Agenda - 02-05-2008-11a - Laserfiche WebLink

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A more complete review of staff research and findings relative to bans begins in Section I of this memo. Recycling Programs Additions and Expansions This memo also expands on the Commissioners' ban inquiry to include a discussion of how other recycling programs could be used to divert more waste from the landfill and extend its life by means rather than implementation of additional disposal bans. Staff discussed several possibilities with the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) at the December meeting and considered those comments in formulating this information. Initial assessment suggests that the County may want to pursue additional information on implementing curbside recycling of residential cardboard linked to enforcement of the collection ban on this sector, banning televisions and computer monitors from the landfill, and adding bulky rigid plastics to drop-off sites where space allows. These measures combined could save, based on initial estimates, 1.4 months of landfill space by April 2011 and extend landfill life to about mid-May 2011. Staff believes these measures could be implemented by mid 2008-09. BOCC authorization to proceed immediately with pre-implementation planning would allow for the most expedient implementation. A more exhaustive review of staff research and findings relative to recycling program efforts begins in Section II of this memo. Bases on direction from the Board, staff could proceed with additional review, planning and implementation of the programmatic recommendations and could present an agenda item for BOCC consideration in late February or March, 2008. Where funding is required beyond existing approved FY 2007/08 budget capabilities, staff could return to the BOCC for necessary authorization. The CRT ban, if pursued by the County, would require an ordinance amendment following established protocols. I - Landfill and Collection Bans: When considering which materials could potentially be banned from disposal in Orange County's landfill, this report considers materials that are readily recyclable or compostable, and that are either already collected by current recycling programs or that have reasonable potential to be collected by the County's recycling program. Additionally, viable markets / recycling outlets for the chosen materials must exist so that the County can have high confidence in the ability to market the material after it is collected. Before discussing potential new bans, staff thought it might be beneficial to briefly review current collection/landfill bans in place at the County level. Orange County banned corrugated cardboard from landfilling in 1996. Orange County passed the Regulated Recyclable Materials Ordinance (RRMO) in 2002. The RRMO effectively bans landfilling regulated materials by requiring that regulated materials be recycled. The RRMO regulates the following materials: scrap metal, and clean (unpainted untreated) wood waste. It also includes the earlier banned corrugated cardboard. While the RR.MO and the various Towns' adoption of the RRMO has nominally banned corrugated cardboard from disposal from all waste generating sectors (except the residential sector in the specific case of Carrboro), the ban on residential cardboard has not been enforced heretofore pending development of residential curbside collection. 2