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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-06-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE (2)9 CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: June 12, 1990 SUBJECT: REPORTS TO TH COMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT: Public Works r BACKGROUND AGENDA REPORT r City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: John E. Medina FROM THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY SOLID WASTE Attached are two reports from the Solid Waste Committee: 1) Their comments on the UCLA Solid.Waste Study. 2) Their second interim report to the City Council. The Committee has completed six subcommittee reports and is now in the process of reviewing each report to hone it into one cohesive report. The Committee moved at their May 17, 1990 meeting to meet weekly until the final report is completed. The Committee estimates that the final report will be completed in September. RECOMMENDATION 1) Receive and file. 2) Direct Public Works Department to proceed with the implementation of the UCLA study related to recycling, and outline a program to implement the remaining waste management elements of the Report. ATTACHMENTS APPRO 'ED ••��M�'altem:s� L;J r 0 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT TO: City Council City of Santa Clarita DATE: May 19, 1990 SUBJECT: INTERIM REPORT - JUNE 1990 0 The Citizens Advisory Committee on Integrated Waste Management, (Committee) is pleased to submit the following progress report as required by Resolution 89-126 and later amending Resolutions. 1) This report covers the period of time from January 31, 1990 through May 17, 1990. Eight Committee meetings were held during that period as well as numerous Sub -committee meetings. The Sub=committees are up to three members in size. 2) Two members of the Committee found it necessary to resign because of personal reasons. The Committee requested replacement for those vacancies in February. During the May 10 meeting, the Committee agreed to request the City Council to change the composition of the Committee from eleven members to nine members. The Committee feels it is now too late to readily integrate new members prior to the completion of its current assignment. 3) The Committee heard information presented by Mr. Robert Zapple relative to the Lopez .Canyon Landfill and the problems he felt resulted. 4) The Committee heard information presented by Mr. Don Naylor, L.A. County Sanitation District. 5) The Committee received the UCLA report on Waste Management as forwarded from the City Council. This report was extensively reviewed and a report issued to the City Council on May 21, 1990. The overall assessment was favorable. There were some areas of minor concern outlined in the report to the City Council. 6) The Committee received an update on the status of the proposed Elsmere Landfill from Mr. John Medina, Director of Public Works. 7)' The Committee received the L.A. County Hazardous Waste Management Plan, Volume I. Mr. John Medina provided information on this plan and advised his department was also reviewing on the plan. The Committee reviewed the plan and has recommended to Staff that the City of Santa Clarita work with L.A. County as allowed by the plan. 8) The Committee received a draft ordinance from the.City of West.Covina on commercial hazardous waste reduction plans. The Committee recommended that the City of Santa Clarita further investigate this sample ordinance for possible adoption. 9) The Committee received a Staff report on AB 2622 (Easton) and suggested the City support the Bill. However, this support should only be given if all glass containers are included in the Bill and not just beverage bottles. 10) The Sub -committees of this Committee have their reports about 85 percent in the final draft stage. The entire Committee is now in the process of reviewing presentations by each Sub -committee of their respective reports. The final Committee report to the City was targeted for June 1, 1990. The Committee is estimating .the completion of this final report to the City at September, 1990. The Committee has voted to meet each week, .rather than twice a month, in an effort to expedite the transmittal of the final report to the City. —ILL `d ' Gene L. Green Chairman -2- A UCLA INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT REPORT REVIEW The report developed by the UCLA Municipal Solid Waste Management Certificate Program participants touched on the principle issues addressed primarily in the State Assembly Bill 939. The report is very comprehensive in its overview of many salient issues, all of which will eventually require decision on the part of the City of Santa Clarita. The organization of the material used in the UCLA report could be used as a ready and valuable database method of tracking and reporting: changes, compliance factors for AB939, local monitoring needs, etc. A great deal of effort was expended in gathering the information and was very well organized and presented. A survey of the City of Santa Clarita wastestream was completed and analyzed for content. A larger and more complete study will be needed if highly sensitive decisions are required on the methods for disposing of waste. Source Reduction — Contrary to the report, the Committee questions the idea that biodegradable products should be pursued by the City on a wholesale bases. This is based upon the almost negligible "breakdown" of these products in arid landfills coupled with the fact that most of these products have an increased volume. Pursuing biodegradable products alone would not significantly reduce the volume of refuse in landfills. The more subtle issues of recycling must be reviewed before believing that recycling of some materials will yield a theoretical reduction in landfill volume. Care must be taken in reaching early conclusions about produce bans as current information for recycling is still in question. Residential Recycling — The recommendation here is to collect newspapers, corrugated cardboard,, glass bottles/jars, plastic soda bottles, aluminum/tin cans and used motor oil. The point is made that State Bills AB 4 and AB 1305 will equalize supply and demand and also stimulate markets. It does not mention that there may be time limits on how long these materials may be stored, or the cost of storage. Senate Bill 1221 has increased redemption values for glass carbonated beverage containers and will more than double the rate for aluminum cans. AB 2020 has also set aluminum can prices for redemption. Early results have shown this action results in a glut of those materials. Page E-12 of the report makes the important observation that regardless of whether the recycling program to be used is voluntary or mandatory, some individuals will not participate. Participation will increase over time but will require education, advertising and possible monitoring with controls and a potential for fines. 0 Page 2 Composting - At least 13 different recommendations are included in this section. An important observation is made in that composting is usually thought of in terms, of yard waste only. The report indicates that compost feedstock may also have food, sludge and paper as active parts of the process. There appears to.be an adequate market in the highly agriculture nature of California; however, the report doesn't give too much assistance with the economics of feasibility for success. Instead, there appears to be a large cost factor involved in helping and encouraging the populace in participating. The basic problem with composting is seen to be the potential of contaminates in the compost that make it undesirable. The.encouragement of new landscaping techniques and regulations is good but, again, is a longer range payoff approach. Household Hazardous. Waste — This section brings the suggestion that the City of Santa Clarita should pursue the County for much of the collection and disposal of the HHW assistance. At the.same time the City should supply the labor and insurance components. This Committee disagrees with this suggestion because of the implied long-term liability exposure to the City. Materials Recovery Facility - This is an excellent section to back up the basic recommendation to develop a MRF capability by the City. This Citizens Committee agrees with this thrust but recognizes that there must be a more in-depth study accomplished. The possible development of the overall Santa Clarita Valley area, including areas outside the control of the City of Santa Clarita, could suggest a MRF capable of being expanded above the recommended levels. The MRF expansion capability, coupled with the site location, is seen to be a critical planning point. The MRF site could feasibly outlast a landfill site. A site located adjacent to a rail -haul capability would tend to be almost infinite in life by comparison. Summary Comments - The report indicates that the Santa Clarita community generates over 224,000 tons per year of waste from residential, commercial and construction/demolition sources. Any decisions regarding a MRF should consider all these sources.of waste. The Citizens Advisory Committee on Integrated Waste Management is most fortunate to have the opportunity to review this excellent and comprehensive report. It will greatly assist the Advisory Committee in completing its recommendations to the City Council.