HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 03/28/2006 - A PACKAGE OF NEW INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO HELP THE DATE: March 28, 2006 WORK SESSION ITEM
STAFF: Susie Gordon FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
A package of new initiatives designed to help the community strategically reach Fort Collins' 1999
adopted goal of diverting 50% of its waste from landfill disposal within the next 6-10 years.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1 Does Council agree with the staff recommendation for 20 measures included in this package
of inter-related programs to help the community reach its solid waste diversion goal as part
of an adopted Strategic Plan?
2. Does Council agree on the high-priority programs for early implementation?
BACKGROUND
Fort Collins has a 30-year history of adopting policies for reducing and diverting waste from landfill
disposal in order to meet the community's interest in environmental stewardship, including:
• extending the lifespan of local landfills (thus avoiding costs to site new ones),
• conserving natural resources and energy,
• implementing sustainability at the local level, and
• preventing pollution such as greenhouse gas emissions (methane) and potential
groundwater contamination from landfills.
In 1999, a goal was adopted to divert half of the community's waste by 2010. Staff provided an
update to the City Council in February 2005,reporting the community was at 25%waste diversion.
Staff was asked to develop a strategic plan for increasing waste diversion. During the past six
months,staff has researched over 50 potential new programs and evaluated their applicability to Fort
Collins.
As staff noted to Council last year, a community's ability to get to 50% diversion becomes
increasingly challenging as the"easy",popular,and less controversial actions are implemented,such
as residential curbside recycling. However, a number of cities, including Chicago, San Francisco,
Portland, OR, and San Diego have been successful at reaching and surpassing 50%waste diversion
levels by implementing vigorous, innovative policies and programs.
March 28, 2006 Page 2
Solid Waste Planning Project Outcomes
Public Survey
As part of Fort Collins' strategic planning project, a statistically valid (margin of error of
approximately 4.9%,95%confidence level),community-wide public opinion survey was conducted.
The results of the November survey by Corona Research confirmed the community has a very high
level of participation in recycling and continues to be very supportive of solid waste diversion.
Among the findings:
• 98%believe recycling is "good for Fort Collins"
• 89%believe the City should pursue additional means of recycling and diversion
• 79%believe it is feasible to divert 50% of their trash
Select New Measures
With assistance from the consulting team and an ad-hoc Steering Committee, and with input from
citizens, the list of ideas was winnowed down to a package of about 20 new measures selected by
staff to be recommended to the City Council. Using Skumatz Economic Research Associates'
modeling tool, individual contributions from each new program were calculated in terms of new
diversion, and in terms of the approximate costs to the City and/or to members of the community.
If these recommended programs are implemented over the next 6-10 years, they are estimated to
raise the community's diversion level to 50% (not counting heavier waste materials: asphalt,
concrete, sewer sludge, and car bodies).
The ad-hoc Steering Committee that assisted staffthroughout the strategic planning process included
nine community members:
Anita Comer,Waste-Not Recycling,Inc.
Rob Petterson -NRAB / Sierra Club
Adam Bowen - Resource Fort Collins/ Chamber of Commerce
Ray Meyers—Ram Waste, Inc.
Stephen Gillette - Larimer County Solid Waste Department
Roger Hageman - Hageman Earth Cycle, Inc.
Matt Gallegos - Gallegos Sanitation, Inc.
Judy Dorsey—The Brendle Company, Inc. /Chamber of Commerce
Matt Fries—Professional Document Management, Inc. /Chamber of Commerce
Selection Criteria
Many ofthe new measures are aimed at specifically targeted materials,especially organics(food and
yard waste) and construction debris. The Strategic Plan also focuses new attention on members of
the community besides residential generators and trash haulers, especially in the business/
commercial sector.
Costs were given full consideration throughout the selection process. Individual program prices
March 28, 2006 Page 3
calculated by the model are not exact, but provide a good confidence level with the general range
of costs to users; from very low ($1/ton), medium($40/ton), to very high (over$100/ton).
