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Jefferson County Public Health - Planned Performance Measures 2012
Solid and Hazardous Waste
PROGRAMS: Solid Waste Enforcement, Solid Waste Education & Outreach, Site Hazard
Assessment, Business Pollution Prevention (Local Source Control, EnviroStars Certification,
Green Business Certification).
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 2012:
Investigate solid and hazardous waste complaints in a timely manner.
Resolve solid and hazardous waste violations through voluntary compliance or
citations and legal action when necessary.
Investigate all Initial Investigations as referred by Ecology.
Resolve backlog of Site Hazard Assessments awaiting ranking.
Reduce the incidence of illegal dumping.
Assure all permitted facilities (past & present) and exempt facilities meet current
regulation standards.
Increase public awareness of household hazardous waste (HHW) disposal
requirements and options.
Promote “rethink, reduce, re-use, and recycle” to facilitate the County goal for
50% waste reduction, recycling, composting, and waste diversion.
Provide on-site technical assistance site visits to businesses to encourage
environmentally sustainable business practices.
OBJECTIVES FOR FY 2012:
Coordinate with other agencies to resolve complex solid waste violations.
Work with the County’s Prosecuting Attorney to pursue legal remedy for
enforcement cases when warranted.
Respond via phone, letter or site visit to all solid waste complaints.
Respond to all initial investigations within 3 business days.
Conduct Initial Investigations and Site Hazard Assessments as referred by
Ecology.
Educate consumers on choosing non-toxic alternatives to HHW.
Educate public on proper disposal of HHW.
Promote consuming less and re using more. Recycling is not enough.
Conduct LSC site visits to identify and actively work with high priority SQG’s to
ensure use of best management practices and prevent toxic and hazardous wastes
from entering surface waters.
Promote Green Business and EnviroStar certification programs.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
2008
Actual
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
To Date
2012
Projected
Total number of solid waste complaints received 114 60 65 32 75
Total number of solid waste violations resolved 117 90 68 51 75
Number of illegal dumps complaints received 12 14 11 9 12
Number of illegal dumps complaints resolved 11 19 10 8 12
Number of illegal burning complaints received 4 5 7 1 6
Number of illegal burning complaints resolved 7 1 6
Number of citations/tickets issued 28 24 5 6 5
Number of court hearings attended 19 2 6 2
Tons/cubic yards of solid waste removed/recycled
through compliance efforts (not including junk
vehicles)
>450 cu
yards
55+ tons 38 tons 50
Total number of solid waste violations awaiting
legal action/abatement
2 1 2 5 3
Number of warrants of abatement
obtained/completed
1 0 0 1 1-2
Number of Jeff. Co. permitted facilities meeting
current regulation standards (8)
8 of 9 8 of 9 8 of 8 8 of 8 8 of 8
Number of Jeff. Co. exempt facilities inspected/
meeting current regulation standards (4)
4 of 4 4 of 4 4 of 4 4 of 4 4 of 4
Total number of active EnviroStars businesses 10
14 18 20 23
Number of new EnviroStar businesses 1 3 5 2 3
Number of active Green Businesses 21 26 27 33
Number of new Green Businesses - 6 6 6 6
Number of Junk Cars removed/recycled 279 139 141 2113 150
Number of “Amnesty Day” events 1 0 1 0 0
Tons/yards of solid waste recycled/disposed of
during “Amnesty Day”.
2500
tires
Plus 601
tons (2)
0 3000
Tires
South
County(2
)
0 0
Number of LSC site visits - 4 28 4 72
Number Initial Investigations Completed 3 13 7 3 10
Number Site Hazard Assessments Completed 4 4 0 3 7
Number Site Hazard Assessments pending 14 10 10 7 0
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 enabled clarification for the purposes of monitoring and permitting. In 2010, Ecology took over
permitting of the Olympic Corrections Bio-solids composting facility; this reduced the # of sites to 8.
SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/ SERVICE ISSUES:
JCPH solid waste program strives to ensure solid waste is managed in such a way that ensures
protection of both public health and the environment through enforcement of solid waste
regulations, education and outreach regarding “green living” choices, and pollution source
identification and mitigation through the Local Source Control program, and promotion of
environmentally sustainable businesses that achieve EnviroStars or Green Business certification.
