901 study update given to Solid Waste Authority
Written by Katie Weidenboerner


At the regular monthly meeting of the Solid Waste Authority on Tuesday, June 26, Solid Waste Consultant Michele Nestor presented a 901 study update to the authority.


"Since a significant part of your study relies on a lot of the transition of St. Marys to curbside recycling, that is where we have been focusing a lot of our attention," Nestor said. "We didn't want to create chaos by taking your drop-off containers out of there without them having some kind of plan." Nestor has compiled a month by month strategic action plan which has been accepted by DEP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in turn set the deadline for the final expansion for January of 2008.

"A lot of time was taken looking at Elk Waste routes to see if there is anyway we can expand the curbside collection without a significant increase in cost to St. Marys. We did find some areas for savings such as consolidating routes," Nestor said. "This should allow the City to use one truck with the same amount of employees they use now. They should be able to add somewhere around 800 homes, which would take them to over 80 percent of their residents being serviced by curbside."

Nestor suggested City Council make a decision and establish the new routing by no later than October.
"They need to distribute new containers to their residents, print educational material, and provide Elk Waste significant time to make those changes. It is one thing for me to look at it on paper and know where it can be done, but to decide which homes you are going to pick-up takes repeated effort as you know," Nestor said. "The ball is definitely in St. Marys Council's court at this point."
 

One thousand recycling bins have been ordered for curbside and movement has been made on purchasing the new recycling truck. Since 20 percent of the residents currently participate in the curbside service, and one of the most frequently heard complaints by Elk Waste is that citizens do not have containers, Nestor suggested St. Marys order more.
 

"I received thank you notes from several of the Council members as well as positive feedback on the report. I presented them with several options and there was an indication that they would be making their determination based on one of those options," the consultant said. "I think the hold-up, as always, is how to finance it."
 

As far as the County's recycling is concerned, Nestor has some recommendations including the pulling of the containers from St. Marys which has already taken place. Other recommendations the consultant is forming include looking into the partnership with Wal-Mart.
 

"There are other changes which can be made. If we go that far we should take a look at what service commitments you have with your existing vendor," Nestor said. "I think we have other suggestions we can lend in that direction so St. Marys isn't the only target here. I know they feel that right now, but they are just the beginning."
Nestor will continue to review the numbers from the County in order to help the haulers better understand what they should be reporting and how to make the reports more cohesive.
 

"Because of your funding situation and the likelihood that it is a long-term situation right now, what we need to look at is ways to sustain recycling here. You have an excellent partnership with Elk Waste, but obviously there is some room to develop some other relationships with other haulers," Nestor said. "We feel your host agreement has some potential for negotiation."
 

Options are being explored for remote processing, including the possibility of many haulers and municipalities working together for joint marketing.  "We want to look at the possibility of what will happen if the Rustick facility is not around for the long-term. They have made some indications to DEP that they have lost money on the facility. That is always an indication they may be having second thoughts about it," Nestor said. "Maybe if more people collected a certain kind of material that may be more attractive to somebody. Sometimes volume helps create new business opportunities and new markets."