The purpose of designing a"package"of new strategies is to maintain a combination of initiatives
that complement and sequentially relate to each other. Some strategies will only accomplish 500-
2,000 tons of additional waste diversion,while others are estimated to divert as much as 80,000 new
tons of material from landfill disposal.Nonetheless,the smaller-impact strategies play vital roles to
help educate people about changes, stimulate markets for recyclable materials, or further develop
infrastructure necessary for handling and processing recyclables.
Phase-In Schedule
Start-up dates for new initiatives will depend on the direction staff receives from the Council.
However,for the purposes of modeling,it was necessary to enter start times. Staff applied a phased
approach with two basic stages. Many strategies were modeled to start in 2007, with a ramp-up
period of 1 to 4 years. Others would be initiated after 5 or 8 years,after the infrastructure has grown
or intermediate steps have been taken. It is important to plan for a highly flexible implementation
schedule in order to respond to changes over time such as adjusted market conditions or innovations
in technology.
Strategies Recommended for Early Implementation
Although each of the proposed new programs are important elements of an integrated,strategic plan,
staff recommends five programs as being most appropriate to implement in the first phase, starting
as soon as 2006-2007.
1. Leverage community support with a one-year education campaign to increase
awareness about local recycling and waste reduction opportunities, such as pay-as-
you-throw (PAYT) trash rates or new recycling opportunities.
2. Provide customers, upon request to their trash haulers, with optional curbside yard
waste collection services on a weekly basis.This measure will require that yard waste
does not cost more than equivalent costs for trash,by volume(consistent with pay-as-
you-throw rates).
3. Create a refundable construction and demolition (C&D) deposit system based on
square footage of project(or comparable criterion),with total deposit refunded upon
certification that appropriate level of recycling was accomplished (approximately
43,000 new tons diverted).
4. Amend the City's PAYT ordinance to include all commercial customers; require
recycling fee to be embedded in rates and charge volume-based pricing
(approximately 59,000 new tons).
5. Amend Fort Collins' PAYT residential trash rates ordinance so that "rate design"
further enhances waste reduction efforts (12,500 new tons).
March 28, 2006 Page 4
Next Steps
Staff recommends the City Council review the proposed strategies at a conceptual level before taking
investigations to the next level of detailed implementation programs and costs. Thus, if there are
measures or approaches that are not considered appropriate for Fort Collins, staff will not invest
further time or resources on them.
A complete"business plan"for each of the five Phase I proposals—or any other initial selection that
Council makes—would be prepared(benefit/cost analyses, schedules for implantation, and budget
estimates) and submitted as soon as possible for Council's formal endorsement.
If Council supports a package of recommendations for solid waste diversion measures,staff will also
work on refining a long-term, phased-in implementation plan. Those measures that are ultimately
selected will then be incorporated into a Strategic Plan for adoption by the City Council. On an
ongoing basis,staff will return to the City Council regularly to report on progress at meeting the 50%
waste diversion goal, and monitor the need for initiating additional new programs.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Preliminary Staff Recommendations: Strategic Plan for 50% Solid Waste Diversion
2. City of Fort Collins Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Policy Development
3. Memo from Natural Resources Advisory Board (March 15, 2006)
ATTACHMENTI
Community Planning and Environmental Services
Natural Resources Department
F kayg
City of Fort Collins
March 28, 2006 Council Worksession
Attachment 1: Preliminary Staff Recommendations
DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN
for 50% SOLID WASTE DIVERSION
City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Department
Susie Gordon, Sr. Environmental Planner
John Armstrong, Environmental Planner
200 West Mountain Avenue•P.O.Box 580•Fort Collins,CO 80522-0580•(970)221-6600
Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50%Solid Waste Diversion
Preliminary Staff Recommendations:
DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 50% SOLID WASTE DIVERSION
City of Fort Collins Natural Resources Department
INTRODUCTION
Fort Collins' involvement in recycling and waste reduction traces back to 1977 city master
planning policies and the introduction of local curbside recycling in the 1980's. Adoption of a
pay-as-you-throw(PAYT)trash ordinance followed in 1995. A 1999 resolution adopted by the
City Council for increasing waste diversion levels paved the way for more innovations. When an
update was made to the Council in February 2005,measurements showed the community was
still only half-way to its goal of 50%diversion by 2010; clearly,new and revitalized efforts were
necessary to make significant advances.
