INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

SWANA2012EXCELLENCEAWARDAPPLICATION

INTEGRATEDSOLIDWASTEMANAGEMENTSYSTEMS

SacramentoCountyDepartmentofWaste

Management&Recycling

ProudlyServingtheCommunitiesandNeighborhoodsinSacramentoCounty

INTEGRATEDSOLIDWASTEMANAGEMENTSYSTEMS 1

EXECUTIVESUMMARYFor 45 years the Sacramento County Department of WasteManagement and Recycling (DWMR) has provided integratedwastemanagementservicestotheresidentsandbusinessesoftheSacramento region. DWMR leverages its ownership andoperationofcollection,transfer,andland illoperationstoprovideanarrayofinnovativeservicesthathaveresultedinaremarkable71%diversionrateincluding:

Pay‐as‐you‐throwthree‐cartresidentialcurbsideprogram

Appointment‐basedcurbsidebulky‐wastecollectionprogram

Useofnaturalgastrucks

MandatedcommercialandC&Drecyclingprograms

Land illgas‐to‐energyprogram

Householdhazardouswasteprogram

Steadyassetgrowth

Lowpricing

DWMR continues to be a national leader in the provision of integrated waste managementservices,especiallyinreducingrelianceonland illing. EverythingDWMRdoesisalignedwithitsmissiontoprovideoutstandingenvironmentalstewardship,incomparablecustomerservice,andunmatchedvalue.


I.SYSTEMOVERVIEWANDPERFORMANCEIntroduction

From its birth during the Gold Rush through its history as California’s capital, SacramentoCounty has emerged as the cultural, commercial, and government hub of California’s CentralValley.Since1967,theCounty’sDWMRhasprovidedtheSacramentoregionintegratedwastemanagement services. DWMR provides curbside collection, recycling, transfer, and disposalservicesto554,554residentsacross800squaremilesoftheunincorporatedarea,anddisposalservices to an additional 538,691 residents of the cities of Sacramento and Folsom. DWMRownsandoperatestheentiremunicipalsolidwastesystemfromcurbsideto land ill face,andpartnerswithprivatecompaniesforrecyclingandsomegreenwasteprocessing.ThisverticalintegrationallowsDWMRtoprovidesuperiorservice forbelow‐marketprices. The255menandwomenofDWMRinviteyoutoreadaboutourcollection,transfer,disposal,andrecyclingoperations.


CollectionsHistorySince 1967, residential pickup of refuse in theunincorporatedareasofSacramentoCountyhasbeenunderthecontrolofDMWR.Backthen,DWMRservedcustomers using manual labor to empty theresidential cans into larger “carry cans” (with therefuse from two to three homes) that were thenemptied into the collection trucks. “Roll cans”, orcarts with lids and wheels, were introduced thatallowedtheuseofsemi‐automatedcollectiontrucks.These trucks could empty the carts mechanically,saving laborand injuriesbyhaving thedriverof thetruck roll the cart to the truck. In 1982, DWMRintroduced automated collection trucks that furthersavedlaborandinjuriesasadrivercouldemptyeachcart without exiting the cab of the truck utilizing amechanicalarmtoemptythecart.DWMRintroducedthe curbside collection of recycling materials (cans,bottles, paper, etc.) in 1991 and the curbsidecollectionofgreenwastein1993.

TodayToday’sresidentialcollectionscontinuetheuseofthethree‐cartsystem;onecartforrefuse,onefor green waste, and one for recycling materials. Customers enjoy a pay‐as‐you‐throw ratesystemwithratesfortheirservicedeterminedbythesizeoftherefusecart.Extrarecyclingandgreen waste carts are provided for free to encourage the diversion of as much materialgeneratedbythehouseholdaspossible.We are focused on diverting materials thatwe collect in the most cost effective way,while providing the broadest list ofrecyclable options possible. Thismaterial issent to an outside vendor for processingunder a contract. In2011,we collected andsent to recycling centers 38,750 tons ofrecyclematerial fromour routes.Thegreenwaste we collect on routes is combined atourtransferstationwiththewoodandotherseparated greenwaste brought in, crushed,and sent via transfer truck to be used by avendortogeneratepower.In2011,wecollected70,000tonsofgreenwastefromourroutesandsent54,450tonsofgreenwasteandwoodtothepowergenerationplant.Therefusecollectedissenttoourland ill.