State grants and contracts continue to be the primary source of funding for these programs; and
are expected to remain consistent in 2012 with the exception of additional funding contracted
through Department of Ecology Local Source Control contract.
Solid Waste Enforcement includes solid waste complaints and violations, and solid waste
facility permitting and compliance inspections. Solid waste complaints, including illegal
dumps, have continually declined since 2007. Of the remaining outstanding complaints, there
are a higher percent of difficult, chronic cases (usually involving mental health issues) which
require a greater amount of time and resources to resolve (e.g.: multiple citations, court
hearings, and warrants of abatement). For example, in 2011 a warrant of abatement case
totaled more than 75 staff hours. A backlog of these time-intensive cases exists and staff will
work diligently during 2012 to resolve them. The number of illegal dump complaints seems
to be stabilizing at 11-14 per year; the goal is to have none. Illegal dumping and burning of
garbage is expected to remain consistent until/unless there are structural changes such as
mandatory garbage collection service (at least for rental units). JCPH continues to assist
citizens with junk vehicle affidavit requests, freeing up Sheriff’s Deputies’ time. Since 2007
JCPH has assisted with the removal of over 2113 junk vehicles from Jefferson County.
Jefferson County’s eight permitted facilities are all fully compliant with state and local
requirements. JCPH staff will inspect four exempt facilities in 2012 to ensure compliance
with current state and local codes.
JCPH staff will continue to investigate hazardous waste complaints and perform initial
investigations and site hazard assessments (SHA’s) for Ecology. The solid waste team will
respond to all new referrals from Ecology and expects to resolve the backlog of SHA cases
during 2012. Staff will respond to new referrals for Initial Investigation within 3 business
days.
Solid Waste Education and Outreach includes the EnviroStars Certification program, Green
Business program, public education and outreach, and Local Source Control program. In
2011, JCPH was awarded a first-time biennial contract from Department of Ecology for
Local Source Control (LSC) to identify and mitigate potential sources of pollution into
surface waters from businesses which generate or utilize hazardous waste in their operations.
Guidance and education are offered regarding the proper management and disposal
hazardous waste and best management practices to prevent pollution into waterbodies. The
Local Source Control Specialist (LSCS) provides no-cost technical assistance to Jefferson
County businesses, including marina and boatyard activities, auto businesses, equipment
rental companies, mobile cleaning businesses, etc. For businesses operating with sustainable
business practices, the LSC program serves as a gateway into EnviroStars and Green
Business certification programs. These programs provide free advertisement and other
promotional materials to reward good business practices. Sites found to be in gross violation
of the law and/or apparently contaminated are referred for SHA and mitigated or ranked on
the state database. Both the reduction in hours of the Jefferson County HHW facility and
economic factors are expected to affect businesses proper hazardous waste disposal. It is less
convenient and more expensive to properly dispose of wastes. Increased education and
outreach to businesses through Local Source Control site visits may reduce the occurrences
of improper management and disposal.
Solid waste public education continues to focus on pollution prevention through education
and outreach on proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste, and toxic alternatives for
household cleaners and yard care products. In 2011, JCPH minimized food waste by starting
a worm bin for food waste from lunch scraps. In 2012, we will continue to lead by example
choosing environmentally sustainable business practices continuing to encourage other city
and county departments to adopt and environmentally-preferable procurement policy.
Jefferson County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility reduced its operational hours
and eliminated community outreach collection events during 2011, thus there will be a need
for greater education and outreach, particularly to rural communities, to educate on proper
disposal methods and sites.
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. Inter-agency
cooperation between JC Sheriff’s Office, City of Port Townsend, Animal Services,
Washington State University (WSU) extension office, Climate Action Committee (CAC),
Department of Community Development, Department of Ecology, Puget Soundkeeper
Alliance and Child Protective Services was essential in 2011 and will continue in 2012. This
allows for resolution of difficult and complex cases, shortening of resolution time on cases,
and over-all cost savings to JCPH. 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). Jefferson County Sheriff Department has had a decrease in staff hours due
to budget constraints therefore are available less often to the Solid Waste team for site visits.
In response to this reduction, Solid Waste staff schedules an officer once per month and hold
all cases that require sheriff escort for those days.
Updated 08/02/11