HomeMy WebLinkAbout0276.094May 12, 1994
THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Palo Alto j California
~use Program Compost G~y~~~y Project
r>lerrobers of the Council:
Report in Bti~
'I'his is an infol."trlational report regarding the compost giveaway
events and compost sales. Council action is not requin'!d.
~kgrQund
In .1979. the City begau a d:r:op-off cornpostin~ prog:ram at the
landfill; and in .1990, the City started curbside collection of
ccmpoatables h.·om residents. When the cor~po8ting progra:n began. it
was intended to be used to provide a lower cost topaoil tel."
landfill closure activities and to save landfill space, Compost
manufactured at the landfill wae ueed in the closure and conversion
of Phase I of the landfill to a park and in Ph,l~e IIA closure.
Approximately 3.500 tons of (lXCeS8 screoned compost Wel"e available,
after the closure activiti (!a WCH": completed, and otaff proposed a
compost giveaway event to celebrate Palo Alto's fifteenth
anniversary of curbside recycling. That event WiHJ held on two
Saturdays in May 1993 and resulted in apprOXimately 3'}S, Palo Alto
residents picking up compost. HallY l."(:oidenta called requesting an
additional compost giveaway event, so staff scheduled anothel" evant
in Or.tober 1993. Over 125 residents picked up compost during the
second event. As a result of the continuing interest by resid.ents
and the numbe:t" of inquiries on the potential of future events,
staff scheduled three giveaway events for 1994. The ·first event of
this year was held March 19 and 26 and resulted in OVer 1,000
residents participating. Two remaining eve:ntD an~ acheduled, one
in July and one in Octobel.'. Staff has intol."fficd l:esidents of the
events through newspaper ads in the Palo Alto Weekly (Attachment
1).
Compost Sales
Currently. the landfill processes 9,000 to 12,000 tons of
compost able material annually. The compost program ctiverts ?
percent of the total waate stream and is ene of our mandated
l."ecycling programs under AB939. III order to continue to meet our
diversion goals and manage the CU:Lrent fmrplus of mat<!rial. staff
has arranged to sell surplus compost in the wholesale market
through a broker. This year to date.. sales of compost have brought
in o'\~er $27.000 in revenues to the City Refuse Fund.
CMR:276:94 -1-
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A significant number of residents have called between compost
giveaway eventfJ wanting compost, and staff worked \I,'ith the
wholesale broker to develop a pilot pxogram to sell compost in 40
pound bags. The bags are being sold at the refuse tollbooth for $2
per bag, which recovers the cost of materials and equipment
necessary to bag the compost. Approximately 100 bags have. heen
Bold in the last three weeks, and "400 remain. If this experiment
is successful, staff may work with the broker to continue this
program.
Palo Alto residents continue to support City recycling programs and
the compost giveaways serve to recognize and reward their efforts.
The compost giveaway and compost sales truly close the recycling
loop, by taking a once discarded waste material and returning it as
a useable product.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Miller
Deputy Director Public Works Operations
iJL A fiZJ---
Glenn S. Roberts
Director of Public Works
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DQDDDDgDDDaDDDD~~~ II Palo Alto Residents ~
I!!I "Complete the recycle circle" 1m
iii WI
B ~IPrrurwCG ~ = (C@MIP@§'1r ~ 1m ml
Wi CG~~AW ~
mJ in appteclation of cit~:n'8 ~!cipatioD. my
·1iiJ in the curbsideromposting program, IilI
f:ll Palo Alto residents will be allowed up to 1m
mJ 1 cubic yard o(compost (equivalent tQ six Ilil
lila .. fuJI garbage c."UlS), Free of charge. WI
I!! Brilig ohovels, contftiners and proof of 1m
IliI '. Palo !\Ito residency. . WI
~ ~ I!lJ Ell Saturday March 19 WI
IliI Saturday, March 26 WI
Ell Pa1oAlto Landfill rill
IiiJ 2380 Embarcadero Rd !ill
B!I ·94:30 IllI
mJ 1m Iil1 next scheduled giveaways 1m I!iJ July 9, Octl & 8· 1m
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Attachment. 1