DATE: September 10, 2015
TO: Council Sustainability Committee
FROM: Director of Utilities & Environmental Services
SUBJECT
Title
Annual Update on City’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Committee reviews and comments on this report.
Body
SUMMARY
This report is an annual update on the recycling services offered residents and businesses under the City’s contract with Waste Management of Alameda County (WMAC) that became effective March 1, 2015. Included in this report is the City’s diversion rate for 2014, which has been determined to be 76%. This meets and exceeds the City’s previously established diversion goal of 75%. Also described in this report is a summary of the City’s compliance with the mandatory recycling ordinance and a description of the outreach activities conducted to inform residents and owners of multi-family and business properties of the variety of services available under the City’s new contract.
BACKGROUND
In accordance with the requirements of Measure D, a County Charter initiative amendment passed in 1990, the Alameda County Recycling Board established the goal of at least 75% diversion of all discarded materials in Alameda County by 2010. In 2007, Council adopted a goal of diverting at least 75% of waste from the landfill by 2010. In 2013, the City’s actual diversion rate was 74%. The City’s contract with WMAC establishes diversion goals based on the tons of discarded materials collected as recyclables, organics, or solid waste to be landfilled. The diversion goals identified in the contract are designed, in part, to help the City to achieve an 80% diversion rate by 2018.
In conjunction with the City’s contract with WMAC, staff manages a variety of programs that are intended to help achieve the City’s diversion goals.
General Plan Policies - Hayward’s General Plan, adopted on July 1, 2014, includes the following policies and implementation programs related to solid waste, recycling and organics collection use:
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.4 Solid Waste Diversion - The City shall comply with State goals regarding diversion from landfill, and strive to comply with the provisions approved by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority (ACWMA).
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.12 Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling - The City shall require demolition, remodeling and major new development projects to salvage or recycle asphalt and concrete and all other non-hazardous construction and demolition materials to the maximum extent practicable.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.13 Residential Recycling - The City shall encourage increased participation in residential recycling programs, and strive to comply with the recycling provisions approved by the ACWMA Board. The City shall work with ACWMA to monitor participation in residential recycling programs and educate the community regarding actual composition of waste sent to landfills.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.14 Commercial Recycling - The City shall encourage increased participation in commercial and industrial recycling programs, and strive to comply with the recycling provisions approved by the ACWMAB. The City shall work with ACWMA to provide technical assistance to businesses to implement mandatory recycling.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.15 Yard Clippings Reduction - The City shall encourage residents to reduce yard clippings through at-home composting or use the green waste collection service provided by the City’s franchisee.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.16 Organics Collection - The City shall encourage residents and businesses to separate for collection food and food-soiled paper using organics collection services provided by the City’s franchisee.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.20 Food Scraps Collection - The City shall promote and expand the food scraps collection program for single-family homes to minimize organic waste in landfills.
Public Facilities and Services, Policy 7.21: Mandatory Recycling - The City shall implement mandatory recycling for commercial and multifamily uses and work with ACWMA to increase participation in this program.
DISCUSSION
Staff has been working with WMAC to promote participation in on-going programs as well as new programs that became available on March 1, 2015. Staff from WMAC and the City have contacted multi-family property managers to offer assistance with scheduling removal of bulky items and implementing organics collection and will continue to do so.
Mandatory Recycling Ordinance - ACWMA enacts and implements County-wide ordinances and diversion programs to help member agencies achieve their waste reduction and diversion goals. In January 2012, the ACWMA Board approved a mandatory recycling ordinance. The goal of the ordinance is to reduce the amount of recyclable and compostable materials landfilled to no more than 10% by 2020.
The ordinance consists of two phases. Phase 1 requires businesses with four cubic yards or more of weekly garbage service (large businesses) and all multi-family property owners to arrange for collection of recyclables, such as a variety of paper types, and food and beverage containers made of glass, metal and plastic. On January 4, 2012, Council authorized the City’s participation in Phase 1 of ACWMA’s ordinance. The provisions of Phase 1 of the ordinance have been met in that all multi-family properties have arranged for collection of recyclables. In addition, the requirement that all large commercial customers subscribe to recycling services has also been implemented.
On January 20, 2015, Council authorized the City’s participation in Phase 2 of ACWMA’s ordinance. The City’s new contract with WMAC provides for organics collection service to multi-family properties. To allow time for adequate public education and outreach for organics collection, all multi-family properties (about 420 developments and 15,000 units) will be required to implement this service by January 1, 2016. As indicated in Attachment I, 12% (51 of 420) of multi-family properties currently subscribe to organics collection service. Businesses that regularly generate organics, including food processors, grocers, restaurants and some convenience stores, will be required to implement separate organics collection by that same date. Organics collection for multi-family properties is available free of charge. For businesses, the service is available at 50% of the comparable garbage rate . Businesses that subscribe to less than four cubic yards of weekly garbage service are encouraged to subscribe to recycling services, but are not required to do so at this time.
Inspections and enforcement are performed by ACWMA’s agents or staff from participating municipalities. Notices of violation may only be issued after three warning letters have been mailed and assistance to implement services has been offered. Such notices may only be issued by ACWMA with written approval by staff from participating municipalities. ACWMA will assume all costs to implement these services, including assistance to businesses to implement recycling programs, inspection and enforcement.