During a six-month strategic planning process, dozens of new programs' were explored for
diverting more of the community's waste stream away from landfill disposal. A highly
experienced consulting team led by Skumatz Economic Research Associates was hired for the
project, and a group of knowledgeable stakeholders was recruited as a steering committee for the
project. Extensive community involvement helped ensure that public input was incorporated
into the December, 2005 strategic plan report.
This document introduces staffs preliminary proposal for a package of over 20 new measures
that will help Fort Collins divert 50% (or more)of its waste stream. The Strategic Plan for 50%
Solid Waste Diversion has been designed to provide both an appropriate range of actions and the
sequence of changes necessary to reach the community's goal in a timely manner. The new
measures were chosen for their feasibility,effectiveness, and pro-activeness. They represent
staff s recommended approach, which came out of all the ideas that were explored with help
from the public, consultants, and Steering Committee members who participated in the planning
process.
If Council agrees to adopt a Strategic Plan,staff recommends prioritizing five programs for early
implementation. These include: a one-year education campaign about local recycling and waste
reduction opportunities; opportunity for all customers to receive weekly yard waste recycling; a
construction and demolition(C&D) deposit that refunds the full deposit for projects that recycle;
amend the City's pay-as-you-throw(PAYT)ordinance to include commercial customers so that
all receive recycling service; restructure Fort Collins' PAYT ordinance with"rate designs"that
further enhance waste reduction efforts.
t Table 5-2(pages 40—43)of the draft SERA report(Fort Collins Solid Waste 5-Year Strategic Plan),available at
mn_m.fcgov.com/recyclin&Ltalkm .
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for SO'16 Solid Waste Diversion
Background/Context
A number of cities,including Chicago, San Francisco, Portland(OR), and San Diego have been
successful at reaching, and surpassing, 50%waste diversion levels by applying innovative
policies and programs2. However,relatively few communities in this part of the country have
made such a high commitment to waste diversion, especially those that do not manage municipal
trash collection, and therefore have limited funding(Fort Collins citizens employ the services of
a completely privatized trash collection system).
A number of economic variables are critical to consider in a strategic plan. Fort Collins'
geographic location increases shipping costs to recycling markets that are predominantly found
in coastal transportation centers. Local'recycling opportunities that are not fully developed need
to be stimulated. However, Colorado has not adopted the legislative mandates that successfully
motivate waste reduction in many other states(quite the opposite happens due to the abundance
of landfills that have been built in our state); therefore, local ordinances and requirements play an
important role. The regional infrastructure necessary to accomplish higher levels of waste
diversion(i.e.,processing or remanufacturing plants)requires greater levels of investment, so
incentives are important to consider. Because the market for recyclable commodities is so
susceptible to global influences such as energy prices and international demand,waste reduction
and recycling programs adopted for Fort Collins must be as economically sound and solvent as
possible.
Key Objectives
Five main objectives were used to evaluate,model,and select"packages"of programs from
among the initial list of new ideas that were submitted by the consultant.
1. Target materials that have the most potential to be diverted and those that represent the
largest amount of volume that can be diverted 3,
2. Elicit waste reduction contributions from all sectors of the community,including
residential, commercial,institutional(e.g.,the City),multi-family, and key stakeholder
businesses such as trash haulers and recycling companies,
3. Distribute costs so that no single sector is unfairly affected,
4. Optimize positive,intended consequences and interrelationships among potential new
programs,
5. Anticipate market forces that will create successful opportunities for our local recycling
system,which includes service providers,the business community,recycling
professionals, commodity brokers,as well as local citizens and their political
representatives, and
6. Address concerns and needs that were expressed by citizens of Fort Collins in a
community-wide survey.a
z Waste News article:Municipal Recycling Survey.February 13,2006(www.wastenews.com)
'Figure 5-1.5-2(pages 32,33)draft SERA report(Fort Collins Solid Waste 5-Year Strategic Plan).
°Appendix D,ibid
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50•0 Solid Waste Diversion
How Recommendations Were Evaluated
The econometric modeling that was used to calculate the costs and effectiveness of new
programs for Fort Collins draws from an extensive,proprietary computer program developed by
Skumatz Economic Research Associates. (For 25 years, this firm has researched the impacts of
solid waste reduction policies and programs in over 1,500 North American communities.) Fort
Collins' own measurements of local waste generation and recycling activities provided the
baseline data for SERA's Strategic Plan model; the customized tool now belongs to the City for
use in future planning.