SpecialCollectionServices

We augment our regularweekly collection servicewith an array of special services. For low‐income customers, we offer a rate rebate program which reduces their rates. For thosecustomerswhohaveadisabilitylimitingorpreventingthemfromplacingtheircartsatthecurb,wehaveadisabilityexemptprogramwherebythosecustomerscanhavetheircartswheeledbythe driver to the curb and back to the customer’s normalaccessibleplace.

Withinourratestructureisfundingforaneighborhoodcleanupprogram(NCU).Ourprogramutilizesspecializedclawloaders,rearloadtrucks,andboomtruckstopickup,forfreeorreducedfees,pilesoflargematerialandbulkyitemsplacedcurbsidebycustomers. Our program also cleans up the blight of illegaldumping fromourcommunity.Wecoordinateoureffortswiththe County’s Sheriff’s andEnvironmentalHealthDepartments.In2011,weremoved800tonsofillegallydumpedmaterials.

CollectionFleet

Weare constantly looking for technologies andprocessesto make our operations better, and in 2002, we beganconvertingourcollection leetfromdieseltoliquidnaturalgas(LNG).Today,100%ofourcollection leetrunsonLNG.Considering our trucks drive 1,300,000 miles per year,their extremely low emissions have dramatically reducedour carbon footprint. LNG has also proven to be lessexpensive than diesel over the years and its price hasluctuatedmuchlessthanthatfordiesel.


TransferOperations

Ourtransferstationwas irstconstructedin1973and was originally designed to handle 750 tonsperdayofrefuseandrecycling.Overtheyears,ithasbeenexpandedandmodi iedso that today itcan handle 2,400 tons per day of refuse andrecycling materials. Today, in addition totransferringout therefusebrought tothe facility(182,200tons in2011),weseparateandsendtoprocessing centers 47,050 tons of green waste,21,950tonsofcurbsidecollectedrecycling,4,950tonsofmetalincludingappliances,10,600tonsofdirt, concrete and other inerts, 900 tons ofelectronic appliances (including computers,monitors, televisions, small appliances, etc.) and350 tons of tires. The transfer station is openseven days per week, 363 days per year and isopentothepublicandcommercialhaulers.

Criticalcomponentsoftransferoperationsaretheenvironmentalsafeguardsandmonitoringthatwedotoensurethatallwaste/recyclingmaterialwetouchisprocessedinaccordancewithallrequiredregulations. Wastes that potentially pollute aresegregated appropriately and storm and sanitary sewer drains are labeled and monitoredregularly.Weconstantlyreviewbestpracticestoimproveandmodifyouroperationstobethebeststewardsofhandlingthesematerials.

TransferFleet

Our transfer leet consists of 17 tractors and 47 trailers. Refuse is transferred daily to ourland ill,andweaveragesevendriversperdaymakinganaverageof iveloadsperday.


HouseholdHazardousWaste(HHW)

DWMRowns and operates twoHHW facilities. The irst is a full HHW facility located at ourtransferstationwherecustomersdrivethroughandtechniciansunloadthevehicle.Thisfacilityroutinely handles oils, paints, luorescent light tubes, acids, batteries, automobile luids,syringes, pool chemicals, used propane tanks, gas, kerosene, and solvents. Once identi ied,hazardous materials are placed in approved containers and eventually transported bycontractors to the appropriate disposal site. The second facility is at our land ill and ispermittedtoreceiveantifreeze,batteries,oil,andpaint.Thesefacilitiesrequirehighly‐trainedpersonnel and specialized equipment, but are critical to keeping hazardous materials awayfrom sewer and river systems and the land ill. In 2011, we processed 600,000 pounds ofmaterials through our HHW facilities. As an added service, we created andmaintain reuselockers.Afterinspectionbyourtechnicians,householditems,includingpaintsandcleanersthatare still useable, are placed in the lockers where any customer can come in and take thematerialsforfree.Thisservicehasproventobeapopularwaytorecyclethosematerialswithaminimalhandlingcosttoourcustomers.

KieferLand ill

HistoryandCapacity

The Kiefer Land ill (KLF) is aClass III solid waste facilitylocated in eastern SacramentoCounty. Thepermitteddisposalland ill footprint is 660 acres,and the solid waste facilitypermit allows for 744 vehiclesperdayand10,815totaltonsofrefuse per day. The land illopened for business in 1967,andasoftoday,30millioncubicyardshasbeenplacedattheKLF.Thetotalpermittedcapacityforthesiteis117.4millioncubicyards.Basedonprojectedwaste lowsweestimatethereareatleast65yearsofcapacityremaining.


