Agenda - 02-20-1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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�r REPORT ON THE ORANGE COUNT' GREEN BOX PROGRAM TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH By Jerry Robinson, Health Director February 8, 1979 At the January 11, 1979, Board 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 sani.tarians 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 Waste Management 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 information elicited was such that this report was written in a style to achieve brievity. It is hoped that this report will serve to aid problem comprenhension and solution. The options 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. In preparing this report it was delightful and gratifying to talk to many well informed 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 BACKGROUND 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 for 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 landfill. The table below gives comparative data. Monthly Tonage Hauled Into Landfill Sept•s.1978 Oct. Nov. Dec. UNC 882 1,111 1..,166 586 Chapel Hill 1,668 1,534 1,620 1,652 Others (mostly private haulers) 824 754 744 1,301 Orange County 556 535 542 546 Carrboro 351 354 344 342 Hillsboraugh 229 260 226 216