Public Input
Public involvement was critical to guiding the strategic planning process. Numerous articles and
announcements were printed in the media that helped the City obtain comments and ideas. An
open house in December 2005 was attended by over 60 citizens and there were a number of
"visits"to an interactive website(www.fcgov.talkin ash ).
A group of stakeholders representing a broad cross-section of the community met regularly to
assist staff and the consultants with developing and ranking strategies to include in the Plan. The
Steering Committee included:
Trash hauling companies
Recyclers—public&private
County landfill staff
Commercial composter
Environmental consultant
Citizen advisory committee members
As part of Fort Collins' strategic planning project, a public opinion survey was conducted by
Corona Research, with a margin of error of—4.9 percent and a 95 percent confidence level in the
results. (A smaller survey was also administered to poll businesses in Fort Collins about their
attitudes and opinions about recycling and waste reduction.) Survey questions were specifically
designed to seek information that relates to developing plans for new programs. The responses
from the 403 completed telephone interviews indicate an extremely high interest in, and support
of,recycling among Fort Collins citizens. In terms of importance,respondents were more likely
to state that the ability to recycle conveniently, and the ability to recycle many materials, is more
important than having inexpensive trash and recycling services.
There appears to be additional demand for curbside recycling;nearly three-quarters (73 percent)
of survey respondents reported that they participate in curbside recycling. While there are many
reasons for not recycling,the largest single reason(37 percent of non-recyclers)is that curbside
recycling is not available to them; this may be attributed to the fact that curbside recycling is not
always provided to residents of multi-family dwellings.
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50%Solid Waste Diversion
Yard waste appears to be an area of particular potential for recycling.A total of 39 percent of
respondents report that they put yard waste out with the trash. About 1/3 of respondents report
that they would use a community composting facility even if there was a small fee. Demand is
greater for curbside pickup of yard waste; over half would be"very likely"or"somewhat likely"
to use the service, even if there was a small fee.
There is a belief that recycling has not yet hit its potential. On average,respondents believe that
over 40 percent of their own trash could be recycled. A total of 79 percent believe that it is
feasible to divert 50 percent of garbage to recycling. Respondents also expressed price
flexibility for increased services. A total of 82 percent of households believe that their current
charges for trash and recycling are reasonable, and 78 percent would be willing to pay"a bit
more"to achieve the City's recycling goal. Half of respondents would pay three dollars more per
month,while 93 percent would be willing to pay an additional 50 cents per month.
The findings of the public opinion survey confirm that Fort Collinites are clearly eager to
recycle,with 98 percent of respondents expressing the belief that recycling is"good for the city
of Fort Collins." They are supportive of new measures to divert waste(89 percent believe that
the City should pursue additional means of recycling and diversion) and willing to pay some part
of the costs that may be incurred to develop new programs. These findings, and the public
comments that were received, were weighed together with our best estimation about costs and
impacts in developing the following preliminary Strategic Plan.
Phase-in Schedule
For the purposes of modeling, it was necessary to enter start-dates for the strategies that were
evaluated. Staff applied a phased approach with two basic stages. Many strategies were
modeled that could essentially be started right away,while several others would be better to
initiate in five or eight years, after the infrastructure has grown or intermediates steps have been
taken. It is important to plan for a highly flexible implementation schedule in order to respond to
changes over time such as adjusted market conditions or innovations in technology.
In the interests of assisting the City Council to provide immediate direction for the community,
staff developed a summary list of five new measures to investigate for Phase I implementation.
• Strategy 1-1. Increase/enhance the City's education program(in one-year increments)
regarding specific measures to be initially implemented.
• Strategy 2-1. Provide customers,upon request to their trash haulers,with optional
curbside yard waste collection services on a weekly basis.
• Strategy 3-2. Create a refundable C&D deposit system based on square footage of
project(or comparable criterion),with total deposit to be refunded upon certification that
appropriate level of recycling was accomplished.