DesignandOperation

Theland illisdividedinto12modulesandwearecurrently illinginModule3.HalfofModule1wasconstructedbeforeRCRAsubtitleDrequirementsandisunlined.TheremainderofModule1 and Modules 2 and 3 are lined. The 38‐inch thick liner pro ile consists of the followingcomponents from top to bottom: A soiloperations layer, non‐woven geotextileseparator,agravelleachatecollectionandremoval system, a non‐woven geotextilecushion, a high‐density polyethylene(HDPE) primary geomembrane, aGeosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL), aGeocomposite layer,moreHDPE primarygeomembrane, more GCL, then inallysubgrade. Cell construction is designedanddirectedbyDWMRengineering staff.Compaction and grade are controlledusingaTrimbleGPSsystem.Overthepastive years, inbound tonnage has averaged 630,000 tons per year, or 1,730 tons per day. Theland illisopensevendaysaweek,363daysperyearandisopentoallpublicandcommercialcustomers. The site includes a material recovery area at which we accept and recyclecommodities suchaswood/greenwaste, concrete/dirtandrubble, cardboard, tires, electronicwaste,andmetal.Weplantorecyclecarpetinthenearfuture.

Land illGasCollection,EnergyPlants

As required by regulation, the KLFhas an extensive land ill gascollection system consisting of 261vertical and 23 horizontal gasextraction wells. In 2009, DWMRconstructeda leachaterecirculationsystem that has expanded to eightrecirculation trenches. Re‐introducing leachate into thewastemass increases gas production,accelerates decomposition andsettlement, and avoids the expenseof leachatedisposal. All land illgasis piped to two land ill gas‐to‐energyplantsand lares.Theenergyplantscontain iveCaterpillarG3616internalcombustionengineswhichproduceacombined15Mwofelectricity. TheelectricityisdelivereddirectlytothegridthroughapowerpurchaseagreementwiththeSacramentoMunicipalUtilitiesDistrict(the local electric company). TheKiefer energyplantwas selectedas the1999Projectof theYear by the US EPA Land illMethaneOutreach Program. Excess land ill gas not used by theenergyplantisdestroyedinapairofenclosed lares.


EnvironmentalProtectionLikeany land ill, theKiefersite ishighlyregulated.DWMRoperatesthe facility in conformance withmultiple permits issued by theState air, water, and solid wasteboards. Routine monitoringincludes recovering data from 63monitoring wells, threestormwater discharges, and airquality measurements at theenergy plant, lares, and acrossthe site. Because the irst half ofland ill Module 1 is unlined,contaminates from the land illhave migrated offsite andcontaminated the groundwatersouthof the facility. In response,DWMR constructed and operatesagroundwater treatmentplantand14groundwaterextractionwells. This facilitypumpsandtreatsonemilliongallonsofwaterperdaytoasafestandardanddischargesintoalocalcreek.

BufferlandsIn1994,DWMRbeganastrategyofacquiring neighboring propertiestoKLFinordertobufferthefacilityfrom incompatible land uses,namelysuburbandevelopment.By2007, our land holdings consistedof over 2,000 acres ringing theland ill. The majority of theproperty is managed inpartnership with local rancherswholeasepasture.About150acresalong the southern edge of “TheBufferlands” is rowcrop farmland,andtenantsincludeanagriculturalresearch station and a locally‐iconicvegetable farmandproducemarket famous for its corn maze, pumpkin patch, and Christmas trees. The Bufferlands alsoincludeonemileofscenicripariancorridorandtheKieferWetlandPreserve,oneofthelargest,mostintactvernalpoolcomplexesremainingintheSacramentovalley.


In 2007, DWMR commissioned a Land Use Feasibility Analysis to investigate possibleenhancementsoftheBufferlands.Stakeholdermeetingswereheldwithneighborsandtechnicalspecialistswereconsulted.Whatemergedwasa“SpecialPlanningArea”(SPA)zoningordinancefortheland illandbufferlands.TheSPAwouldcreate,inadditiontotheland ill,1,100acresofhabitatpreserve,200acresofparks,anda569‐acreindustrialparkspeci icallyforwaste‐relatedbusinesses and renewable energy development. The SPA establishes underlying land useentitlements for subsequent projects thatwill build on local diversionprograms and enhanceDWMR’sregionalmarketpositionfordecadestocome.

