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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Green waste debate changes course
by Kathleen Haley, published on December 28, 2009 at 8:49 PM
Storyline: City Services
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The fiery public debate over possible changes to the city of Sacramento’s green waste pickup system has changed course.
The City Council was expected to decide in January whether to ask voters to use bins for their green waste. But it will not make a decision on the issue in the immediate future, according to Marty Hanneman, Utilities Department director.
The issue of scrapping the on-the-street pickup system has been “pushed back on the table, on the back burner,” he said.
For weeks, residents have been debating whether bins should be used instead of on-the-street green waste pickup. Recent reports from city staffers said a bin system would be cheaper and more environmentally responsible.
Residents who object to bins say they are impractical because the trees create too much lawn waste.
Lisa Nava, district director for Councilman Rob Fong, addressed the issue in a Dec. 22 e-mail to Paul Trudeau, president of the Southside Park Neighborhood Association. “There is no longer interest in bringing a ballot initiative to City Council to repeal Measure A (which would enable the Council to make containerized green waste mandatory),” Nava wrote.
“However, we have decided to provide the Voluntary Containerized Green Waste program city-wide. This seems like a good compromise at this time.”
City staff decided to postpone the green waste issue, Hanneman said, adding that he discussed the delay with City Manager Ray Kerridge. Councilman Robbie Waters, who asked staff to bring the idea to the City Council, accepts that the issue has been delayed, Hanneman said.
The current system is complex because the city uses two methods of green waste removal: an on-the-street pickup system and a voluntary bin system.
Workers remove piles of green waste from the street with the "claw" machine and a second vehicle.
However, residents in some sections of the city can choose bins instead of on-the-street pickup, according to a Nov. 24 Utilities Department report. About 85,000 residents have chosen bins, the report notes.
An opt-out system is in place for the bins now. After the city delivers bins to a neighborhood, residents must refuse them to maintain on-the-street pickup, Hanneman said.
Over the past several weeks, city staffers have worked on a plan to ask voters if they want to switch to a bin system and stop on-the-street pickup. City staffers had planned to bring the idea to the City Council. If councilmembers liked the idea, they would have had to ask voters to allow a bin system.
That’s because Sacramento voters passed an ordinance in 1977 saying the city could not establish the use of bins for green waste. A mandatory bin system can be set up only if voters overturn the 1977 ordinance, according to the report from the Utilities Department.
City staffers do not know the costs of the on-the-street pickup system, Hanneman said. That’s because a growing number of people are choosing bins, which hikes the price of on-the-street pickup, he said.
Nor have staffers decided how multifamily complexes would be incorporated into a bin system, Hanneman added.
“We have some issues we have to resolve.”
Photo by Geoff Samek.
Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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"About 85,000 residents have chosen bins, the report notes."
Does the word "chosen" apply when this heinous "opt-out" program is used? Personally I found it very difficult to opt-out.
Some questions I'd like the City to answer:
- How many people have opted out?
- How much money is the City wasting now that they are stuck running TWO leaf pick up systems (claw and bins)? Who will pay for that? Who will be fired for creating this disaster?
- If the City raises prices for "claw" customers.... isn't it violating the letter of the 1977 ordinance that prevents them from being forced onto containerization.
The cost to provide yard waste service is reflected in the rates paid by customers. Under State law, we can only charge customers what it costs us to provide them the service they are receiving. Customers who have loose in the street collection pay a different rate because the cost to collect materials in the street is different than that with the bins. When we do loose in the street collection, we have to pay for 2 drivers, 2 vehicles, fuel for each vehicle, and the costs to get rid the yard waste (goes to a contractor who composts it). For a customer who has a bin, we only need 1 driver and 1 vehicle, fuel for the vehicle and the disposal costs.
As more customers opt into the containerized program, the costs to collect materials loose in the street goes up because we may only need to collect a single pile or two on a street and then need to drive across town to pick up a few more piles, etc. We are currenly reviewing the accurate costs for both the loose in the street collection and containerized collection. Once that information is gathered and reviewed, rates may need to be adjusted to reflect the accurate costs of the programs.
To answer your questions on the letter of the 1977 ordinance- no, it does not violate the ordinance. Customers still have the option to have loose in the street collection. Under state law, they must pay what it costs to provide them that service, so their rates are different than those who receive their collection in a bin.
Approximately 6,240 residents have opted out of the program.
I've never received an answer to that question. Please realize that those who do not opt for the bins now pay for their waste and the neighbor's waste pick up with the claw that won't fit into their bin..
In case you are not aware, the City does offer loose in the street colelction several times during the year (leaf season, pruning season and Christmas Tree collection) for customers who utilize the containers. This allows them to do their large scale work, place what they can in the bins and put the rest out for collection in the street. For the 2009 calendar of these dates, please visit, http://www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities/solid-waste-recycling/media-folder/pdf/YardWaste_Calendar2009_upd082609.pdf. The updated 2010 calendar will be up shortly.
In terms of it being more environmentally sound, to provide loose in the street colelction, we require two vehicles (the claw and a rear loader truck that the claw places the waste into). For the containerized collection, we only need one vehicle (a side loader) to collect the yard waste. Having less vehicles on the road means less air pollution.
Green Waste-I recently cleared the 40' gutter in front of a property I own-there is no street sweeping enforcement on that street so as I regularly do on a quiet Saturday with no cars present, I cleaned up the leaves that did not appear to be too significant, less than the width of the gutter, however It had rained and the leaves had been compacted by the cars and actually had began composting. Each 32 gallon can weighed about 175-200lbs.
The pile I created with 3 1/2 can fulls-or 112 gallons came in well over 500lbs. So how will this be addressed with containerization? That was 10 days ago...as of Sunday the pile was still there. Pick-up should have occurred that 1st Monday. The pile was situated to avoid loosing any valuable parking space, easily accessible for "the claw" and not out in the street.
In terms of the weight capacity, there is none specified in the code. However, the trucks have a 400lb capacity for lifting a bin and dumping it into the truck. A 96-gallon bin (the largest size we offer for gabage and recycling and the only size offered for yard waste currently) has a capacity of 330 lbs.
PLEASE NOTE THIS ADDITION: I just spoke with a Superintendent who advised me that it is best if the container does not exceed 200 lbs.
In terms of your current yard waste pile situation, I would call 311 and report it as a missed service. During leaf season and other months where you are provided a loose in the street service and the pile has remained for more than 2 collection days (i.e. in your case, 2 Mondays), we would ask that you please call 311 and report it as a missed service so a crew can be scheduled to come out and collect your waste.
It looks like 200 lbs of wet leaves means a 32 gallon container-or a 1/3 full 96 gallon container. That's not very much.
Our staff is committed to providing the best service possible, so often times, especially when the program is new to an area, they will just pick up the pile. However, after the neighborhood has been in the program for a while, the drivers do become very familiar with who has the bins and who doesn't. If a pile appears in front of a home that has a bin and it is not a week for loose in the street collect, the crew will call in for a supervisor to double check the site. If the resident is in fact in the program, the pile will be left and a note will be placed on the customer's door letting them know that they can place their waste in the bin, call for a special pick-up (costs approximately $90), or they will be cited for illegal dumping.
Also, often times, we get calls from neighbors who complain that a pile has been on their street and has not been collected. This typically means that all of the street has opted into the program and therefore no claw driver has been on street. If it is not a week for loose in the street collection in the containerized areas, the Supervisor will go out and place the same note on the customer's door.
Following is from the code: "Lawn and Garden loose in the street (non-containerized) collection is a periodic service. Service is generally provided on a weekly basis throughout the year, with exception of "leaf season" where fewer collections may occur."
This means claw costs can be controlled--even reduced by making fewer pickups except where there is restricted parking due to "no parking, street cleaning" signs. Picking up green waste containers weekly is a fixed cost, like the garbage and recycling bin costs are fixed. These costs are increased annually, so containerization bin pickup costs would rise annually also.
http://www.municipalequipment.com/leaves.html
Another point I would like to make is that it is always pruning season. When to best prune depends on the species of the tree/shrub. On my property alone I have over 20 trees and very large shrubs. It would be impossible for me to prune them all on a single weekend to anticipate a "pruning season" claw pick-up and I end up pruning them over the course of a year. Any one of the trees' prunings would fill up several yard waste bins.
The proposed yard waste bin system would essentially require residents to hire garden maintenance contractors to prune and haul the debris to the dump or have the each resident do so. This is also highly inefficient and polluting. There is simply too much biomass in most of the older neighborhoods of the city for the claw pickup schedule as currently structured. If council members and other bureaucrats tended to their own yards they would realize this.
"As more customers opt into the containerized program, the costs to collect materials loose in the street goes up because we may only need to collect a single pile or two on a street and then need to drive across town to pick up a few more piles, etc."
This does not address the fact that there are now TWO waste pickup programs running. The claw has to skip houses... but so does the bin truck. So everyone pays more. The City has raised the costs for all residents with their poor planning and execution of this attempt to force bins on residents.
It is time to bite the bullet and collect all the bins, and go back to the claw.
It's time to admit this entire ordeal has been a disaster. Fire whoever is responsible, collect the bins, and let's get back to life in downtown with the claw... as the 1977 ordinance intended.
Of course, if you deliver bins and call it "opt out" and make it difficult to return them (as many people have commented is the case)... then you will have inflated numbers falsely showing that the bin program is widely adopted.
If you use these numbers in calculating my new rate (instead of what's actually put out on the street), then I will be sure to make public comment about the City Utility dept at an upcoming City Council meeting.