• Strategy 4-9. Amend the City's PAYT ordinance to include all commercial customers;
require recycling fee to be embedded in rates and charge volume-based pricing.
• Strategy 5-1. Amend Fort Collins' pay-as-you-throw(PAYT)residential trash rates
ordinance so that"rate design" further enhances waste reduction efforts.
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50%Solid Waste Diversion
Next Steps
At the March 28, 2006 work session,the City Council's feedback will be sought for the overall
package of new measures, and for the concept of adopting a long-term strategic plan. If the
Council concurs about a summary list of new measures to begin implementing immediately, staff
will begin preparing a business plan for each one, including more detailed benefit/cost analyses,
schedule for implantation, and budget estimates. These project outlines will be submitted as
soon as possible for Council's formal endorsement.
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50•0 Solid Waste Diversion
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 50% SOLID WASTE DIVERSION
GOAL: The City will strive to divert 50% of the community's waste stream from landfill
disposal by 2010.
Subgoal l: Provide Fort Collins residents and the business community with information
and education about waste diversion.
Strategy 1-1 Increase/enhance the City's education proeram(in one-year increments)
regarding specific measures to be initially implemented
Modeled costs: $40/ton City , $.50/ton community
Modeled diversion: 1.3% (5,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,one year
Subgoal2: Target organics to be separated from the waste stream,for collection and
delivery in making secondary products such as compost, mulch,or composition
construction material.
Strategy 2-1 Provide customers upon request to their trash haulers.with optional curbside
yard waste collection services on a weekly basis. This measure will require that yard waste
does not cost more than equivalent costs for trash,by volume(consistent with pay-as-vou-
throw rates).
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $120/ton community
Modeled diversion: 1.9%(7,500 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,two years
Strategy 2-2. After sufficient infrastructure has been developed to accept large volumes of
organic debris to be composted,add requirement for largest candidate firms (e.g.,
restaurants and grocery stores)to recycle commercial food waste.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $12/ton community
Modeled diversion: 0.4%(1,700 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2011,two years
Strategy 2-3. Prevent yard waste from being discarded in Fort Collins' curbside trash
collection system.
5 Underlined to indicate strategy was included in staffs recommendation for Phase I implementation.
6City cost per ton is the estimated cost to city government to divert one ton of new material per year following full
implementation of a given program.
7 User cost per ton is the estimated cost to the community(i.e.,residents and businesses)to divert one ton of new
material per year following full implementation of a given program.
Page 6 of 9
Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 505%Solid Waste Diversion
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $30/ton community
Modeled diversion: 9.0% (34,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2011,two years
Subgoal3: Target waste material generated by new construction and by demolition
activities to be diverted from the waste stream and used in manufacturing secondary
products.
Strategy 3-1. Establish contract preferences to encourage recycling and waste reduction for
City of Fort Collins construction&demolition(C&D)jobs.
Modeled costs: not modeled
Modeled diversion: not modeled
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
Strategy 3-2. Create a refundable C&D deposit system based on square footage of project
(or comparable cntenon) with total deposit to be refimded upon certification that
appro xiate level of recycling was accomplished
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $30/ton community
Modeled diversion: 12%(46,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, four years
Strategy 3-3. In the absence of appropriate private-sector facilities necessary for accepting
C&D waste,ultimately create a City sponsored drop-off site.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $12 /ton community
Modeled diversion: 10.6% (41,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2011, four years
Subgoal 4: Divert more of the waste generated by the commercial sector.
Strategy 4-1. Offer 3 months recycling free to businesses(City-funded).
Modeled costs: $20/ton City, $20/ton community
Modeled diversion: very low
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
Strategy 4-2. City provides technical assistance/waste audits to businesses.
Modeled costs: $110/ton City, $.50/ton community
Modeled diversion: 0.9%(3,400 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,two years
Strategy 4-3. Adopt ordinance making it mandatory for businesses that dispose of more
than 10 yd3 of trash weekly to install a recycling bin.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $12/ton community
Modeled diversion: 2.0%(7,500 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,two years
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50%Solid Waste Diversion
Strategy 4-4. Actively urge smaller/non-recycling businesses to implement single-stream
recycling systems.