Recycling

By applying a comprehensive toolkit of programs, SacramentoCountyDWMRhas attained animpressive71%diversionrate,joininganelitecompanyofsuccessfulprogramsnationwide.Asthe cornerstone of our diversion programs, DWMR provides every customer with multiplerecyclingcartsatnoextracost,ensuringalmostcompleteprogramparticipation.Supplementingtraditional glass andplastic containers andpaper, recent additions to theprogramareplastictoys, wide‐mouth plastic containers, beverage cartons, and ilm plastics (bags). Residentialcustomers can also place usedmotor oil, ilters, and kitchen oil out for curbside recycling ontheir collection day. Rounding out the regularly‐scheduled residential recycling program isDWMR’s containerized greenwaste collection and appointment‐based NCU program, throughwhichwood,metal andwhite goods, tires, and e‐waste are redirected at DWMR facilities forrecycling. Near universal participation in recycling programs and a three‐cart strategy toprovideforthecustomers’everyneedhavemadeDWMR’sresidentialprogramoneofthemostsuccessfulinthecountry.


DWMRstaffplaysanother,uniquerole.TheyserveasstafftotheBoardofDirectorsforajoint‐powers authority (JPA), the Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority (SWA). The SWApartner is the City of Sacramento. Together, the SWA jurisdictions dominate the local wastemarketplace.TheSWAwasformedin1992togovernprivatecommercialwastecollectionandpromotecommercial sectordiversion.Anopen franchisesystemwasestablished in1998.TheSWA delivered California’s irst commercial recycling mandate, the 2007 Business RecyclingOrdinance,requiringallgeneratorsofoverfourcubicyardsofwasteservicetohavearecyclingprogram. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (later renamed CalRecycle)modeled their statewide commercial recycling law on the SWA’s. In 2010, the SWA BusinessOrdinancewasexpandedtomultifamilydevelopments.Theconsistencyachievedacrossthetwolargest jurisdictions in the region bene its the commercial haulers and wider businesscommunitiesbecausesmallerjurisdictionshavetendedtofollowtheSWA’slead.

DWMRworkedcloselywith the localbuilding industry in2008 to develop a Sacramento County Construction andDemolition (C&D) Debris Recycling Ordinance. Theprogram rolled out in 2009, requiring recycling on areajobsites.Theprogramhasexperiencedbroadsupportwith600 projects having implemented jobsite recyclingprograms. DWMR staff developed a SWA ordinance thatcreatedacerti icationprogramforC&Drecyclingfacilities.Theprogramisvoluntary,butinvolvesregularinspectionsandaudits.Most importantly,only facilitiesmaintainingacurrent SWA certi ication can offer diversion credits formixedC&Ddebris.Theprogramhasbeeninvestigatedasamodelbyotherjurisdictionsacrossthecountry,andtheUSGreenBuildingCouncil’sLEED™projectsintheSacramentoareadependon the SWA’s certi ication program for their diversion calculations. In 2011, 79,000 tons ofmixed C&D debris was subjected to sorting at four SWA‐certi ied facilities, and 76% of thatpreviouslyland ill‐boundtonnagewasdivertedtorecycling.

DWMR manages acomprehensive, integratedsystem to power a highly‐effective set of diversionprograms. DWMR collectionsandfacilitiesplayacriticalrole.Contractswithoutsidevendorsround out the integratedsystem. Finally, innovativepolicy exempli ied by the SWAbusiness and multifamilyrecycling ordinances and theC&D certi ication program,haveextendeddiversionprogramsintoeverywastestreamintheCounty,pushingSacramentoCountyabovethe70%diversionmilestonein2010.


II.FINANCIALANDBUSINESSMANAGEMENTDWMR operates as a refuse enterprise fund (Fund). As such, it behaves like a commercialbusiness leveraging its vertical operations. DWMR operates with the mission to protectconsumersandbusinesseswithrespecttocostofserviceandfairbusinesspractice,toprotectthe public safety, to protect the environment, and provide good stewardship of the public’snaturalresources.FinancialGoalsThe Fund operates from revenue generated fromthe operation of a collection service for theunincorporated county, the County land ill, andtransfer station. Additional revenuesareprovidedfrom the saleof recyclables, electricity resale fromthe land ill gas‐to‐energy operation, and franchisehauler fees. The Fund receives no general taxsubsidyfromtheCounty.

