HomeMy WebLinkAbout0597.093•
November 18, ~993
THE HONORABLE CITY COm.rCIL
Palo Alto, California
Attention: Policy and sel~ices CommIttee
Recycling in Stanford Research ___ Park -Semi-Annual Sta..t..l.l..§.
Members of the Council:
Report in Brief
Th:i.s is an informational report and n·:J CO".lncil action is requested.
This report summarizes results to dat-e of the recycling action plan
developed fer Stanford Research Park (SRP) businesses. It a.lso
identifies problems wit.h the current collection syste~ and pruoposed
cha~ges to alleviate those problems.
BackgroUf,l..,Q
On March 17. 1992, staff met with the Policy and Services Co~~ittee
(the Commit'tee) to address recycl ing issues raised by the Stanford
Research Park Forum of the Chamber of Commerce (CMR:184:92}. Staff
returned to the Committee on September 22, 1992 {CMR:424:92l, to
report that an action plan had been de',eloped ...... ith input from SIU'
businesses that included a survey of business neeC:s~ two pilot
programs with tenants in the Research Park, and a syste~ to collect
materials on a weekly basis. Staff again returned to the Committee
on May 18. 1993 (CM...R.:258:93) , ...... ith the resl..llts of tbe pilot
progr2ms and to provide an implementation schedule. The Co:mnittee
bas asked that Etaff continue to p:r-ovide updates ot: the SRP
program.
Staff launched the Stanford R~search Park Recycling Program on July
1, ~993. This pilot program provided SRP businesses with automatic
recycling collecti·:m. Palo Alto Sanitation company (PASCO) provides
collection ser'.rices in which alu1r.inum/tin is collected on MondaY.
newspaper on Tuesday. white paper on Wednesday~ glass/plastic on
Thursday and colored paper on .friday. PASCO routinely togs the
volume collected from each participant. This information is L.l.sed to
evaluate the program's success.
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Prior to the sta:r-t of the progra:n, staff designed and distributed
a Recycling Program p,'lcket cont aining a recyclable materials
brochure and application to every sen.-ice address in the SRP area.
After the program began, staff called over so locations offering
infonnation and assistance. In the spring and fall editions of the
Communic:y Recycler newsletter, staff included varioLls articles
promoting the SRP program. Staff routinely kept the Palo Alto
Chamber of Co~~erce abreast of all aspects of th~ program. Press
releases were issued twice and personal visits were made to main
SRP businesses.
Analysis of program Res~lts
After three mont_hs of running the SRP Frogram, staff and PASCO
evaluated the progress of the program. Although yeasonable efforts
have been made to p~omote the program &nc recruit new pazticipants l
the participa.tion rate and the volume of materials collected are
low. There are just ove.r 100 possible pa:ct icipants in the SRP area,
and each participant can recycle up to nine material types dUl:'ing
the week. The following da:'a represent the number of participa:m:::s
for each of the material categcries~
~ter!.1 Re~ycled
Al uminum/Tin
GlaE'lEjPlastic
Newspaper
White Paper
Colored Paper
NU:nher of Participa.nt.s
13
19
2S
10
5
PrcsrlE.S :lp. pl • .;; .. prior to the .tart of the S~£ __
CollectioD syst~
Cardboard
Compost able Material
Every month PASCO logs the. number of recycling containers collected
(numbe.rs enclosed by parentheses retlect the number of 95 gallon
toters which are r~nted in the SRP area). The following results
reflect the total number of 95 gallon containers collected &ince
July 1, 1993. Compare the number of available containers with the
mHnber of a<:tual collected containers during each month. (Note:
cor.t.ainers :>ore not necessarily full ... hen they ".07o<;:re emptied.)
Ca.,,"s Glass Ne .... s-White Colored
(13 ) (19) paper Paper (10) Pape.r (5 \
(>SI
JUly 13 1. 10 7 3
August 13 16 17 10 3
september 13 16 17 1Q 3
Q..:"tober 1.1 ,. ]7 l __ Q. ..
Total 52 64 61 >7 12
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The following anr.ua.lized COStS are a very conservative estimate of what
is curre~tly being incurred:
PASCO S@rvicE: to the S~P area: $21,600
P~ECO Service divided by 25 SRP part~cipants
(Current !;lax.) : ..• $IS per week or $6B per m':)nth
per par~icipant (average)
Baseu on the current 25 newspaper pdrticipants. it costs PASCO $58
per mont.h per participant: to collect 95 gallons of newspaper irl the
SRP; and the market value of the newspape~ ~n the 95 gallon.
contain~r is less than a dollar. The cQl1€ct~on costs for e~ch of
the ot!1.er material participants is rnu,:h bigher, because there are
even fewer participants and PASCO servl.C@ cost.s re.roai:r. unchanged.
program Outreach M~terials: $5,OeO
• posters
• advertisements
• graphic des i9Il
• printing
Staff Time: E~~iffiat~d at 120 hours
~_QQQsed Program Modificat~
After several discussions with P~~CO and the Chamber of Commerce,
staff is planning the following changes to the SRP Recycling
Program:
CUrrent~~
Automatic Service
Five Day
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Se::vis~
Aluminum/Tin
N~ ... spaper
White Paper
Glass/Plastic
Colored Faper
Proposed Program Changes
Ou-Call or Ser~ice Pee for Auto~~tic Service
Thn~e Day
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Servi ce
NO collection
No collect-ion
Wl::.i te paper
GlasS/Plastic
Aluminum/Tin
Newspaper
Colored Paper
In. addition I staff will have PP.SCO implemerrt a monthly service
charge to customers ..,.'he wish to contin'.l€ automatic weekly ser.rice
but neglect to fill their ccntainers (minimum 3/4 full) each week.
