Agenda- 04-20-2018 12-2 - Information Item - Orange County Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility Goal Update

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Center hours. The solid waste facility's weigh station is being upgraded and moved to the north side of Eubanks Road, ending the need for users to have to cross over Eubanks Road for each transaction. The weigh station move is anticipated to be completed and available for use in May 2018. • Waste Composition Study: In FY 2016-17 the County completed its fifth waste composition study, professionally analyzing 101 samples of municipal solid waste disposed throughout the County. Overall findings showed that about 20% are cans, bottles and paper that could be recycled curbside or at drop off sites, 10% are other recyclables including scrap metal, textiles and electronics, 45% is compostable material that includes food scraps, wet paper and yard waste while about 25% is not recoverable using current technologies and markets. • Solid Waste Plan: At the Solid Waste Advisory Group’s (SWAG's) direction, County staff has continued to develop analyses and components of a County-wide solid waste plan. Work in the past year includes a Departmental financial analysis, evaluation of feasibility of an integrated materials management facility, background research with major stakeholders to assess their interests and concerns about solid waste and, recently, issuance of a RFP for long-term, food scrap collection and processing services. • Providing universal residential curbside recycling service: All 41,500 homes throughout urban and rural Orange County are now eligible for curbside recycling. Rural curbside recycling tonnage increased in FY 2016-17 by 26% over FY 15-16 due at least in part to universal access. Urban curbside tonnage went up 4% and overall recycling tonnage increased 2%. • Recycling Services: The Orange County Solid Waste Management Department continues to provide and expand recycling collection to all County government buildings and facilities as well as those of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. The ‘government buildings program’ includes not only those buildings but also over 100 sites at all government-operated parks, park and ride lots, downtown pedestrian containers in all three Towns including 12 new ones added this year in downtown Chapel Hill and over half the convenience stores' gas islands throughout the County. A total of 237 tons was collected last fiscal year at these locations. The schools added another 236 tons to the recycling effort. • Waste Audits: Staff completed waste audits of major local government buildings in all jurisdictions that evaluated the amount of recyclable material still being thrown away at 18% in Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Orange County and 39% in Hillsborough. Follow-up surveys were conducted with each Department in each government (Hillsborough pending) to identify means for improving the governments’ internal waste reduction performance. Follow-up audits will occur in Fall 2018. Thank you. Please contact us with any feedback or questions. Brennan Bouma, AMS, 919-245-2626 Brenda Bartholomew, HR, 919-245-2552 Craig Benedict, Planning, 919-245-2592 Jim Northrup, IT, 919-245-2276 Blair Pollock, Solid Waste, 919-968-2788 x206 David Stancil, DEAPR, 919-245-2522 Jeff Thompson, AMS, 919-245-2658 Robert Williams, Solid Waste, 919-968-2885 x106 7