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Y- .- REPORT ON THE ORANGE COUNTY GREEN BOX PROGRAPI TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH By Jerry Robinson, Health Director February 8, 1979 At the January 11, 1979, Soard of Health meeting the staff was asked to study the green box program and make recommendations for its improvement. This report results .from inspections and knowledge of our sanitarians and - information obtained from interviewing informed persons. Among those interviewed were several county employees who directly or indirectly work in the program ,citizens, store owners, Terry F. Dover, Eastern Program Supervisor, Solid baste rlanagement Program, N, C. Division of Health Services, Sam Gattis, Orange County Manager, Fonrose Gore and Ebert•Pierce of the Agricultural Extension Service. The volume of i~tformatian elicited was•such that this report was written in a sty):e to achieve brievity. It is hoped that this report will. serve to aid problem comprenhension and solution. The optiori5 contained herein represent an attempt, however inadequate, to synthesize multiple but compatible view- points. The recommendations are not new ideas; they reflect the simple act of selecting good features of successful programs presently operating in North Carolina and repeating advice given, xn preparing this report it was delightful and gratifying to talk to many well inforn-ed persons with sub- stancial suggestions. The lack of graciousness in the wording of the report is probably a result, of the influence of the community emotional state surrounding the issue. PROGRAM $ACKGROUND The green box program was iniated over four years ago in response to a massive litter problem in the county. Boxes are placed to serve persons outside incorporated municipalities. The program presently consists of two front loading trucks, 250 4 cubic yard capacity boxes, one dump truck and a total of seven employees. Each compacting truck is manned by two employees. The program operates five and one-half days per week. One day of each week one truck remains in the garage fvr servicing; therefore, employees work five days per week but do not necessarily have two consecutive days off. During the last six months the trucks have hauled an average of close to 54.,500 lbs. of trash per work day to the landfi~l. the table below gives comparative data. Monthly Tonage Hauled into Landfill. pt.,.1978 Se Oct. Nov. Dee. UNC .." M 882 1,111 1.,166 588 Chapel Hill• i,66$ 1,534 1,620 1,652 Others (mostly private haulers) 824 754 744 1,301 Orange County 556 53S 542 546 Carrboro 3S1 354 344 342 Hillsbprpugh 229 260 226 216