San Mateo County Grand Jury • 2007-2008

Issue | Background | Findings | Conclusions | Recommendations | Responses | Attachments Recycling Performance In The

Published: April 08, 2008 11 pages
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Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, F13, F14, F15, F16, F17, F18, F19, F20, F21, F22, F23, F24, F25, F26, F27, F28, F29, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F35, F36, F37, F38, F39, F40, F41, F42, F43, F44, F45, F46, F47, F48, F49, F50, F51, F52, F53, F54, F55, F56, F57, F58, F59, F60, F61, F62, F63, F64, F65, F66, F67, F68, F69, F70, F71, F72, F73, F74, F75, F76, F77, F78, F79, F80, F81, F82, F83, F84, F85, F86, F87, F88, F89, F90, F91, F92, F93, F94, F95, F96, F97, F98, F99, F100, F101, F102, F103, F104, F105, F106, F107, F108, F109, F110, F111, F112, F113, F114, F115, F116, F117, F118, F119, F120, F121, F122, F123, F124, F125, F126, F127, F128, F129, F130, F131, F132, F133, F134, F135, F136, F137, F138, F139, F140, F141, F142, F143, F144, F145, F146, F147, F148, F149, F150, F151, F152, F153, F154, F155, F156, F157, F158, F159, F160, F161, F162, F163, F164, F165, F166, F167, F168, F169, F170, F171, F172, F173, F174, F175, F176, F177, F178, F179, 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F346, F347, F348, F349, F350, F351, F352, F353, F354, F355, F356, F357, F358, F359, F360, F361, F362, F363, F364, F365, F366, F367, F368, F369, F370, F371, F372, F373, F374, F375, F376, F377, F378, F379, F380, F381, F382, F383, F384, F385, F386, F387, F388, F389, F390, F391, F392, F393, F394, F395, F396, F397, F398, F399, F400, F401, F402, F403, F404, F405, F406, F407, F408, F409, F410, F411, F412, F413, F414, F415, F416, F417, F418, F419, F420, F421, F422, F423, F424, F425, F426, F427, F428, F429, F430, F431, F432, F433, F434, F435, F436, F437, F438, F439, F440, F441, F442, F443, F444, F445, F446, F447, F448, F449, F450, F451, F452, F453, F454, F455, F456, F457, F458, F459, F460, F461, F462, F463, F464, F465, F466, F467, F468, F469, F470, F471, F472, F473, F474, F475, F476, F477, F478, F479, F480, F481, F482, F483, F484, F485, F486, F487, F488, F489, F490, F491, F492, F493, F494, F495, F496, F497, F498, F499, F500, F501, F502, F503, F504, F505, F506, F507, F508, F509, F510, F511, F512, F513, F514, F515, F516, F517, F518, F519, F520, F521, F522, F523, F524, F525, F526, F527, F528, F529, F530, F531, F532, F533, F534, F535, F536, F537, F538, F539, F540, F541, F542, F543, F544, F545, F546, F547, F548, F549, F550, F551, F552, F553, F554, F555, F556, F557, F558, F559, F560, F561, F562, F563, F564, F565, F566, F567, F568, F569, F570, F571, F572, F573, F574, F575, F576, F577, F578, F579, F580, F581, F582, F583, F584, F585, F586, F587, F588, F589, F590, F591, F592, F593, F594, F595, F596, F597, F598, F599, F600, F601, F602, F603, F604, F605, F606, F607, F608, F609, F610, F611, F612, F613, F614, F615, F616, F617, F618, F619, F620, F621, F622, F623, F624, F625, F626, F627, F628, F629, F630, F631, F632, F633, F634, F635, F636, F637, F638, F639, F640, F641, F642, F643, F644, F645, F646, F647, F648, F649, F650, F651, F652, F653, F654, F655, F656, F657, F658, F659, F660, F661, F662, F663, F664, F665, F666, F667, F668, F669, F670, F671, F672, F673, F674, F675, F676, F677, F678, F679, F680, F681, F682, F683, F684, F685, F686, F687, F688, F689, F690, F691, F692, F693, F694, F695, F696, F697, F698, F699, F700, F701, F702, F703, F704, F705, F706, F707, F708, F709, F710, F711, F712, F713, F714, F715, F716, F717, F718, F719, F720, F721, F722, F723, F724, F725, F726, F727, F728, F729, F730, F731, F732, F733, F734, F735, F736, F737, F738, F739, F740, F741, F742, F743, F744, F745, F746, F747, F748, F749, F750, F751, F752, F753, F754, F755, F756, F757, F758, F759, F760, F761, F762, F763, F764, F765, F766, F767, F768, F769, F770, F771, F772, F773, F774, F775, F776, F777, F778, F779, F780, F781, F782, F783, F784, F785, F786, F787, F788, F789, F790, F791, F792, F793, F794, F795, F796, F797, F798, F799, F800, F801, F802, F803, F804, F805, F806, F807, F808, F809, F810, F811, F812, F813, F814, F815, F816, F817, F818, F819, F820, F821, F822, F823, F824, F825, F826, F827, F828, F829, F830, F831, F832, F833, F834, F835, F836, F837, F838, F839, F840, F841, F842, F843, F844, F845, F846, F847, F848, F849, F850, F851, F852, F853, F854, F855, F856, F857, F858, F859, F860, F861, F862, F863, F864, F865, F866, F867, F868, F869, F870, F871, F872, F873, F874, F875, F876, F877, F878, F879, F880, F881, F882, F883, F884, F885, F886, F887, F888, F889, F890, F891, F892, F893, F894, F895, F896, F897, F898, F899, F900, F901, F902, F903, F904, F905, F906, F907, F908, F909, F910, F911, F912, F913, F914, F915, F916, F917, F918, F919, F920, F921, F922, F923, F924, F925, F926, F927, F928, F929, F930, F931, F932, F933, F934, F935, F936, F937, F938, F939, F940, F941, F942, F943, F944, F945, F946, F947, F948, F949, F950, F951, F952, F953, F954, F955, F956, F957, F958, F959, F960, F961, F962, F963, F964, F965, F966, F967, F968, F969, F970, F971, F972, F973, F974, F975, F976, F977, F978, F979, F980, F981, F982, F983, F984, F985, F986, F987, F988, F989, F990, F991, F992, F993, F994, F995, F996, F997, F998, F999, F1000, F1001, F1002, F1003, F1004, F1005, F1006, F1007, F1008, F1009, F1010, F1011, F1012, F1013, F1014, F1015, F1016, F1017, F1018, F1019, F1020, F1021, F1022, F1023, F1024, F1025, F1026, F1027, F1028, F1029, F1030, F1031, F1032, F1033, F1034, F1035, F1036, F1037, F1038, F1039, F1040, F1041, F1042, F1043, F1044, F1045, F1046, F1047, F1048, F1049, F1050, F1051, F1052, F1053, F1054, F1055, F1056, F1057, F1058, F1059, F1060, F1061, F1062, F1063, F1064, F1065, F1066, F1067, F1068, F1069, F1070, F1071, F1072, F1073, F1074, F1075, F1076, F1077, F1078, F1079, F1080, F1081, F1082, F1083, F1084, F1085, F1086, F1087, F1088, F1089, F1090, F1091, F1092, F1093, F1094, F1095, F1096, F1097, F1098, F1099, F1100, F1101, F1102, F1103, F1104, F1105, F1106, F1107, F1108, F1109, F1110, F1111, F1112, F1113, F1114, F1115, F1116, F1117, F1118, F1119, F1120, F1121, F1122, F1123, F1124, F1125, F1126, F1127, F1128, F1129, F1130, F1131, F1132, F1133, F1134, F1135, F1136, F1137, F1138, F1139, F1140, F1141, F1142, F1143, F1144, F1145, F1146, F1147, F1148, F1149, F1150, F1151, 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F2010, F2011, F2012, F2013, F2014, F2015, F2016, F2017, F2018, F2019

