City of Colville Municipal Services COLVILLE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM BRIEFING SHEET Meeting Date: January 27,2015 Contact: Eric Durpos, Municipal Services Administrator Topic or Problem Statement: Council Pending Item #10 Next step in recycling - what is the City doing or not doing. Can we do better? Type of Briefing: [>\ Information Only I I Discussion Only I I Decision Needed Background of Situation: When the City-sponsored Recycling Committee was turned over to the community, the question was asked what is the City doing in terms of recycling. The topic was added to the Council Pending Item List and assigned to Council Members Lou Janke, Doug Kyle, and myself. The three of us got together and formed an approach. I was assigned the task of contacting each department within the City and make a broad and comprehensive list of what our current recycling efforts are (see attached report). Goals and Objectives; i.e., CFP, Comprehensive Plan, Safety, etc. The recycling center in Colville and the programs offered are consistent with the City's adoption of the Stevens County Solid Waste Management Plan. Evaluate Alternatives or Options/Consequences of Inaction: Continue doing the best we can as it relates to recycling within the City of Colville. Funding Needed and Recommended Source (BARS #): N/A Attachments: Memo to Council members Janke and Kyle on current recycling within the City Page 1 of2
City of Colville Municipal Services COLVILLE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM BRIEFING SHEET Recommended Action with Justification: At this time, the group feels the City is doing a reasonable job of recycling and should continue to strive to do the best we can with the options available. Since I am the City's Solid Waste Representative, and the Chairman of the Stevens County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, I will continue keep the Council and the public informed and aware of any new opportunities to improve our current recycling program. Remove from Pending Items list with no further action required. Page 2 of 2
Citv of Colville Municipal Services MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Council Members Janke and Kyle Eric Durpos Municipal Services Administrator Current Recycling Within the City DATE: January 27, 2015 Purpose City Council wanted to take a more in-depth look at what the city does as a whole to recycle and evaluate if we, as a city can do more to recycle. What is recycling? Recycling is the process of separating, collecting and remanufacturing or converting used or waste products into new materials. Approach: Evaluate what the city currently offers its citizens. Contact each city department and create a list of their current recycling efforts. Findings: The biggest recycling effort in Colville is the treatment and safe disposal of approximately one (1) million gallons of wastewater per day from residential, commercial and industrial users within the city.
The city offers a yard debris pick up every spring which consists of collecting limbs and branches which are hauled by city staff, stock piled, ground up and hauled by a contractor to the Avista Generating Station in Kettle Falls for power generation. The city also offers an annual fall leaf pick up program where leaves are collected at the curb and hauled to the old city dump site and used for valuable cover material over the old land fill site. Some residents actually call the city to come get leaves to use for mulch and composting. Household Waste Day - The city, in partnership with Sunshine Disposal, conducts an annual program where city residents (must provide proof of residency within the corporate boundaries of Colville) can bring any household waste to the public works yard for proper disposal. All material brought in is separated and recycled, e.g. metal, tires, general garbage,etc. There is a bin provided for electronic waste to go to Goodwill's E-cycle program. The sorted waste is hauled to the landfill. The City of Colville, working with Stevens County Solid Waste, has a county run recycling center in town where residents can self-haul the most common recyclable products. The center currently accepts and recycles cardboard, cans (steel and aluminum), plastic milk jugs, and paper. Sunshine Disposal also provides most large businesses in town cardboard recycling containers for regular pick up. INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS BY DEPARTMENT City Hall and Police Department: City Hall and the Police Department currently recycle all electronic waste by first offering to other departments the old computers, printers, etc. If they can't use them, the electronic waste is taken to Goodwill for recycling. City Hall also recycles cardboard and paper. Library: The Colville Library currently recycles all cardboard, paper, and cans. All E-waste is recycled or donated as well. All old books are offered at county wide book sales and donated to other organizations like schools and online organizations for use. Whatever can't be utilized is recycled. Airport: The Colville Airport recycles cardboard and paper. Any used motor oil, antifreeze, or tires are taken to the Street Department for proper recycling or disposal.
Park and Park and Recreation Department: The Parks Department currently recycles paper, cardboard, and aluminum cans. All leaves and limbs are handled through the spring and fall clean-up programs. Fire Department: The Colville Fire Department currently recycles cardboard, some paper, E-waste, and some of the old fire hoses can be recycled Street Department: The Colville Street Department provides fleet maintenance service to all city departments and recycles all oils, antifreeze, tires, and batteries from city owed equipment. The street shop also utilizes recycled motor oil in a certified waste oil burner to supplement heating their shop. The street shop is also one of several county collection sites where other businesses and even homeowners can dispose of "clean" used motor oil. They recycle all metals such as old broken castings, street signs, and poles that get bent and broken. They also recycle all paper, cardboard, and E-waste. All asphalt and concrete removed from projects within town are hauled to either Knife River or Colville Valley Concrete for recycling. There has been a big push in recent years to use existing products in road reconstruction. For example, our last three road projects were designed to utilize existing asphalt and road base in the new section rather than haul it off and import new aggregates. Municipal Services (Water and Sewer): Municipal Services currently recycles all paper, cardboard, cans, and E-waste. All old water meters are recycled as well as any old pipe material, steel, or copper. Summary All in all, I feel the City of Colville is doing a good job of recycling the commodities that can be recycled. The City offers and partners with the County and Sunshine Disposal to sponsor programs that promote good stewardship and responsibility towards the environment. Some areas that could be expanded on if and when it makes fiscal sense would be curbside recycling and yard waste pick up. More emphasis could be placed on waste reduction within city offices.