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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 2024 Staff ReportJEFFERSON COUNTY, WA SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE JULY 2024 STAFF REPORT Solid Waste Education Home Composting Classes: We held 5 home composting classes this spring, 3 in person at Finnriver and 2 online. We had 127 attendees total who are now turning their food and yard waste into compost! The next round of classes will hopefully be held next spring when the funds are available. We are still getting requests for classes and have over 60 on the waiting list for next year. Sustainability Stars: We have started a new “green business” program for Jefferson County restaurants, grocery stores, caterers, food trucks, etc. As part of our goal to reduce the amount of food and plastic going to landfill, we are encouraging food establishments to reduce putting edible food into landfill and to use fully compostable items in their “to go” service ware. To that end, we are creating a program to recognize and honor those businesses who participate in a tier system. As a pilot program last year, we handed out compostable service ware to 20 businesses to help them replace any plastic single-use items. It was very successful with many of the businesses continuing to use those products. One business has agreed to look into being a “buyers club” to make bulk orders of compostable materials so they can be affordable to all. The tier system will address three areas of waste: Plastic “to go” materials: 1 star = 30% of what they send out is compostable 2 stars – 60% of what they send out is compostable 3 stars – 100% of what they send out is compostable Compostable food waste: 1 star = 30% of their food waste is composted 2 stars – 60% of their food waste is composted 3 stars – 100% of their food waste is composted Edible food to those in need: 1 star = 30% of edible food is donated to those in need 2 stars – 60% of edible food is donated to those in need 3 stars – 100% of edible food is donated to those in need The businesses participating in the program can reach up to 9 stars! We will be promoting these businesses through signs to post in their windows, listed on our web page, social media blasts, articles and ads in the local papers and more. We are getting ready to launch the program. Chelsie is preparing our logo, window signs, and web site information. We hope to launch in the fall of 2024. Food Summit: We held our third Food Summit in June at Finnriver bringing those who have surplus food together with those who serve the food insecure with the goal of connecting them and bridging barriers to feeding those in need. 18 people from the following stakeholder groups attended the Summit: - Jefferson County Public Works - Grocers - Farmers/gleaners - WSU Extension - Food banks - Schools - YMCA - Restaurants - Jefferson Healthcare - County Commissioners - Churches Positive take-aways: • There is great passion, support, and advocacy for food security in this community • There are exciting things on the horizon! • We are creating and strengthening a diverse network of knowledge and resources, and coming up with great ideas and solutions already • This is a nourishing space to make connections, find inspiration, and dream big • Together we have an abundance of resources, and scarcity is mostly a fear-based illusion • The new commercial kitchen at the fairgrounds will be turned over to the county in 2025; the fairgrounds are an excellent location for a food hub, several commercial kitchens where meals can be prepared for various groups, and volunteers can prepare gleaned produce for year-round consumption • “Community fridges” are already in place in 4 schools and one church in the county; more are planned as restaurants, the hospital, etc. can purchase new ones Transfer Station Improvements Equipment Purchases: The new telehandler has arrived and early reviews from the crew are that it is a very capable addition to the forklift – both more stable and nimbler with many other applications. The excavator requires an attachment which is on hold from the dealer and we will continue to rent one to manage construction and demolition debris. Staff are also testing some in-house designed and fabricated tools for use with the telehandler to make the trailer tarping operation safer and more efficient. Quilcene Drop Box Temporary Closure Intermittent computer issues that have caused staff and customer frustration at the Quilcene facility since May and which led to facility closure on 7/11 appear to have been resolved by the County’s IT department. Household Hazardous Waste Interlocal Agreement Jefferson and Kitsap Counties have entered into an agreement where Jefferson County residents may now use the Kitsap County hazardous waste facility at any time, for any reason, and without an appointment for disposal of up to 50 gallons or 50 containers of household hazardous waste. Jefferson County residents with more than that much material are required to make an appointment. Additionally, if a Jefferson County resident is uncertain what they have or need guidance on how to transport it they can make an appointment of a Kitsap County staff person to make a site visit and provide this technical assistance. The Kitsap facility is located just outside Bremerton and this agreement will be applied to the new facility under construction just north of Poulsbo and opening in 2025. In combination with rotating collection events, this model may prove the construction of a $7M-$10M facility for Jefferson County unnecessary. Transfer Station Replacement Planning Process Site Selection: Perteet, our consultant, reviewed and commented favorably on staff’s analysis that led to the short-list of 4 potential sites for transfer station relocation. Staff and the consultant agree that the current location does not have adequate buildable acreage to provide a medium to high level of service over the next 40 years so this property is not in consideration. The sequence of public meetings has been planned as in the table below, starting with updating the BoCC at a workshop in August or early September: VENUE INFORMATION OUTCOME BoCC • Review 1st Phase work • Staff Site Selection Process • Regional Site Selection Exercise • Understanding of selection process SWFTF SWAC as observers • Review 1st Phase work • Staff Site Selection Process • Regional Site Selection Exercise • Understanding of selection process • Identify region Public Open House • Review 1st Phase work • Staff Site Selection Process • Regional Site Selection Exercise • Understanding of selection process • General agreement on region SWFTF SWAC as observers • Feedback from open house • Preferred site analysis • Probable cost • Conceptual design • Agreement on moving recommendation to BoCC Joint BoCC/ City Council meeting • Feedback from open house • Preferred site analysis • Probable cost • Conceptual design • Review next steps • Agreement on recommended site • Agreement to develop funding strategy BoCC • Final recommendation including funding element • Greenlight to move into site development phase Non-sufficient Fund Transactions Staff has watched an increase in both the number and dollar value of customer transactions at the transfer station where customers do not have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction. We have also seen an increase in the number of customers who repeatedly fail to pay the full amount owed. New policy has been created to address this trend, reduce the cost of recovery, and gain a higher rate of recovery. Customers who fail to the pay the full amount have five days to do so and will receive one phone call reminder. If the value of the transaction is over $75, their name, address and phone number will be sent to a collection agency. If the unpaid balance is over $255 (1.5 X the per ton rate) or they are repeat non-sufficient funds customers they will be trespassed from the solid waste facilities until they pay the full amount owed. In WA State, failing to pay the full amount of the transaction fee is considered third degree theft – a gross misdemeanor – and is punishable by up to 364 days in jail or a $5,000 fine. By comparison, our new policy is a warm bath of compassion and patience. Puyallup Material Recovery Facility Visit Staff from the City of Port Townsend and Jefferson County Public Works Departments toured the Puyallup Material Recovery Facility in Puyallup where tin, aluminum, and plastic containers collected in Jefferson County are received, processed and marketed. Staff will discuss what was learned with SWAC and propose that the City and County explore a mixed material cart system. Jefferson County appears to be the last county in the state to operate a source separated recycling program. Closed Landfill Monitoring At the suggestion of the Department of Ecology, the consultant has completed analysis comparing up gradient groundwater quality indicators at the control well to those from down gradient wells and these results are under review by Jefferson County Public. Anticipating that these data will be well received, Public Works has directed the consultant to prepare a final report recommending that the monitoring program be discontinued.