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Home My WebLink About0398.094_4 j \ ~- '~ .- • • • J :.. .. :" July 28, 1994 THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL pa.~o Alto, California Attention: Policy and Services committee ReeVe] jog: in Stanford ResearCh Park -StatuR and ReRultB of pilot Program Members of the Council: Report in Brief This is an informational report and no Council action is requested, This report. slUr.marizes the r'=.sults of the pilot recycling p:cogram in Stanford Research Park (SRP} tl~t ran from July 1. 1993 to June 30, 1994. After some minor logistical changes, the program has become permanent. Backgrpund On March 17, 1992, staff met with the Policy and Se~JiCe9 Committee {the Committee) to address recycling issues raised by the Stanford Research Park Forum 'the Forum) of the Chamber of Commerce (CMR :184 \ 92). Staff returned to the Committee on September 22, lS92 (CMR:424:92), to report that an action plan had been developed to address the needs in SRP, The action plan included two pilot programs with tenants in the Research Park. Staff returned to the Committee on May 18, 1993 (CMR:258:93). with results of the pilot programs and an implementation plan fQr a one year, area wide pilot program to start July 1, 1993 and end June 30, 1994, On November 23, 1993, staff met with the Committee to discuss proposed modifications to the pilot program <CMR: 597:93), Staff recommended changing from a five day automatic service schedule to a three dayan-call service schedule, due to low participation and volume of materials. In addition, staff recommended implementing a monthly service charge to cust~mers who wanted to continue the five day automatic service but neglected to fill their containers each we~k. At the Committee meeting, the Forum expressed concerns about the recommendations because the}' were counter to their primary goal. which was to obtain automatic weekly collection. After discussing alternatives to the staff recommendat ions, the Committee asked that the program be modified to a three-day-a-week automatic service schedule, for those who warranted frequent CMR:398:94 -1- "J, \ ----j- b ~--'~-----'---~ ;: o collections, and a monthly automatic service schedule, fOl" those who were not filling up their containers as quick,ly. rn addition, the Chamber of Commerce was asked to assist with additional promotion of the pilot' program to increase partiCipation. Staff was directed to return after six months with results from the changes. pi amJRsiQO NEW COLLECTION SCIlBDULE In January 1994. after participants in t.he SRP recycling program were contacted. the collection schedule in SRP was reduced frem five to three days a week in order to reduce cost and time on the route. Depending on the volume, the following recyclable materials are automatically collected three-days-a-week on a weekly or monthly basis: 'Collection ',Day Wednesday Materlal White Paper --+-------------~ Thursday Friday cans, Glass, Newspaper Colored Paper Palo Alto Sanitation Company (PASCO) staff and Recycling staff continue to make additional adjustments to the schedule as warrantedr to eliSUl.-e efficiency. The chart below shows the number of businesses in each collection schedule·: ola •• ~"i'~""" r ,_ > 'P~~l\'<' Weekly 6 21 17 8 8 Monthly 14 20 23 14 2 'As of 6/8/94 RESULTS OF NEW COLLECTION SCHEDULE Because businesses are no\." scheduled for collection according to the volume of material they generate. the aut.omatic weekly and -2- -.