DWMRoperatescompetitively,inlinewithitsmissiontoprotectconsumersandbusinesseswithrespecttocostofservice,bystrivingtokeepcollectioncostandgatefeesaslowaspossibleandstillprovideforasoundbusinessoperation.TherateschargedtothepublicusingtheCounty’srefuseservicesaresomeofthelowestinthelocalmarketarea.

Servicecharges $42,739,432Tippingfees 14,473,473Electricityresales 2,551,400Saleofrecyclables 2,242,533Contracthaulerbillings1,637,213TOTALREVENUE $63,644,051


The Fund manages itsbusinessbycontrollingexpense and growingrevenue throughcompetitive customerpricing and increasingmarket share at itsfacilities. Using thesesound and fairbusiness practices,DWMR has grown itsnet asset balance. Thelargest portion of theFund’snetassetsistheinvestment in capitalequipment, structuresand improvements,andland.Thecapitalassetsareusedtoprovideservicestocustomers.Portionsofthenetassetsare restricted on how the Fundmay use the assets in providing the service. The remainingbalancesareunrestrictedassetsthatareavailabletomeetongoingobligationstocustomersandcreditors.

PlanningToolsEachyear,DWMRstaffpreparesoperatingandcapitalimprovementproject(CIP)budgets.TheCounty Board of Supervisors reviews and approves both budgets each year. The operatingbudget totals about $90 million per year and serves as the inancial control for DWMR’soperations.TheCIPbudgetincludes296itemsofequipmentspreadbetweenDWMRoperations.Collection and transfer trucks and land ill construction equipment are replaced following aresponsible schedule that adheres to prudent inancial oversight of the equipment. Agedequipmentisreplacedwhendeemed inanciallynecessarytoensuresafeoperatingconditionstotheFund’s staff and to thepublicwhileoptimizing returnon investment. TheCIPequipmentpurchasesaverage$4 to5millionperyear.Engineeredconstructionprojectsareplannedandexecuted to ensure the continued cost‐effective and compliant operation of the land ill andtransferoperations.CIPconstructionprojectsaverage$4to6millionperyear.

SuccessMeasuresThemainbusinesstoolsDWMRusestoguide itsoperationsaretheBoardofSupervisors approved annual budget and an audited Comprehensive AnnualFinancialReport (CAFR). TheCAFRhasbeenrewardedeachyear forelevenyears ina rowby theGovernmentFinanceOf icersAssociationCerti icateofAchievementforExcellenceinFinancialReporting.

$0 $20,000,000 $40,000,000 $60,000,000 $80,000,000 $100,000,000 $120,000,000 $140,000,000 $160,000,000

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

NetAssets


Anadditionalmeasureofthe inancialsoundnessofthedepartmentistheA2bondratingfromMoody’s that has been maintained yearly since the issuance of the three certi icates ofparticipation(COPS)DWMRissuedto inanceimprovementstoitsland illandrefuseoperations.

Thebudgetdeveloped for theFund’soperationhasbeensuccessful in limiting,oravoidingalltogether, any drawing down from Fund reserves. The Fund’s reserves have maintained ahealthy balance for several years. The yearly budgets are drawn as balanced budgets,supportingDWMR’smissiontoprovidegoodstewardshipandlowcostofservice.CostEffectivenessIn addition toproviding some ofthe lowest ratesfor refusecollection servicesand land ill andtransfer stationgate fees, theFund’s operationhas providedinancial relief tothepublic througha reduced rateprogram to low‐income customers,and a disabilityexempt service todisabledcustomers. Therebateprogramprovidesa$5permonthcredittoalow‐incomecustomer.Therearecurrently6,265accountsinthisprogram.Forthedisabledcustomerthathasdif icultymovingtherefusecarts to the street on collection day, the Fund’s collection operation maintains a list of thecustomers requestingassistance. This information is given to thedriverswhowillmove therefusecartstothestreetandreturnthecartstothecustomeronceemptied.Therearecurrently1,151disabledexemptaccounts.