Findings and Recommendations 3 findings

F1
Require the Public Works Department to: • Develop a uniform measurement methodology that extends the South Bayside Waste Management Authority direct method to all parts of the county (including the unincorporated areas in the County). • Use the information derived from the uniform measurement method to assess the County’s current performance and develop new programs that will increase recycling and reduce the capacity stress on the landfill. Response: Partially concur. We agree that there are benefits to having more accurate and consistent countywide measurements of waste diversion. However, as noted above, the County cannot require cities to provide data other than that required by the CIWMB. Nor can we require cities to provide additional recycling services. We will refer this issue to the City/County Association of Governments for discussion, but cannot guarantee that the data or additional services will be provided.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors: Require the Public Works Department to: • Develop a uniform measurement methodology that extends the South Bayside Waste Management Authority direct method to all parts of the County (including the unincorporated areas in the County). • Use the information derived from the uniform measurement method to assess the County’s current performance, and develop new programs that will increase recycling and reduce the capacity stress on the landfill.
F2
Consider encouraging, by resolution, that the California Integrated Waste Management Board use more accurate direct recycling measurement methods when enforcing California mandated recycling requirements. Response: Concur. This recommendation will be referred to the Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee for further consideration.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors: Consider encouraging, by resolution, that the California Integrated Waste Management Board use more accurate direct recycling measurement methods when enforcing California mandated recycling requirements. 5
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It receives all the waste from San Mateo County and a limited amount from other counties. It is scheduled to begin shutting down in 2010, just two years from now, and no plans are now evident for a replacement. The hope that increased recycling can extend its life is used as a rationale for current inaction. A Atherton R Redwood City B Belmont C San Carlos E E 80 G Burlingame S San Mateo E E. Palo Alto F Foster City E H Hillsborough E E 70 M Menlo Pk. B A H H A R B 60 E B B B H A B RB S G M R G M M 50 M G S R RG G SG G RS E M F F C M C C C 40 CM S RF F F S S A 30 H 20 1998 2000 2002 2004 Year 3 tnecrep – detrevid Shaded area is out of compliance. Figure 1 Diversion Trends in South Bayside Communities as Determined from the CIWMB Indirect Methodology. (See text discussion) Investigation Members of the 2007-2008 Civil Grand Jury (Grand Jury) reviewed the Ox Mountain Landfill permits in the Environmental Health Department, visited the Ox Mountain Landfill site and interviewed management of the Public Works Department and of the SBWMA. State law (see Appendix 1) requires that certain reports be submitted detailing recycling progress. The Grand Jury sought those reports, but was only able to obtain those for areas serviced by the SBWMA. Some information for other jurisdictions was obtained from the CIWMB website, but that information is several years old, and is based on the indirect estimates discussed earlier. Findings The CIWMB requires each city and county in California to report on its progress toward meeting the 50 percent solid waste diversion mandate specified in the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). The Grand Jury’s research found that there is no specific methodology for directly tracking recyclable materials, although the CIWMB Annual Report methodology does provide a framework that allows for jurisdictions to input recycling tonnage data. There is no tracking of recyclables sold directly to private vendors. Currently, it is assumed, for purposes of compliance with state law, that the reduction in materials deposited in the Ox Mountain Landfill or at other locations represents the amount of material that has been recycled or otherwise diverted from disposal in the landfill. By this measure, diversion trends appear to be generally upward. (See Figure 1) Comparisons with directly measured recycling amounts for some of the County’s cities (see Table 1 for 2005) shows that the diversion rate estimates of recycling are not always reliable. These uncertainties in the way that the numbers are calculated prevent a conclusive statement about recycling trends. Furthermore, there is no indication of what materials are actually being recycled. Some areas (e.g., Colma and the unincorporated areas in the County) provide no specific data on recycling. While a franchised hauler, Allied Waste, collects information about the types of materials that are being recycled by those areas covered by the SBWMA, there are no estimates of how much recyclable material gets deposited in the landfill. The SBWMA estimates are derived from waste characterization studies that have been conducted recently (and in the past) for the commercial sector by SBWMA. A report of those studies is expected to be available in March, 2008. Adoption of more reliable methods for estimating recycling levels is hampered in some cases by lack of data, and in all cases by the mandated CIWMB indirect methodology. There are additional costs in tracking all diversion activities, which is, in part, the rationale behind use of the CIWMB indirect methodology, rather than developing more reliable methods for estimating recycling. The CIWMB indirect methodology is subject to errors arising from incorrect or lagging adjustments for sudden changes in commercial activity. The legislation clearly mandated a percentage decrease of material sent to landfill, irrespective of how much material was already being recycled, which seems to penalize those cities (e.g., Pacifica) that already had active recycling programs in the base year. Conclusions The Grand Jury concludes that a lack of reliable information about the amount and kinds of material being recycled means that: • It is very difficult to obtain an accurate assessment of the degree to which the County is meeting recycling goals. • The detailed information necessary to develop and evaluate improved recycling plans is currently unavailable for much of the County.
No recommendations for this finding

Conclusions 2

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office