Modeled costs: $.50/ton City, $7/ton community
Modeled diversion: 0.9%(3,300 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,two years
Strategy 4-5. Assist with formation of recycling cooperatives for small businesses.
Modeled costs: $110/ton City, $.50 ton/community
Modeled diversion: 0.9%(3,300 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, four years
Strategy 4-6. Awards grants, zero-interest loans, and incentives to businesses for waste
prevention efforts.
Modeled costs: $210/ton City,$.50/ton community
Modeled diversion: 0.7%(2,700 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,two years
Strategy 4-7. Adopt City procurement guidelines and/or incentives for recycled content.
Modeled costs: not modeled
Modeled diversion: not modeled
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
Strategy 4-8. Strengthen the City organization's recycling program; emphasize source
reduction.
Modeled costs: not modeled
Modeled diversion: not modeled
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
Strategy 4 9 Amend the City's PAYT ordinance to include all commercial customers:
require recycling fee to be embedded in rates and charge volume-based nrictna.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $70/ton community
Modeled diversion: 16.7%(64,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, four years
Strategy 4-10. Ultimately,make recycling mandatory for all businesses.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $70/ton commercial
Modeled diversion: 1.7%(6,600 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2015, one year
Subgoal 5: Divert more of the waste generated by residential sources.
Strategy 5 1 Amend Fort Collins' pMas-you-throw(PAYT)residential trash rates
ordinance so that"rate design"further enhances waste reduction efforts.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $30/ton community
Modeled diversion: 3.3% Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
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Attachment 1
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
Draft Strategic Plan for 50'0 Solid Waste Diversion
Strategy 5-2. implement ongoing curbside recycling program improvements, including
more designated materials and standard options for larger recycling containers, etc.
Modeled costs: not finalized
Modeled diversion: 0.4%(1,700 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,one year
Strategy 5-3. Encourage multifamily housing managers/residents to adopt single-stream
recycling systems.
Modeled costs: not finalized
Modeled diversion: 0.1 (470 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, two years
Strategy 5-4. Encourage private partnerships for constructing multiple community drop-
offs to collect more recyclables(paper, glass, etc.).
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $.50 ton/community
Modeled diversion: 0.8% (3,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, two years
Strategy 5-5. Prevent discarded computers from being placed in Fort Collins' curbside
trash collection system.
Modeled costs: $14/ton City, $i 20/ton community
Modeled diversion: 0.4 % (1,700 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007, one year
Strategy 5-6. Adopt the requirement for service providers to collect single stream recycling
from residential customers as soon as market trends allow.
Modeled costs: $1 /ton City, $.50/ton community
Modeled diversion: 2.0%(8,000 new tons)
Modeled start-date and ramp-up period: 2007,three years
Subgoal 6. Create a dedicated city "waste diversion fee" that would be used to fund new
recycling opportunities, grants and zero-interest loans for waste diversion innovation, as
well as other new Strategic Plan activities.
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Attachment 2 ATTACHMENT 2
March 28, 2006
Council Study Session
City of Fort Collins
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Policy Development
• 1977 -Fort Collins adopts Goals and objectives, an Element of the
Comprehensive Plan;policies call for solid waste material recovery and recycling
program in cooperation with County and regional government,private
organizations, and citizens.
• March 1990- Fort Collins initiates solid waste reduction planning and outreach;
Recycling Open House draws 800 people over a four-day period. Trash haulers
identify need for a centralized recycling processing center to store and broker
recyclable materials as their most critical concern with City's proposed recycling
program. City staff begins working with Latimer County for a site at the landfill
where haulers can deliver recyclable materials.
• October,1990—Fort Collins takes curbside recycling city-wide by adopting
ordinance whereby residential trash providers must, as condition of license,
provide curbside recycling to residential,multi-family, and commercial customers
upon request, as a condition of licensing. The ordinance sets minimum operating
standards for the collectors and includes a phased-in implementation schedule.
• 1991 -Fort Collins City Council adopts a resolution supporting Latimer County's
PAYT ordinance, which required haulers to institute quantity-based rate structures
(pay-as-you-throw rates)that provide an economic incentive for customers to
reduce trash(every homeowner must have the opportunity to receive a one
can/bag service rate) and also established a requirement for curbside recycling
collection.