CapitalProject BondIssue ProjectCostKLFBufferlandPurchases 1997COPS $9,715,316NARSFacilityImprovements 1997COPS $5,674,107KLFEquipmentShopBuilding 1997COPS $3,293,028KLFM2Land illLiner 1997COPS $2,439,011LFGtoEnergyProjectFacility 1998COPS $10,334,059ElkGroveLand illImprovements 2002COPS $558,808KLFBufferlandsPurchases 2002COPS $4,074,910


Aspreviouslydescribed,collectionservice includesone trashcartandupto twocartseachofmixedrecyclingandgreenwasteincludedintherate. OtherrefusecollectionoperationsintheimmediateareamayprovidethesamecommodityserviceasDWMR,butotherserviceproviderseitherchargeextra forcartsbeyond the initialnumberofonecommoditycarteach,ordonotprovideacollectionforgreenwaste.

DWMR’sland illandtransferoperationprovidegateratesthatarelowerthansimilaroperationsinthelocalarea,andclosetohalfofthetonnagedeliveredtotheFund’srefusefacilitiesarebycontracthaulerchargedadiscountedrate.

EmployeeRelationsBecause93%ofDWMR’sbusiness is conductedbyCountyemployees, employee relations arecriticaltothedepartment’ssuccess.AsCountyemployees,themenandwomenofDWMRenjoyan array of typical public employee bene its including paid vacation and sick leave; medical,dental,andlifeinsurance;ade inedbene itpensionplanwiththeopportunitytocontributetoatax‐deferredretirementplan;tuitionreimbursement;andanemployeeassistanceprogram.All DWMR employees are encouraged to create a development plan identifying professionalgoalsandtheskills,training,andeducationnecessarytoachievethem.Atleastonceeachyearevery employeemeetswithhis orher supervisor todiscussperformance andprogress in thedevelopment plan. DWMR sponsors its employees’ attendance at solid waste seminars andconferences, with a renewed emphasis in SWANA certifying its supervisorial andmanagerialstaff.Becauseofthehazardsinherentinitsoperations,DWMRprovidescontinuoussafetytrainingtoall its employees. In theoperations area, this includes twodocumented safetymeetings eachmonth, with additional training any time a new procedure is introduced or an incident hasoccurred.Everyemployeehasatrainingportfoliothatincludesdocumentationofallsafetyandprofessionaltrainingcompleted.


Seniormanagersmeetwiththeirrespectivestaffsatleastoncepermonth,andthedepartmentdirector meets with every employee at least three times per year. Employee relations aremeasured by feedback at meetings, reviewing employee training portfolios, and trackingcompletionofemployee‐supervisormeetingsandprogressofdevelopmentplans. Perhapsthebestmeasureofemployeesatisfactionislowturnover.Acrosstheentiredepartment,seniorityaverages14years.Amongequipmentoperatorsitaverages15.3years. ChangeManagementAs a department in County government, DWMR is responsible for implementing regulationsmandatedbytheStateofCalifornia,astatewiththemostprogressiveenvironmentalagendainthenation.Newregulationsrequirechangemanagement.Atthesametime,DWMRoperatesanenterpriseinaverycompetitivemarketatatimewhenlocalgovernmentbudgetsareincrisis,bringingpressuretomanagechangetowardsimprovedcost‐effectiveness.Ontheregulatoryfront,DWMRengageswiththeCounty’slegislativeadvocateandparticipatesintheSWANAGoldRushChapter’slegislativetaskforce. Collectively,thoseeffortsproactivelyin luenceandshapeState regulation. Forexample,DWMRhelped toensure recently‐adoptedlegislation requiring business and multi‐family recycling was modeled after existing localordinances,allowinganeasypathtocompliance. ThroughitsparticipationinSWANA,DWMRhelpedshapeCalifornia’sadoptedgoalof75%diversionby2020intoaformthathasthehighestlikelihoodofsuccess.Inenterprisemanagement,DWMRtakesadvantageof itsvertical integrationanditscontrolofrevenuesandexpenditures.DWMRhasacultureofmeasuringandmonitoringkeyperformancemetricstocon irmthatchangesyieldpositivetrends.Wemeasure:

‐Collectionroutetimeandtonnage ‐Numberofstopsperroute‐Missedcanrate ‐Land illcelldensity‐Missedtimeduetoinjury ‐Diversionpercentage‐Equipmentcostpermileorhour ‐Daily,monthly,annualMSWtonnage lows‐Hazardousmaterialtonnageprocessed ‐Cellcoverratios‐Transferloadsandtonnagehauled ‐Fuelconsumption‐Curbsidecartloss ‐Bulkywastetonnage‐Accidentrates ‐Monthlyandannualpro itandloss

