Marin County Grand Jury • 2013-2014

Recycling by the Marin County Government: Walking the Talk[PDF]

Published: February 24, 2014 35 pages

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⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 21 findings

The Marin County Government Board of Supervisors and Administration do not appear to have written plans or policies on recycling, composting and reuse in County owned and occupied facilities. This results in less than optimal behavior and performance with respect to these activities.

A recycling, composting, and reuse plan with meaningful and measureable goals and the creation and dissemination of internal policies regarding recycling, composting, and reuse could improve the County government’s diversion rate.

County employees do not perceive clear direction or an imperative from leadership on the importance of recycling, composting, and reuse.

Recycling practices are inconsistent across County departments and facilities.

Educating employees and visitors on how, why, and where to recycle, compost, and reuse, while making it easier for everyone to accomplish these activities, would improve the County government’s diversion rate. Marin County Civic Center and Grounds:

The Grand Jury estimates that the actual diversion rate for the Civic Center building in 2012 was approximately 45 percent.

The Marin County government could do a better job recycling the waste generated in the Marin County Civic Center and on its immediate grounds.

The system for recycling paper in the Civic Center and County Jail is well established and, while there is room for improvement, it is a good example of successful recycling implementation.

The County may have an opportunity to reduce waste by moving to business processes that use no paper or less paper than current processes.

F10

Prior to this investigation, the County Department of Public Works placed recyclable materials in closed plastic bags into the 25-yard debris box. These bags then went to the landfill and were not recycled. This includes materials placed in cafeteria bins labeled for recyclables. Recyclables were being sent to the landfill due to a misunderstanding of the policies of Marin Sanitary Service. The Department of Public Works made two attempts to remedy this during the Grand Jury’s investigation; but, due to further misunderstanding, there is still considerable room for improvement.

F11

It is not easy for employees of the Civic Center to recycle glass, aluminum, and plastic. Offices and departments generally do not have receptacles for these recyclables; and, if they do, it is an employee-driven initiative and not a service provided by the janitorial staff.

F12

It is not easy for visitors to the Civic Center to recycle as available recycling receptacles are sparsely placed, difficult to see from even a short distance, and not labeled clearly and effectively.

F13

The Civic Center could reduce food waste going to the landfill by providing pre- consumer food waste to the Marin Sanitary Service Food-to-Energy Program.

F14

Marin County Parks could do a better job ensuring that landscaping waste put in the 18-yard debris box gets composted and not taken to the landfill. They could dump the landscaping waste out of the bags and reuse the bags.

F15

The Civic Center cafeteria would be more effective in promoting reuse if they advertised in the cafeteria and elsewhere that there is a deep discount on coffee and tea with a reusable cup. Marin County Jail:

F16

The Grand Jury estimates the diversion rate for the County Jail was approximately 15 percent in 2012.

F17

The Marin County Jail could do a better job recycling waste generated in the County Jail facility.

F18

Improvements were made during the course of this investigation; for example, the Marin County Jail started recycling steel cans late in 2013.

F19

The system for recycling paper at the County Jail is well established and while there is room for improvement, it is a good example of successful recycling implementation.

F20

The Marin County Jail could eliminate a prevalent source of garbage by moving from a single serving milk carton system to a milk dispensing system.

F21

It may be feasible to compost food waste generated by inmates at the Marin County Jail.

Recommendations 7

R1

The Marin County Board of Supervisors develop, adopt, and publish a written plan for recycling, composting, and reuse in all County government offices and facilities, including the Marin County Jail, and on County property. The plan should include measurable performance metrics and goals for these metrics and be updated every two years.
R2

The Board of Supervisors create and publish an annual assessment of performance against goals as identified in R1 (above) to compare actual recycling, composting, and reuse performance with goal performance for each performance metric.
R3

The Board of Supervisors request an annual waste characterization study and annual diversion rate statistics based on the current waste characterization study for each facility owned or occupied by the County Government with over 50 employees on site.
R4

The Marin County Government increase recycling and reuse at the Civic Center by adopting the following: a. Install glass/plastic/aluminum recycling bins in offices to be emptied by the janitorial staff into Marin Sanitary Service recycling carts. b. Dispose of cafeteria recyclables in the Marin Sanitary Service recycling carts at the custodial loading dock; do not put them in bags in the 25-yard debris box. c. Add recycling carts at custodial loading dock or have them picked up more often as needed to handle additional volume. d. Work with the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy to install additional recycling bins and improved signage in public areas. Discontinue separation of glass, plastic and aluminum, and provide paper recycling in the hallways for visitors. e. Better educate employees and visitors as to how, what, and where to recycle. f. Encourage county employees to recycle more effectively through improved communication. g. Encourage county employees to use reusable coffee and tea cups; advertise discount offered by the cafeteria. h. Participate in Marin Sanitary Service’s Food-to-Energy program. i. Ensure that all cardboard and paper is recycled. j. Dump landscape waste out of the plastic bags when it is put in to the 18-yard debris box. Reuse plastic bags.
R5

The Marin County Jail continue to recycle steel cans and improve paper and cardboard recycling.
R6

The Marin County Jail work to implement a milk dispensing system to reduce or eliminate the use of single serving milk cartons.
R7

The Marin County Jail work with Marin Sanitary Service to develop a system to compost post-consumer food waste from the Jail.