Multnomah County, OR Recycling Goals
Type: Resolution
Status: Adopted on 6/9/05
Source File: http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/Public/uploadedfiles/05-102.pdf
Text:
RESOLUTION NO. 05-102
Setting Recycling Goals and Directing Preparation of a Waste Prevention and Recycling Plan for County Facilities
The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners Finds:
a. Waste prevention refers to activities that prevent the formation of waste at the source, and is a fiscally responsible practice which saves economic and natural resources.
b. Recycling of materials diverted to markets for remanufacture into new goods supports markets for recycled products, creates jobs, and conserves resources that would be needed to make products from virgin materials.
c. In 1989 by Ordinance No. 606, the County established a recycling and waste prevention program, and directed departments to establish management practices to minimize the volume of solid waste generated and recover recyclable materials used in County operations.
d. The County has continued these practices by adopting the Local Action Plan on Global Warming (Resolution 01-052), Sustainability Principles (Resolution 04-019), Supporting SOLV (Resolution 04-048), and PCRB Rules (Section 46-0320, Preference for Recycled Materials).
e. Multnomah County is not alone in adopting goals for waste prevention and recycling; several local governments have done so, including King County, Kitsap County, and City of Seattle in Washington, Kalamazoo County in Michigan, San Francisco in California, and the City of New York.
f. City of Portland Commercial Administrative Rules for solid waste and recycling require a minimum recycling rate of 50% for commercial facilities within Portland; local businesses currently achieve an average recycling rate of 54%.
g. State-adopted goals for the Portland Metro area wasteshed are to achieve a 64% recovery rate in the year 2009.
h. Since 2002, the Multnomah County, through its Pollution Prevention Program, has initiated actions to assist with recycling goals, including: tracking waste and recycling; improving recycling services contract; conducting facility recycling assessments; replacing recycling bins; and developing new recycling programs for additional materials.
i. In FY05, Multnomah County generated approximately 2,341,000 pounds (1,171 tons) of trash, and collected 1,011,000 pounds (506 tons) of material for recycling, achieving an average facility recycling rate of only 30%.
j. However, despite these actions, aggressive action is needed to meet identified waste and recycling goals.
The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners Resolves:
1. To commit to achieving a 50% recycling rate for County facilities as soon as possible and a 65% recycling rate by 2010.
2. Facilities and Property Management Division (FPM), in cooperation with the Sustainability Program (Sustainability) and County departments, is directed to develop a waste prevention and recycling plan. The plan should be submitted to the Board for review by April 2006, and:
a. outline actions for each department to increase recycling, reduce waste from County operations, and enable the County to meet state goals for recycling and waste reduction while maintaining cost effectiveness;
b. identify long-term goals for 2025 and modify interim goals as plan is implemented;
c. require FPM, in cooperation with Sustainability and County departments, to present an annual report to the Board on progress toward plan goals. The report should include a summary of materials disposed and recycled at County facilities, recycling rates for all facilities as well as a countywide average, generation of waste per employee, and recycling, costs of waste disposal and recycling, and documentation regarding recycled content of purchased goods.