Once the customer shows the ability to fi 11 the containers each
week, the fee will be waived. By making the proposed
modifications, annuali4ed cost for collection will be decyeased by
approxi~4tely $6,600.
The palo Alto Chai"t'lber of Co"iITLerce Stanford Research Park Forum has
expressed ccr-.cern over the proposed SRP Recycling Program changes.
Specifically. the proposed program will be counter to the Forum's
primary goal, which is to obtain an automa.tic collection service.
The proposed program changes basically require SRP businesses to
revert back to PASCO's on --call commercial collection .syscem that is
used throughout the rest of the commercial areas in the City. The
Forum has offered the City a li.::t of alternative program changes,
CMR:S97:93 -3-
which they believe ·"..ill meet the City anc it6 customers' l".o:;!eds
(letter attached}. StOltf will continue to work with the Forum and
refine the commercial l::-ecycling program.s to maximize cost benefit.
Respectfully submitted,
C(:vv4-~
JANET FOREMAN
Coordinator~ Public Works Projects
MICHAEL MILLER
Deputy Director of Publ ic Works Operations
!d-~~
GLENN S. ROBER'!'S
Director of Public Works
~~~.~
BERR~ M. STROJNY
Assistant City Manager
Attachment: Lette=
CMR:597:93
•
• ~u 1'7,1993 04:3l PM
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Mr. Chris WCi1t.'r
R~cling Progrrlm
City of P::.lo Allo
P.O. So)( 10"-5ti
Palo Atto. CA 94303
DearChns,
E\..1S(.-d on rl"C\:r.t COTlv~r$ativn.c" it is cur uOOerslan·jil1g that the Cli)' of Palo Alto
is ptopo$i'nl $Om.! clwnJ!l!S to the r('cc:nlly cn",clN St;mford Rc~ .. trch Park
.Necycling Progrom
On 'tlf'l-.lIM of th~ ~har'llbPr·." 5-t'lnfMd RE'~dT"(h p"tll: FnrUiT1. \\-c ,",(",>llld Ilk"" t,l
$uggest a!temativ@sto what h'C understand would bl' a po!;sibic e:lirrU!\iltkn of
thE-(urrE1l~ "'aulo!'naHc" !;y~wm and rC\'erEing b.1CX to "Dn-caTI'" pickups_
Gl .... en the Chall~S you aro proposing. our .s.'Ugge~tiom-are a~· follows.:
1) Rather th,m change the c;l"'lX' of ~.(.'n';C"..:= (from 3utomatic to on"GI:l!) ut~t.·r tilt.,
freql.let1C)· (flom wC\'Jdy to rrumthi.v) fo; those not a~k to hi: thl"ir rt .... .;yding
C,,'nrafnl~_
,) Alk,w those" fl.'lltl comp.mk~ !.hilt nt.'\."C! wt.."l'kly pkk:Jps It! conhnll'" tl11!
!btoltU'tio:. weeldy sc[,vi.(:€'. (Vole wi)Uld ~~ no problem with,. switd-, !Tom five
day servke 1:0 t:hr~a)',.)
3) All (lther companlt'S 'would "wit('h tel crlC"e-a-month riebl's. which wtlold
ciiminatf! t."e "~d for on, .. n S(2Tvi(e. unl~s bL"IS filled -=-Mly, Those that actuany
fillw capadty earlier in tJ'bi! month can request an Additional ootltainer{:s.). A
COmp.1ny th.-,! dvt~n't have ~pilC'C fer the oonft'.incru.), should have the-option (or
l"I'C'C'kIy pickup:;, evt'n if O,)llt"illr:r~ Mt' not fm~ I.') ~<lp.t'.:i'y,
!n the Forum's opi'!1.ion, thCS{> suw~[jon5 ..... ould be weU-received by PtU'k
l'UU'l""ll~ \:l.lrn:II:1y piUln.ip<ttins ill 1Iu.: r\."-)'\.tinS ptuSl".t\lt o.l.5 ... "'ell 4$ tuiurt:
partidpantS. Furthrr, PASCO ';I."O'Jid be milking (("over pickups, while piding up
mOIl: f"'}'ditblcs. k the 'lcluml' builds. we-rould then c.'q)lorc im::n.'asrng the
In."qul'I1CY,
Given the commitment 10 r~)'djt'1g ~hown Coy nMlny ral'k cClll1panie:o!, ' .... e !ltrcmsly
cncoumgt' your cor:_..;dcr"tkm of tim. altcrn"ti,;'(' to ,-cur propo"ed chan~,
flMA f,ruA-ll-
Su ..... n Frank, Ex\.XUti'lC Director
Palo Alia (l;<!mr.er ofComm"'Tct:'
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