Asexamplesofresults,wehaveachievedthefollowingoverthepastthree iscalyears:

10%increaseinland illdiversion 13%reductioninlaborthroughnormalattrition,nolayoffsnecessary 33%reductioninmissed‐timeaccidentrate 10%increaseincollectionroutesize 99.94%ofresidentialcollectionscompletedonscheduledserviceday 7%increaseinnetassetvalue 10%increaseinland illtonnagereceived 47%increaseinenterprise inancialreserves


III. CommunityRelations

OutreachandFeedback

The community outreach and feedback efforts undertaken by DWMR are both extensive andinclusive.Theorganizationalculturefosterstheconstructionofrelationshipsandrelationshipsare the basis of community. Quality outreach consists, in part, of delivering well‐tailoredmessages;forexampleDWMR’snumerouspresentationsonthe inerpointsofrecyclinganditsimportance to the world, to schools, summer camps and community events. Trade‐fairenvironments such as theNorthernCaliforniaHomeandLandscapeExpo and areaEarthDaycelebrationsoffersimilaropportunitiestoconveydetailsofthecurbsideandotherprograms.

During these presentations, DWMR staff highlight the incredible variety of information aboutDWMR programs available on its primary website, www.sacgreenteam.com. The websitecontainsdownloadableservicecalendars,includinganE‐map‐it™featurethatallowscustomerstoentertheiraddressandgettheirserviceschedulerightaway.Sacramentoisoneofthemostculturally diverse regions in America. Speci ically targeted messages, such as an extremelyimportantpagedescribinghowtoavoidcontaminatinggreenwasteandrecyclablesinDWMR’sthree‐cart system, are available in the fourmostwidely spoken languages in the region asidefromEnglish. These are Spanish,Chinese,Hmong,andUkrainian.

Bill inserts are often used totarget communiques regardingthe addition of recyclablematerialsacceptedorservicedaychanges. SWA franchisees alsoparticipatewhen communicationneeds to be delivered to localbusinesses.

Outreach, however, is not a one‐way street. The prosperousrelationships DWMR has forgedwith its customers, contractors,neighbors, stakeholders, andeven regulated parties andcompetitors, is in large part dueto DWMR staffs’ ability to listenactively. Customers can providefeedbackabouttheirservice,orrequestadditionalservice,bytheabovementionedwebsiteorbyourCustomerServiceHotline.Illegaldumpingcanalsobereportedviatheweb.

http://www.sacgreenteam.org


ManyoftheinnovativepoliciesdevelopedbyDWMR,suchastheBusinessandC&DRecyclingOrdinances, would not have been possible without the broad community support that onlycomesfromtirelesseffortstolistentostakeholderconcernsandseekconsensus.MeetingswithfranchisedhaulersoccuronaregularbasisandDWMRtakesanactiveroleinthedevelopmentreview process, opening lines of communication with neighbors and developers of nearbyproperty; as owner of a transfer station and an active land ill, good neighbor relations areimperative.

Education

The success of diversion programsinSacramentoCountyislargelydueto the success of individuals in theCounty understanding andparticipating correctly. It is publiceducation that makes that happen.DWMR’s public education efforts,whilespeci icallytargetedonacase‐by‐case basis, come in two broadcategories:(1)EducateacommunitytouseDWMRsolidwasteprogramscorrectly, and (2) Educate acommunity about the valuablecontribution DWMR makes to theSacramentoregion.

DWMR’spubliceducationeffortsaboutourservicesandthevaluewebring to thecommunityare sustainedandadaptive. Since thedepartmentbeganproviding curbside recyclingpickup,garbage and recycling trucks have been used to educate customers about various services.Truck signs are used to promote our appointment‐based neighborhood cleanup service,acceptable recyclables, illegaldumping, andhow toproperly recycleanddisposeof electronicanduniversalwastes.


To augment this effort, the department provides educational information to our customersthrough direct mail pieces and messages in utility bills. The department’s websitewww.sacgreenteam.comprovidescustomerscurrent informationonmanyprograms includingresidential services and their service calendar, Kiefer Land ill and the North Area RecoveryStation, household hazardouswaste, school programs, andbackyard composting. Thewebsitealsoincludesa“HowDoIRecycle…”menuthatdirectsuserstolocationandcontactinformationforrecyclersintheSacramentoregionbasedontherecyclablematerialselected.

