports/marinas, gas stations, and other businesses that are close to bodies of water. A continued decrease in illegal dump complaints was observed in 2009. Several large, popular dump sites were closed and cleaned-up as property-owners restricted access with gates and ecology blocks. Citations were issued by JCPH where three pieces of identification could be found in dumped goods. It is unclear if word has gotten out and illegal dumping is decreasing, or if the sites have moved further out into the woods and have not been discovered yet. The number of junk vehicles (JVs) removed/recycled decreased from its peak in 2007 when JCPH obtained a grant to remove them for free. There was no such grant in 2008, but scrap prices were high enough that hauling by local businesses was free. Prices dropped significantly at the end of 2008, leading to a decrease in people’s willingness to part with JV’s second to cost of removal/towing and no monetary incentive. Another probable reason for the decrease is that the largest JV sites have already been resolved, (e.g.: 2007 had one site with 300 vehicles) though there may be a few out there lurking that we are not aware of. JCPH assists citizens with numerous junk vehicle affidavit requests, freeing up Sheriff’s Deputies’ time. JCPH is approaching its 1000th junk vehicle removed from Jefferson County since 2007! 2009 saw a continued high degree of inter-agency cooperation between JC Sheriff’s Office, Public Health, Animal Services, Department of Community Development, and Child Protective Services. This allowed for resolution of some very difficult cases, shortening of resolution time on other cases, and cost savings (e.g. JCSO referred some solid waste and illegal burning cases to JCPH for follow-up, JCPH solid waste and septic teams resolved some long-standing issues at some illegal trailer encampments which led to a dramatic decrease in calls to JCSO, JCSO commits deputy time to escort JCPH and CPS workers at high risk sites, JCAS teamed up with JCPH to resolve several very large cases, JCPH photo-documents sites and forwards to JCAS and CPS, CPS arranged payment for solid waste disposal for a mutual site). SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/SERVICE ISSUES: The reduction in funding and staffing of all county departments means we must carefully and honestly evaluate priorities and division of labor. Increased inter-departmental cooperation will enable us to accomplish the most with limited funds. Citizens need to be informed about the necessary reduction in and speed of services (i.e. JV affidavits are not as high a priority as a hazardous waste complaint). Our departments can also stretch the funding by utilizing volunteer/citizen groups where possible. LINKS TO COUNTY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: Addressing locally identified and defined local public health issues Protecting and enhancing natural resources. Operating within a business plan based on sustainable resources, measured performance, and outstanding customer service.