The table below indicates the number and percent of businesses that have arranged with WMAC for collection of recyclables and organics and is based on data provided by WMAC. Businesses may also comply with the ordinance by arranging with other service providers, or self-hauling their recyclables and organics for donation or sale. When ACWMA enforces the ordinance, inspectors will determine which businesses are in compliance without recycling and organics service from WMAC. Businesses that subscribe to four cubic yards or more of weekly garbage service subscribe to recycling services at a higher rate (80%; 517 of 650) than businesses subscribing to less than four cubic yards (69%; 1,470 of 2,142). Over the past year, the total number of businesses has increased about 9.7% (262); most are smaller businesses that will be required to implement recycling services by January 1, 2017. WMAC and City staff will continue to work with the remaining businesses and multifamily properties to provide assistance to implement both services.
Outreach to Multi-Family Properties - From February through June, three letters that summarized the new services were mailed to property managers and owners of all multi-family properties. Each mailing included a letter in Spanish and English. Staff made a presentation to the Hayward Promise Neighborhood group and will continue to work with property managers and owners to facilitate bulky item removal and organics collection. Presentations to tenants are coordinated with WMAC and the property manager. Brochures have also been distributed at each of the street parties and to the Keep Hayward Clean & Green Task Force. In addition, WMAC has hired new staff who is responsible for contacting all multi-family property managers with offers of assistance to implement bulky item removal and organics collection services.
Outreach to Businesses - Three letters summarizing the continuing services and requirements of Phase 2 of the ordinance were also mailed to all businesses from February through June. Each mailing included a letter in Spanish and English and a flyer advising customers of the continued services available for collection of recyclables and organics. Recyclables collection is available at 20% of the comparable garbage rate, and organics collection is available at half the price of regular garbage collection. Although not always the case, numerous businesses, including restaurants, grocers and food processors, have been able to reduce garbage service and cost after implementing one or both services.
Assistance with implementing programs, including a waste assessment and employee training, is provided by WMAC and City staff. City assistance includes labels for containers and posters for reference by employees and patrons. City staff will continue to disseminate informational materials to businesses via field visits and the monthly bills issued by WMAC.
Outreach to Single-Family Residents - Informational materials to single-family residents have included bill inserts that highlight the twice annual bulky item appointments and the variety of other services that continue to be offered. Additionally, WMAC mailed a postcard describing removal of bulky items to all households. WMAC also applied stickers to the lids for all trash and organics carts to inform residents which materials should be placed in each cart. (The recycling carts provided by Tri-CED already have an in-mold graphic on each lid.) Quarterly bill inserts will continue to present information to residents. The mandatory recycling ordinance does not apply to single-family households.
City’s Diversion Rate - The City’s contract with WMAC requires implementation of new programs to divert additional tonnage from the landfill. Also specified in the contract are annual diversion rates that WMAC has agreed to meet and which will help the City to achieve its goal of an 80% diversion rate by 2018.
The City’s 2014 diversion rate is 76%. This rate, based on calculations required by CalRecycle, is based on total tons sent to landfill that originated from the City and landfilled by WMAC or other haulers. The County-wide average for 2014 will not be available until late September when ACWMA staff will have completed its calculations. The diversion rate in 2013 was 74% and has increased from the low 70% range achieved in 2011-2012 (see Attachment I for actual rates). Staff attributes the primary reasons for the increased diversion rate to a 26% increase in tonnage recycled by the commercial sector. Participation by businesses and apartment complexes is important because about 80% of all franchised materials sent to landfill are generated by those two groups.
State law (AB 939) mandates that, beginning in calendar year 2000 and each year thereafter, all municipalities divert from landfill at least 50% of all waste generated. In 2007, the City Council adopted a 75% diversion goal. In addition, Measure D includes a 75% diversion goal by 2010. Staff calculated the 76% diversion rate for 2014 based on the per capita disposal rate compiled by the State and a methodology approved by State CalRecycle Board staff. The per capita disposal rate is unique to each municipality, as the population and tonnage disposed for each varies. Thus, the per capita disposal rate cannot be easily compared with other municipalities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Solid Waste Program staff will continue to work with the ACWMA to coordinate implementation and enforcement of the mandatory recycling ordinance. Recycling Fund monies will be used to fund these activities, so there will be no impact to the General Fund. These funds are based on tons of garbage disposed at the landfill, and are collected and disbursed by ACWMA. Currently, there is sufficient revenue in the Recycling Fund balance to pay costs associated with implementing the ordinance. However, funds have decreased by about 50% from several years ago as tons landfilled has decreased. To replenish the City’s Recycling Fund, additional funds will be remitted by WMAC, per the terms of the contract, to the City beginning in FY2018-19.
NEXT STEPS
City staff will continue to offer assistance to businesses and multi-family properties to implement separate collection of recyclables and organics. Outreach efforts will continue through a variety of channels, including the Rental Housing Owners Association and the Chamber of Commerce.
Prepared by: Vera Dahle-Lacaze, Solid Waste Manager
Staff contact
Recommended by: Alex Ameri, Director of Utilities & Environmental Services
end
Approved by:
Fran David, City Manager
|
Attachments: |
Attachment I -- Mandatory Recycling Ordinance: Summary of Participation Diversion Rates: 2010-2014 |