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County Public Works issues press release in response to garbage and recyclable hauling contract concerns

posted 02/20/02
Over the past several months the Public Works Department has responded to questions and concerns about our proposal to develop a contract for hauling garbage and recyclable materials from San Juan County to the mainland. Many of these concerns are the result of some misinformation and consequent misunderstanding of the changes that have been proposed. Some of the most commonly asked questions are answered here for the benefit of our customers on San Juan and Orcas islands who will be affected by these changes. Lopez Island customers will not be affected by the proposed changes. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please call Jon Shannon at 370-0519. We are happy to answer your questions and receive your comments regarding this proposal.

WHY DID THE DEPARTMENT SEEK TO DEVELOP A CONTRACT FOR GARBAGE AND RECYCLABLE MATERIALS HAULING?
The San Juan County Solid Waste Program has been in serious financial trouble for many years. The overall cost of operating the solid waste system has routinely exceeded the revenue collected from garbage tipping fees. The accumulation of these operating losses had resulted in almost $400,000 of short-term operating debt by the beginning of fiscal year 2001. The decision to develop the contract was made in an effort to reduce the costs of operating the solid waste system without cutting services.

WHAT WILL CHANGE FOR SOLID WASTE CUSTOMERS UNDER THE NEW CONTRACT?
Recyclable materials on San Juan and Orcas Islands will be collected and hauled co-mingled in a single container rather than transported in many different containers. There will be no changes on Lopez Island. Nothing will change at any of the facilities with respect to garbage. The Department has never proposed closing any transfer stations or the "Exchange" and "Take it or Leave it" facilities.

WHAT IS CO-MINGLING?
Customers on San Juan and Orcas islands will still need to "source separate" their recycling from their garbage, but will no longer need to separate their paper, cardboard, newsprint, tin cans, aluminum cans or plastic from each other. They can bring the material to the recycling center mixed in a single container. Glass and steel will still need to be separated.

WHY DID THE CONTRACT SPECIFY HAULING RECYCLABLE MATERIAL CO-MINGLED?
For three important reasons:

1. It costs less. The bid received by the County for hauling and recycling these materials will cut the current cost by more than 50 percent.
2. It will increase the rate of recycling diversion. History has shown that in communities where recycling changed from separated to co-mingled recycling diversion rates increased dramatically.
3. It will enhance the current recycling program for no additional cost. Customers on San Juan and Orcas islands will be able to recycle ALL of their plastic containers #1 through # 7, instead of just #1 and #2.

WHY WAS WASTE MANAGEMENT OF WASHINGTON SELECTED AS THE CONTRACTOR?
They submitted the lowest bid. Waste Management of Washington, Incorporated is a subsidiary of Waste Management Incorporated. Waste Management of Washington has been hauling San Juan County's garbage for many years under an existing agreement and has established an excellent service record with the County.

WILL THE CONTRACT RESULT IN THE LOSS OF COUNTY JOBS?
Current staffing could be reduced in the future providing additional cost savings. However, the Department will not cut any existing jobs and no existing employee will lose wages. Employees may be shifted to other divisions within the department.

HOW CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT THE PRICE WILL NOT ESCALATE AFTER THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED?
The contract specifies the price for garbage and recyclable materials for a period of 10 years.

HOW CAN WE BE SURE OR MATERIALS WILL BE RECYCLED AND NOT JUST BURIED IN A LANDFILL?
The contract requires that all recyclable materials collected from San Juan County are actually recycled. Several Counties, including Snohomish and King, routinely monitor the recycling activities of Waste Management of Washington.

AREN'T WE THROWING AWAY A VALUABLE HUMAN RESOURCE WHEN PEOPLE DON'T SEPARATE THEIR RECYCLABLE MATERIALS FROM ONE ANOTHER?
No. There is nothing intrinsically valuable in the act of separating a tin can from an aluminum can, or #1 plastic from #2 plastic. What matters is that people continue to practice "source separation" by separating everything that can be recycled from their garbage.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER ADVANTAGES OF THIS CONTRACT?
One of the most important additional benefits of the contract is that it will reduce traffic congestion at the San Juan Island and Orcas Island Transfer Stations because it will take customers less time to deposit their recycling.

Residents protest against
Waste Management Inc. contract

posted 02/12/02
County residents filled the hearing room in the courthouse yesterday (Feb. 12, 2002) to hear the commissioners discuss a proposed contract with Waste Management Inc (WMI). County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord explained why a Seattle attorney is being paid $300 an hour to clarify the contract. "We came to the conclusion a small county prosecutor office is not up to snuff to go up against Waste Management Inc,"he said. "A hallmark of good lawyering is to know when you need help," he said.

County Commissioner Darcie Nielsen reprimanded members of the audience for their reaction to mention of the lawyer's hourly rate. "I saw scoffs from Lopez people," she said. " I just want to remind you, this county has spent tens of thousands of dollars to fight jetskis and cell towers."

Nielsen said, "My goal all along has been to fix the San Juan Island transfer station site. We need to free up a significant amount of money to do that. We need close to a million dollars to create the state of the art facility I want to see on San Juan Island."

Public Works Director Tom Huse believes the county will save money by switching to using a materials recycling facility to handle the county's recycling rather than the current system. Now residents of the county separate their recycling, it is baled on Lopez and marketed on the mainland.

Six-year-old Sophie Nilan of Lopez Island plans to report back to Miss Patty's kindergarten/first grade class about Tuesday's protest in Friday Harbor.

By switching to a MRF, the county would be paying to have Waste Management Inc. haul off co-mingled recyclables. This would save money because labor costs would be less. Solid Waste Manager Jon Shannon said no one currently employed will be laid off but the work force will be reduced over time by attrition. So local jobs will be lost if the county switches to a MRF.

County Commissioner John Evans explained how the county ended up negotiating with WMI. His fifteen-minute explanation included background on the current system. He said, "It is a very expensive system, partly because we need three of everything. Everything needs to be transported. The overall system is an enterprise fund. It does not receive any extra tax money. Governments are not allowed to operate in the red...So we were seeking ways to balance the financial needs of the program."

"Not much can be done to reduce cost of garbage in landfill. One significant variable was the cost of handling recycling. There was a proposal to charge for recycling, to collect gate fees," he said. The MRF idea came up in those discussions and due to economy of scale and economy of marketing it would cost less he said..

Commissioner Rhea Miller said, "The bids are in, and bids are odd. The bids show a one percent savings in the budget. We entered this on a recycling issue and ended up with a disposal service bid. We'll lose a very secure time-tested contract. We were going to this for fiscal responsbility but now we're hiring a state of the art attorney. We're asked to put $75,000 into capital improvments at the waste site ( for the MRF). Baling has stopped on Lopez Island. We've lost 30 totes because they were sent unbaled to the mainland."

The baler was not working in December for a few weeks. Cardboard totes were sent to the mainland with unbaled recyclables. Totes were not returned resulting in a lack of sufficient number of the cardboard boxes. Customers have been co-mingling the recyclables since there are not enough boxes to deal with them separately. Some residents have questioned whether the county has already started the changeover to a MRF system before a contract is approved. Solid Waste Manager Jon Shannon said it is just coincidental that co-mingling is being done now and attributed it solely to the lack of totes.

After the commissioners spoke, there was 20 minutes left for public comment. Residents expressed dismay that the county would consider doing business with WMI. Cases of bait and switch, fines levied against WMI and against its accounting firm, Arthur Anderson were cited.

Ona Blue of Lopez Island said, "This is an incredibly big deal. We are angry we haven't been givien a public hearing. This is obviously not a real bid. WMI wants a foot in the door." She told the BOCC the issue is not controversial on Lopez Island. "I've given out a lot of leaflets. People get it immediately. We're going to get screwed."

Paul Chadwick of Friday Harbor said, "This is a huge global company. They have gone toe to toe with the mafia and beaten them. They will find a pretext to charge us more. We don't have the legal power to fight them. This lowball bid is sweet poison. I urge you to deal with local entities where power is more equal."

Commissioner Nielsen said, "We have had an agreement with WMI for the past seven years. You act like this is something new. This is just a part of a misinformation campaign."

Commissioner Miller responded that the present contract is part of an interlocal agreement with Island County.

Gaylord expects to present the new contract to the BOCC on March 12, 2002. Evans said, "Once the contract is before us. We'll have the opportunity to say is this a good idea or not. Then we can vote for it or vote against it. "

Waste Management contract to include garbage and recycling

List of stories about solid waste operations in San Juan County