Agenda Item Wording:
title
Presentation of Solid Waste Recycling Updates - Presentation of Solid Waste Recycling statistics.
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Deadline for Action: 10/21/2024
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number: Jason Serpa, Public Works Manager, jason.serpa@visalia.city, 713-4533; Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director, nick.bartsch@visalia.city, 713-4052
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that Council receive the presentation on the City of Visalia Solid Waste and Recycling update.
Summary:
The short presentation enclosed with this staff report first shows the City’s total waste tonnages as compared to previous years and how they play into the City’s diversion rate. The diversion rate is the total amount of material that does not go to landfill divided by the total amount of material the City generates. The higher the diversion rate, the better the City and its citizens are recycling. The City has seen improvements from year to year in this regard.
In addition to the diversion rates, the City has also seen a large improvement in the residential sector according to the amount of residuals in its recycling waste. In the waste industry, residuals are items that end up in the recycling stream that cannot be recycled, or in most cases, trash that ends up in the wrong can or bin. The City’s contract with our local Material Recycling Facility requires a semi-annual audit of how much residual there is in each commercial and residential waste stream. The City achieved its best (lowest) residential residual percentage of 25.01% for the last 6 qualifying months. This represents a lower amount of tonnage of residuals being sent to our recycler, and immediately impacts the rate the City pays to process the material.
Background Discussion:
The City of Visalia provides solid waste and recycling service to approximately 146,073 residents. Since 2012, the City has had three waste streams, which include trash, blue recycling, and green waste/food waste composting. Even though the number of cans and the configuration of the routes have changed over the years for logistical efficiency, the goal of reuse and recycling has always been a priority of policy implementation.
For blue recycling (e.g., cardboard, paper, plastic, aluminum, glass), the City currently holds a contract with Pena’s Disposal, Inc., the only operator of a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for efficient disposal. Pena’s utilizes a transfer station at the Tulare County Landfill so that City trucks have one destination for dumping. For green recycling (e.g., yard waste, food scraps), the City splits the contracted green waste between Waste Management and West Coast, Inc., which are located on opposite ends of the City for efficient transport.
The recycling program works best when waste generators (citizens, businesses) are adequately educated on what can and cannot be put into the waste stream. Throughout recent years, the Solid Waste Department has budgeted, and even obtained grant funding, for this type of education. With examples like new resident informational packets and seasonal truck signs reminding our customers what can and cannot be recycled, the City’s efforts are starting to see some results. The City also employs a Conservation Technician that leads these efforts of education and coordination, with our communications staff as necessary, to get information out to the public.
Mandated by CalRecycle, enforcement is another tool that the department uses to ensure that trash stays out of the recycling stream. Solid Waste staff conduct route reviews and keep records of how many contamination violations occur. In addition, fines and fees can be incurred by generators that have multiple offences within a calendar year.
These efforts, along with events like Dump On Us that keep illegal dumping from occurring, help the overall aesthetics of the City. In addition, the cleaner Visalia’s recycling streams are, the better the rate the City receives from the contracted recycling facilities. With coordinated efforts like stated above, and with the education of the public, the City has begun to and will realize much more recycling efficiency in the future.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives: N/A
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
No motion is necessary.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: Solid Waste Recycling Update Presentation