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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/01/2008 03C Memorandum: Response to Bob Cook's Request for Mandatory Recycling III MEMORANDUM June 17, 2008 TO: Honorable Mayor, Members of City Council and Dick Zais, City Manager FROM: Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works Nancy Fortier, Refuse and Recycling Manager SUBJECT: Response to Bob Cook's Request for Mandatory Recycling On June 3, 2008, Bob Cook came before City Council requesting a new code to make recycling mandatory. The information supplied in this report will provide an overview of the City of Yakima's recycling history. Direction from City Council will be necessary in order for any changes to be made to the current recycling methods. Background On December 12, 1995, the Yakima City Council held a joint meeting with Yakima County and the City of Union Gap. The meeting included a discussion regarding requirements for the recycling element included in the Yakima County Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). Former Yakima ID County Director of Public Works, Dan Hesse presented three options for providing curbside recycling within the Yakima Urban area. The discussion included concerns voiced about the impact implementing a mandatory recycling program would have on the citizens and various private recycling haulers. The Yakima City Council agreed to place the issue on a future agenda to make a decision. On January 23, 1996, the Agenda Item regarding Recycling Options and Recommendations was presented to Council. Four options were included for Council consideration. Yakima City Council approved the option that would allow any private hauler or citizen to provide user -pay curbside recycling within the City of Yakima. February 6, 1996, Ordinance No. 96 -12 amending Section 1, Subsection 4.16.150 of the Municipal Code was sent to City Council for approval. This ordinance allowed residents to dispose of recyclable materials as they chose and allowed interested firms to explore opportunities to provide residential recycling services within the City of Yakima. The ordinance was approved and became effective March 10, 1996. January 31, 1996, Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. applied for certification to provide curbside recycling services to residences in the City of Yakima. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) approved the filing for certification on June 22, 1994. The WUTC decision allowed Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. to be the only authorized provider of curbside recycling services within the City of Yakima. 0 In July, August and September 1998, the City of Yakima, Yakima County, Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. and the Washington State Department of Ecology conducted a three- month, bi- weekly pilot curbside recycling program. The purpose of the pilot program was to determine the feasibility of curbside recycling in the City of Yakima; encourage city residents to recycle household material and to assist Yakima County in future solid waste management planning. The findings of the program showed that recycling does work. However, in order for recycling to work, households must participate. In March 2004 Scott Robertson, General Manager of Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. sent a letter requesting a meeting with the Yakima City Council to discuss current and future conditions of their Drop Site Recycling program. On May 25, 2004, a Study Session was held to discuss the recycling program. There was discussion about the sustainability of the voluntary drop site program. Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. was considering discontinuing the drop site program within the city limits of Yakima. Staff was directed to return to Council with a report on recycling options. On August 3, 2004; the Refuse Division submitted a staff report on Recycling Options for the City of Yakima. The report was related to concerns associated with the elimination of the drop site recycling program that had been provided by Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. (The drop site containers located within the city limits of Yakima were removed in August 2004.) Four options were presented for Council consideration. The options were: Continue to promote the voluntary curbside recycling program offered by Yakima Waste Systems, Inc.; submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a mandatory (all -pay) residential curbside recycling program with the City of Yakima; the City of Yakima enter into voluntary curbside recycling; and the City of Yakima engage in mandatory (all -pay) curbside recycling. Staff was directed to draft a recycling assessment survey to be sent to city residents and to bring the survey back for Council approval. On August 17, 2004, the Refuse Division submitted a report regarding curbside recycling assessment survey and the cost for a special mailing. Council discussed a written survey and a telephone survey. It was Council decision to encourage recycling by using the voluntary curbside service or the private recycling services available countywide and review the impact in six months. In November 2004, a brochure, "Recycling in Yakima County," was included with utility billings sent to all city customers. On February 22, 2005, a Study Session was held to discuss litter and recycling issues. Council was updated on the impact the elimination of the recycling drop sites has had on tonnage taken to the landfill. It appeared that there were minimal increases in tonnage being disposed of though refuse collection. There were, however, increases in the amount of recyclable materials being collected through curbside collection and through buy back facilities. Council was advised of the joint educational effort to provide information on recycling, garbage collection, etc., to the public through a four -page insert in the phone book. Staff was asked to research how other communities in Washington State were addressing recycling. On April 5, 2005, the Refuse Division submitted an agenda item requesting a policy on mandatory recycling. There was discussion on the various methods used to recycle and the markets available for recyclable materials. It was discussed that with the current voluntary curbside program, people have the option to subscribe to curbside collection or they can take their items to a buy -back facility. Council approved a motion to leave recycling the way it is currently being done. At the March 13, 2008 Solid Waste Advisory Committee Meeting, Scott Robertson, General Manager of Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. submitted a written request to have clear glass removed from the curbside recycling program, add all clear and colored plastic #1 through #7 to the program and convert to an automated single stream program. The Solid Waste Advisory Committee approved the request. Yakima Waste Systems, Inc. is now providing single stream curbside recycling using 65 gallon automated carts, rather than the three stacking containers.