Description: Seek amendment of Orange County’s Solid Waste Plan.
February 28, 2005 Status: New Goal.
May 9, 2005 Status: On April 7, 2005, the Solid Waste Advisory Board endorsed formulation of a Solid Waste Advisory Board Work Group “created specifically to produce a new Solid Waste Management Plan…”. An invitation was extended to the Town of Chapel Hill to participate in the charge of this work group. The Council has appointed Council Member Bill Strom to serve on this committee and the Manager has appointed Public Works Director Bill Letteri. The initial meeting of this work group was held in early April, with a discussion of the charge of the group. It is understood that this group will reexamine and reconsider portions of the Solid Waste Management Plan related to a waste diversion goal of 61%; receive input from the Solid Waste Advisory Board, the towns, the public and the Board of County Commissioners – Orange County; and prepare a recommended revised Solid Waste Management Plan for consideration and approval by the governing bodies of the three towns and the county prior to the next three-year update submittal to the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, due on June 30, 2006.
September 12, 2005 Status: Broad discussion of “Pay As You Throw” options took place at most June 15 meeting of the Orange County Storm Water Advisory Board. Possible future actions/decisions are pending. The next scheduled meeting of work Board is September 14.
November 21, 2005 Status: The “Solid Waste Management Plan Work Group” has held two meetings, on October 12, 2005 and November 3, 2005. Topics discussed included--residential curbside collection methods for recycling (single vs. dual stream); adding mixed paper and cardboard at the curb; commercial recycling collection, methods and targets; materials handling or processing facilities; “pay-as-you-throw” models and alternatives; and discussion of jurisdictional needs, objectives, issues and concerns. The next meeting of the work group is scheduled for early February 2006.
February 13, 2006 Status: The Solid Waste Advisory Board Work Group toured the Greensboro and Charlotte recycled materials processing facilities on November 28, 2005. The next meeting of the Work Group is expected to occur in late February.
May 8, 2006 Status: The “Solid Waste Management Plan Work Group” held a meeting on April 12, 2006. Topics discussed included a summary of responses to a questionnaire distributed to Work Group participants and an update on the status of the Transfer Station. Alternative Transfer Station sites are being considered, including the location on Eubanks Road. The County has hired a consultant to help analyze the feasibility of each of the options. The three-year update of the Solid Waste Plan is now anticipated to be completed in the Fall of 2006.
September 11, 2006 Status: The Advisory Board and SWAB Work Group received and discussed the consultant’s report on Waste Transfer Station alternatives. The report also discussed operational issues and alternatives to increase recycling, such as Pay As You Throw and RecycleBank, the latter of which was subsequently rejected by the Advisory Board as a viable alternative. As regards the Transfer Station, the Board continues to entertain alternative facility designs and sites, including a Durham location. At the Solid Waste Advisory Board meeting of August 3rd, staff outlined their expectations to complete a draft Solid Waste Plan by the end of the calendar year.
November 6, 2006 Status: On October 27, 2006, Orange County announced the implementation of mixed paper recycling at curbside. Information brochures will be distributed to about 18,000 homes, followed by the distribution of new blue bins to each residence. The addition of mixed paper at curbside is expected to divert an additional 700 tons of material from the landfill.
The Advisory Board and SWAB Work Group continue to discuss and provide recommendations regarding waste reduction goals, methods of recycling collection, PAYT options, MRFs and transfer station locations. The Orange County Board of Commissioners is expected to make a decision regarding the location of the transfer station at its November 14th meeting.
February 12, 2007 Status: Orange County has implemented their mixed paper recycling program as previously described. The program appears to be proceeding without incident and is fully operational, however, reports regarding its effectiveness are still forthcoming.
In early January, the Orange County Board of Commissioners instructed its Solid Waste Department to organize a community meeting with residents of the Rogers Road community regarding options and implications of locating a transfer station on Eubanks Road. Both the Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) and the SWAB Work Group have endorsed and recommended location of the transfer station at the Eubanks Road location. A final decision of the Commissioners is expected in the coming weeks.