• May 1995 -Fort Collins amends local ordinance to require haulers to apply
PAYT rates and to "bundle"trash collection and recycling service costs together.
Effective January 1996, customers automatically receive weekly recycling at no
additional charge with trash service, and haulers charge variable rates for waste.
• 1997—Fort Collins updates comprehensive plan; City Plan cites environmental
stewardship,with goal for a strong waste reduction and management program.
• 1998—City Council reviews comprehensive report on feasibility of trash
districting; defers decision about districting in favor of first applying other
strategies to improve recycling opportunities for citizens.
• 1999—Fort Collins adopts resolution for new goal to strive for 35%waste
diversion from landfills by 2004 after staff report diversion rate is somewhere
between 17%-25% (excluding asphalt). Ultimate goal is to divert 50%by 2010.
• 1999 -Fort Collins amends PAYT ordinance to enable the City to audit
compliance by trash haulers.
• 2003 —Fort Collins executive resolution: "designated list of recyclables" adds
more types of paper(magazines,junk mail,office paper)to curbside recycling
program.
• 2004 -Update to City Plan adopted with Principle ENV-10: "the city will apply
cost-effective pollution prevention and zero-waste strategies that will help protect
all environmental resources, including air, soil, and water and accelerate the
t
Attachment 2
March 28,2006
Council Study Session
community's ability to meet the City's adopted goal of diverting 50% of the waste
stream from disposal in landfills by 2010."
• 2004—Fort Collins amends local trash ordinances to clarify that PAYT trash rates
must be applied to customers who live in Homeowner Associations.
• 2005—City Council reviews 35%waste diversion goal at study session;when
staff reports 25%level, assignment is made to develop a five-year plan for
reaching higher waste diversion.
• 2005—Fort Collins executive resolution to"designated list of recyclables"adds
cardboard and paperboard to curbside recycling program.
• Fall 2005—Staff launches strategic planning process for waste diversion with
assistance from Superior-based consulting team(Skumatz Economic Research
Associates) and local stakeholders group. Public opinion survey is conducted in
November; a public open house held in December is attended by over 60 citizens.
• February 2006—Staff develops recommended package of over 20 new programs
designed to help the community reach 50%waste diversion goal within the next
6-10 years.
2
ATTACHMENT
Community Planning and Environmental Services
Natural Resources Department
City of Fort Collins
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD
DATE: March 15,2006
TO: Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Linda Knowlton on Behalf of the Natural Resources Advisory Board
RE: Fort Collins Strategic Plan for 50% Solid Waste Diversion
The Natural Resources Advisory Board(NRAB)continued discussion of the Fort Collins Solid Waste 5-
Year Strategic Plan for 50% Solid Waste Diversion at the NRAB's March 15, 2006 meeting,and voted 6-0
to forward this memorandum to Council. The NRAB recommends that Council adopt the staff
recommendations for the Strategic Plan for 50% Solid Waste Diversion in Fort Collins. The NRAB believes
that the Strategic Plan offers the following benefits:
• Solid waste diversion encourages markets that will use the diverted materials,including local
opportunities for processing and selling organic materials, manufacturing and sale of secondary
products from construction and demolition materials, and the sale of recycled containers,paper,
paperboard and cardboard.
• Landfill diversion delays costs to local taxpayers of siting,permitting and operating a new landfill
that will be needed sooner if greater diversion is not achieved.
• Fort Collins can continue to lead the region and state by implementing innovative recycling
programs that have important environmental and economic benefits.
• The private sector will eventually move toward these goals for economic reasons,and this Strategic
Plan helps to lead the market.
The NRAB appreciates the opportunity to provide input during the process of developing the Fort Collins
Solid Waste 5-Year Strategic Plan and recommends Council adoption of the staff recommendations resulting
from that Plan. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Knowlton, Chair
Natural Resources Advisory Board
cc: City Manager Darin Atteberry
Greg Byrne
John Stokes
NRAB Memo—Fort Collins Strategic Plan for 50%Solid Waste Diversion—March 15,2006
281 North College Avenue • P.O.Box 580 • Fort Collins,CO 80522-0580 • (970)221-6600 • FAX(970)22.1-6177