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5 <br />In addition to the improvements in .efficiency, this change in operation would have the <br />added benefit to Orange County of being able to test the market for private transferring <br />and processing capability on a small scale before any large investment in transfer or <br />processing capability had to be considered. As a pilot project, this effort could last up to <br />eighteen -twenty-four months, at which time, the County programs would have the <br />opportunity to expand their scope by including materials from the urban curbside <br />program and possibly other materials that might come from UNC or from expansion of <br />other recycling efforts, such as broader commercial programs. In addition, it would <br />provide an opportunity to expediently accommodate program expansions or bans, should <br />the BOCC determine are necessary to extend landfill capacity. Other transferring and <br />processing options can be more thoroughly evaluated during this time, with less pressure <br />for making decisions while other important solid waste considerations such as transfer <br />station siting, loom larger. <br />All proposed Phase I processing pad site improvements could be made using the current <br />budget and current staffing. <br />Benefits of Processing and Hauling Improvements: <br />® Fewer truck trips hauling more materials <br />® Delays necessity to decide on in-county MRF <br />® Significant gains in hauling efficiency <br />® Allows conversion to dual stream collection for bar/restaurant and drop-off programs <br />® Processing improvements involve only existing facilities and require minimal costs <br />Recommendation <br />The Solid Waste Plan Work Group recommends that the Board of Orange County <br />Commissioners authorize staff to proceed with the development of a detailed cost <br />analysis and implementation plan for the proposed system to enable commingled <br />collection of drop-off site and commercial program cans and bottles and combining those <br />materials with the currently commingled materials from rural curbside and multifamily <br />programs to ship them out to private processors. Should the BOCC have interest in <br />program expansions presented in the February 5, 2008 Information Report regarding <br />extending landfill life, the analysis could also include these issues. The system, as <br />conceived, would include the following elements: <br />• Public education campaign to change usage of drop-off site containers to mix all <br />cans and bottles (as is done in curbside bins or multifamily carts now), <br />• Conversion of 120+ commercial can and bottle sites from source-separation to <br />commingled collection of cans and bottles (and addition of mixed paper collection <br />at these locations), <br />• Modification of existing processing pad's doors, construction of push wall and <br />improved turning areas at the current recycling processing pad, <br />