HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.28.2021 SWAC MinutesJEFFERSON COUNTY
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 28, 2021
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
DUE TO COVID -19, NO IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE ALLOWED
(per 5/28/2020 Jefferson County Board of Health Order)
Meeting conducted via GoToMeeting
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/867505741
Public Access: (872) 240-3212; Access Code: 867-505-741#
OPENING BUSINESS
Roll Call and Introductions – Bart Kale, Chair
Committee Members Present:
Bart Kale, Chair & Citizen at Large Heidi Eisenhour, County Commissioner
Lisa Crosby, District #1 Tracy Grisman, District #1
Chad Young, Waste Connections Glenn Gately, County Conservation District
Jenifer Taylor, District #2 Bliss Morris, Alternate for City of Port Townsend
Alysa Thomas, Skookum Tim Deverin, District #3
Committee Members Absent
Staff Present
Al Cairns, Solid Waste (SW) Division Manager Jerry Mingo, SW MRW Coordinator
Chris Spall, Public Works Support Staff Laura Tucker, Public Health, SW Education,
Monte Reinders
Guests/Visitors:
David Pater, WA State Dept. of Ecology, and Joanne Tyler, Citizen
Quorum Determination: There is a quorum.
Approval of December 22, 2020 Draft of Minutes: approved with correction to Committee and Public Open
Discussion section. The second sentence of the first bulleted item should read “Mixed plastic now controlled
under the Basel Convention.”
Correspondence received for discussion: None.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Artist in Residency Program – Tracy Grisman
Based on programs in San Francisco and Arkansas. Program here is in the early planning stage. Hope to give
local artists four months of gleaning rights on the tipping floor. Collaborate with local galleries to exhibit the
art that is created. Purpose of program is to bring attention to waste practices and provide education.
2. Service Level Comparison – Al Cairns
Often receive calls about why we don’t offer the same services that other Urban counties do. A comparison of
service levels with Seattle and King County shows that we do offer the same or better level of service despite
not having the scale of operations they have. Our residents also have shorter distances to drive to facilities
than citizens in other counties. We need messaging to convey this. It is good to understand our service level
before developing the CROP.
3. Solid Waste Education Recycling Audit – Laura Tucker
LSWFA grant recycling drop box audits to measure the level of reduction in contamination. Recycling
measured by volume. Audited the bins at Port Ludlow, Quilcene, and the Transfer Station. In the TAP (tin,
aluminum, plastic) bins, contamination included Styrofoam, clam shells, plastic tubs and to-go containers,
paper and plastic bags, straws, and paper and plastic cups. In the OCC cardboard, contamination included
plastic, chipboard, and other mixed papers. For mixed paper, contaminants included plastic and Styrofoam
packaging. Plastic bags were found in the glass bins, but are found in all the recycling bins. Signage on the
bins is clear. People are either not reading it or don’t care about what is says.
4. CROP 1st Draft: review and feedback from SWAC on next steps
Al presented an initial draft of Jefferson County’s CROP for the SWAC to build out. While the CROP is
being developed an RFP for recycling services will need to be published. Seven action steps are listed in the
draft. By step 2, before the RFP is published, we will need to identify the materials that will be in our
recycling program. The RFP will identify the markets for the recyclables. Staff will present the SWAC with a
proposed list of recyclables. Set greenhouse gas emissions goals with respect to materials on the recycling list.
Cost is another consideration. Percentage wise we spend more on recycling than bigger cities do. Tipping fees
subsidize the recycling program. What can we afford in the future, and what will be the effect on tipping fees?
Al will coordinate a special meeting, before the next regular meeting, to discuss decision points of the CROP.
David Pater said Jefferson County is a big step ahead of other counties in terms of contamination.
5. Partner Updates (updates since October of 2020)
a. Skookum Recycling – Alysa Thomas.
Commodities settled. Lots of boxes from the holidays. Hadlock site still a problem. Boxes of food on
retaining wall behind the bins. Looks like transients living nearby. At the Port Ludlow site stuff is
being left outside the bins. Bins at Dosewallips State Park will be removed on Friday, 1/29. After
being emptied and cleaned they will be placed at the Yelviks General store in Brinnon.
b. Waste Connections – Chad Young
Volumes steady. Business roll out volumes going up.
c. City solid waste/recycling/composting – Bliss Morris
Request citizens to participate in recycling. Asking businesses in Main Street program that have
private bins to maintain them. Yard waste increasing steadily for last 3-4 years. Hope to begin
selling compost again on March 1.
4:15 Committee and Public Open Discussion
• Jerry read that 64% of recycling costs are recouped from the market and tipping fees subsidize the rest.
• People support recycling things they want to be recycled. CHARM center in Boulder, CO offers recycling
for hard to recycle items. They charge a small entry fee and a fee for each type of recyclable, for instance
batteries, refrigerators, etc. Tracy visited it and she said it was clean and neat. She was very impressed.
• Ideally the cost of recycling will be low enough to not be a burden but high enough to be worthwhile.
• With regard to recycling and what is accepted or not, Lisa pointed out that the financial interests of the
individual are different than those of the County’s SW Enterprise fund.
• Al mentioned the triple bottom line: financial, environmental, and social. Social element as important as
environmental cost. Goal is to design a system that is equally accessible by all. Glad that members that
want to pay are willing to do so, but we don’t want access based on economic ability.
• Jenifer brought up glass recycling. While it does have a higher carbon foot print than plastics, from a
health standpoint it offers stable packaging for food compared to plastics, which can leach chemicals. It
also does not pollute the environment. Crushed glass is used in decorative and functional materials, as
well as being a stable, non-contaminating source of backfill material for earth improvement projects.
• While it is great to be able to recycle stuff, someone has to want your recyclables and have a use for them.
ADJOURNMENT
Bart adjourned the meeting at 4:30 pm.
Next Meeting Date: March 25, 2021.
2021 Regular Meeting Dates
January 28 July 22
March 25 September 23
May 27 December 2