Annually, the department participates in a regional effort to educate residents on localopportunitiestorecycleusedmotoroiland ilters. In2011,DWMRtooktheleadonaspin‐offeducationprogramtargetingmotorcyclistsforrecyclingoiland ilters. Thisaudienceisrichin‘do‐it‐yourselfers’ and thusparticularlyattractiveforsuccess.

DWMR coordinates outreachefforts to builders, apartmentmanagers, and business ownersabout the respective ordinancesrequiring recycling for thosesectors (C&D, multifamily andbusiness recycling ordinances).Thedepartmentalsoofferstoursofrecycling facilities and KLF toschool groups or other interestedparties.

HostCommunityConsiderations

In2008,DWMRmadeSacramentoCounty theonly jurisdiction inCalifornia tohaveaFEMA ‐approvedDisasterDebrisManagementPlan.TheplanincludesusingGISmodelingtoestimatedebrisgenerationbasedonthescaleof looding,anoperationsplantosecureongoingdeliveryof regularly‐scheduled services, and a list of prequali ied disaster debris managementcontractors, if necessary, based on an RFQ process implemented in 2009. DWMR conductsannualdrillsandworkshopsontheDebrisManagementPlan.

The ability of DWMR to provide curbside to land ill waste management service to over1,000,000citizensatsomeofthemostaffordableratesinNorthernCaliforniaeasesburdensonthe regional economy. Additionally, effective long‐range planning and impressive diversionprogramsreaching71%has lefttheSacramentoCountycommunitywithat least65yearsofdisposal capacity. Sacramento County DWMR’s in luence is felt throughout the region and,accordingly, it exercises a leadership role among local jurisdictionswhen it comes to policydevelopment and regional program coordination efforts. DWMR programs are mimickedthroughouttheregionandef icientoperationskeepdependenceonexpensive,distantdisposalatbay.

http://www.sacgreenteam.com

APPENDIX

TestimonialletterfromtheCaliforniaEmergencyManagementAgency

TestimonialletterfromtheSacramentoBuildersExchange

Certi icateofAchievementforExcellenceinFinancialReportingissuedbythe

GovernmentFinanceOf icersAssociation

______________________________________________________________________________ April 6, 2012 John Skinner Solid Waste Association of North America 1100 Wayne Avenue - Suite 700 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 RE: Best Integrated Waste Management System – County of Sacramento To Whom It May Concern, Region Builders, a commercial building industry coalition founded by the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, strongly recommends the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) to select the Sacramento County Department of Waste Management and Recycling as its “Best Integrated Waste Management System”. In 2008, the Sacramento County Department of Waste Management and Recycling (DWMR) approached Region Builders to revive an effort to develop a construction and demolition debris (C&D) recycling ordinance. The effort had originally begun several years earlier but had languished behind other priorities. Adoption of a C&D this ordinance was a requirement of the Integrated Waste Management Plan the State of California had approved. DWMR staff brought a refreshing, engaging approach to the development of the ordinance, frankly acknowledging that the subject would be additional regulation, which is generally unwelcome in our already overburdened industry. However, by genuinely listening (not just informing us how the rules would take shape), together we identified areas of common ground upon which we could build. Additionally, together we identified shortcomings in more traditional regulatory approaches that had been adopted in other areas of California. The process was lengthy but we had committed to “do it right instead of do it fast.” What emerged was a workable policy that accomplished several objectives:

1. Burden was shared between builders, waste haulers, and facility operators, not heaped entirely

on the construction industry which, by the time of adoption, was starting to reel from the

housing crisis;

2. Qualitative measures were used that focused on realistic, understandable Best Management

Practices to be implemented on the jobsite;

3. It was streamlined administratively; and

4. It was readily and easily adopted as a model for the region and thus achieved consistency across

jurisdictional boundaries.

2 1331 T Street, Sacramento, California 95811 | 916.397.4776 | [email protected]

In 2011, the California Green Building Code superseded Sacramento County ordinance. However, a great deal of the original program has been preserved. Sacramento County DWMR has consistently demonstrated an understanding of the needs of local businesses as they have achieved great success in waste diversion as well as their own waste management enterprise. As an industry and key local stakeholder, we strongly believe the Department is an excellent choice for the SWANA “Best Integrated Waste Management System” Award. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Vice President of Public Affairs Region Builders

Documents

INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS