HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 307-05City of Palo Alto
City Manager's Report
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
DATE: JULY 11, 2005 CMR:307:05
SUBJECT: SUNNYVALE MATERIALS RECOVERY AND TRANSFER STATION
ANNUAL REPORT
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On October 7, 1991, Council approved a long-term refuse disposal agreement at Kirby Canyon
Landfill with Waste Management, Inc. of California. At the same time, the Council also
approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) creating a partnership with the Cities of
Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale to construct and operate the Sl,lnnyvale Materials
Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station in Sunnyvale on a ten-acre site. These two agreements
assured future generations of Palo Altans solid waste capacity for 30 years (until September 30,
2021). Per this MOU, the City of Sunnyvale takes the lead in the construction and operation of
the station. In October 1993 the SMaRT Station began operation. It was designed and is
permitted to handle a maximum of 1,500 tons per day of solid waste.
DISCUSSION
The City of Palo Alto delivered approximately 49,306 tons of solid waste in FY 2003/04 to the
SMaRT Station. This is approximately 70 percent of the total waste stream processed by the
City. The Palo Alto Sanitation CompanylWaste Management delivers the majority of the waste
with on an average of four Palo Alto public self-haul customers using the station each month. In
FY 2003/04 the SMaRT Station recovered approximately 9,007 tons (or 18.3 percent) of
recyclables from the Palo Alto waste stream delivered. .
Each year the SMaRT Station contract administrator prepares a report to the community
(Attachment A). In FY 2003/04 the following highlights of achievements include:
CMR:307;05
The annual diversion of recyclable materials from garbage received at the SMaRT
Station in 2003/04 totaled 18.3%, qualifying the operator of the facility for the
highest financial incentive offered in the operating contract.
The. average revenue for recyclable materials recovered from the sorting line
increased by 39% while the average price for source-separated recyclables increased
by 6%. One of the main factors causing higher revenues was the increase in the
California Redemption Value (CRV) materials that provided an additional $65,000 in
revenues to the cities.
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The SMaRT Station received an award from the California State Department of
Conservation (DOC) for its recycling achievements through the years. The DOC
noted that the SMaRT Station collection ofCRV beverage containers on behalf of the
three partner cities (Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale) in 2003 represented
43% of the total volume of containers collected in all of Santa Clara County.
About 2,500 cubic yards of finished compost generated from the SMaRT Station was
returned to residents free of charge, for use in their gardens and landscaping.
-Labor contract negotiations continued without disruption of services to the three City
partners.
The three cities continue to create success through cooperative management that is built on a safe
environmentally sound spirit and cost effective waste management and recycling services.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A: "A Report to the Community about the SMaRT Station cooperative venture
2003-2004"
PREPARED BY:
MICHAEL JACKSON
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
GLENN S. ROBERTS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
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