~'. ' r'> '«:/ monthly schedule is working. When PASCO drivers notice that recycling bins are not filling up according to the frequency for which they ar.e 8cheduled. businesses are contacted by PASCO to adjust· their schedule. Attachment A shoW's the two schedules and identifies the aggregate number of containers in the SRP for each material versus the number of containers that are collected. since January, PASCO has collected approximately 100 tons of material from SRP. The total tonnage amounts for e~ch month pas been consiatient and for some fII.aterials has increased measurably. Attachment B shows the total tonnage numbers for each material for the six month period from January 1 to June 3 1 1994. The new collection schedule has also improved the collection efficiency of the PASCO drivers and, as a result, has reduced costs by $2,880. In Nove~r, the estimated annualized cost incurred was $21,600. With the new schedule the estimated annualized cost is $18,720. A'M'RIIC-rING mow PARTICIPANTS One of the challenges of the program has been and continues to be the low participation in the SRP. One reason there is low participation is tha.l many of the large companies sell their materials to private rec}'cling brokers. However, there are still a large Ilumber of businesses who could participate in the SRP Recycling Program. Staff eotim<ltes that there are appz·oximately 100 possible participants in the SRP area, and currently thele are only 30 to 40 participants. The Chamber uf Commerce has agreed to assist with further promotion of the program to attract new participants. The Chamber of Commerce will send a survey to SRP businesses to determine the bat-riers to participation in the recycling program. Surveys will be sent out in early August; and the Chamber of Commerce will compile the information and provide general responses to Recycling staff, who will evaluate the reslJOnses to determine new strategies to promote the program and increase participatioll. MODIFICATIONS The only modification to the current program is to collect the white and colored paper on the same day (Friday). This would reduce collection days to twice-a-week and would make the route: more efficient. Staff and the Chamber of Commerce do not expect the schedule change to negatively impact any of the SRP particip~ntB. Staff will contact the businesses who are affected to let them know about the schedule change. PERMANE:NT PROGRAM The SRP pilot recycling pr09ram officially ended June 30, 1994. With the ret;ent modifications to the schedule and assistance from -3- -... ~-.::,~--,,,",.,..... . .......... the Chamber of commerce j the program will now become perMan.ent. Staff and PASCO 'Will work together to see that the,,~l"ogram runs smoothly and that modifications are made as needed' toO eliminate problems with scheduling. Staff is dedicated to working with the Chamber of Commerce on the Byrvey to find ~tter ways to promote and expand the SRP and other business recycling programs. Additlonally, this fall, staff and the Chamber of Commerce will be ~Q~sponsoring several business recycling workshops and the Business Recycling Link, an informational network. set up to link similal", bU$ineBSea togeth~r to gain information and share experiences about recycling. Respectfully submitted, 7/rilL d!. ·Ji'il~r,\ ~ K MICHAEl, MILLBR Wor.ks R~,'lated Reporta: Attach.onents: A Weekly/Monthly Collection Schedule B -Materials Collected ·4- '" Attacbment A ~...;L:::?,i.·.·'·' "'weekly ,Coltecllon Scbedu~ , Cal1S Glm NnupapC'r Cootai· ne" Col"", ,~, trd .'"," ", CoIioC-, .Il0l ." Feb'94 1'.','.:4 6 6 6 :6 Whll. rip" Coo~· '''' • • o •• k .~.': I . i " 'I ' , "'0 . S . Mai' •• ! .. 7 6' S 8 7 '·,1 r-A-~-"-41'-"-'-6-~.,r--6~~--2)--1---IS--t--I-'--+--1-3--r----i'---,--t---~+-~--~ a ; May '94 >!O]WI . 6 4 ., " "4 ' . ,.' Apr '94 May '94 'Jun "4 Cans g~~.i' -'D~",. < :'17 ' . '9. ' 21 " 11 16 8 21 20 17 . ,Monthly COllection &bedlile " GIUJ NnHlp.apcr WhUt Pl!ptr COl1tal· CQIIec· eom.;. :0>IJ0<>' • COfltli· CI)j!.ec· ., nm It<! DCl'I"; " -S_:'i,!: "'" led 11 IS 21 2!J I) 10 11 16 21 2J'~.:; Il 9 22 17 2S ' 22~;:~.~ II Il 22 21 28 . 2," . I) IJ I. I> Z2 . 11"; '.," 14 ~ 20 I> 23 H ... 10 1 8 , " , , . Colored Poptr ~. !.Coiioo-i . ~ '" 'ti:id:~[.' 0' o f ) ·,I·.of '.' ': Attachment B ... --. -.---c;-,-