As indicated, the County has many active, successful, well-run programs operating currently, in cooperation with local franchised haulers and processors. Utilizing existing efforts and infrastructure to the fullest extent possible will continue to increase tonnage diversion. However, improved results are needed to meet the State’s per capita waste reduction goals. One new method suggested is “Community- Based Social Marketing.” It is recommended that the County explore these strategies in further advancing waste reduction, reuse and recycling efforts. The five steps of community-based social marketing are: selecting behaviors, identifying barriers, developing strategies, conducting a pilot, and broad scale implementation. Further research and development of these techniques hold the best promise of helping the County meet the State’s per capita waste reduction goals.
Increase Coordinated Education Efforts
Education that complements community values is the single most important element in an effort to increase waste recovery. Without implementing or changing programs, citizens can be fully informed on aspects of all new, current, ongoing, periodic, and changing recycling programs and opportunities, providing them the knowledge to participate properly. When this education is crafted to complement or address the community values, progress is imminent. A recycling program as mature as Marion County’s is could not have thrived this long and performed so well without education and advertisement efforts that have hit a responsive chord.
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However, as the community and its needs have grown and changed, educational elements and strategies may be required to come together to react to needs and complement other services. There has not been a thorough review or performance evaluation done lately to determine if existing efforts are the most effective means of informing and educating generators. In addition, new ways of reaching consumers have been developed which may not be fully utilized within the current program. An evaluation and overhaul of all existing educational efforts and how they address social behavior is important. Complementing this research with targeted visual advertising as well as any media sources and other appearances, would assist in creating a single program “image” which helps foster resident and business’ “brand recognition” of the County’s award-winning recycling program. The County could undertake this effort in-house, using the additional staff member recently added to the program, or engage a third party to review the overall program. An appraisal is needed to determine whether Community-Based Social Marketing or alternative means of outreach could be more productive or efficient in reaching targeted audiences, freeing staff to run programs while generators have the information and stimulus they need to affect desired results.
Enhance Commercial Recycling
Working through the EarthWISE program, coordinating with the franchised haulers and incorporated jurisdictions, and through the principles used in Community-Based Social Marketing, the County could attempt to determine what barriers may exist in diverting additional tonnages for businesses not currently recycling or not able to utilize services for full recovery. Depending on materials and quantities generated, businesses could be connected with current markets or new services may need to be explored.
This program may include EarthWISE certification and/or additional waste audits to inform generators on how their waste stream may be source separated to provide recycling opportunities. Waste audits can be useful in building or modifying collection routes for certain commercial business discard materials in order to provide recycle- rich loads. These loads can then be delivered to a facility like the MRRF for processing and reclamation of materials.
This alternative requires additional resources and coordination to conduct audits and perform collections. To minimize the commitment of resources, target groups could be established for initial efforts. Certain types of businesses, particular waste generators, or specific geographic locations could be targeted to establish demonstration or pilot program(s). Once a service has been shown successful, the program can be expanded to other businesses similar to the target. To accomplish these types of pilot demonstration efforts, the program requires close coordination between the County resources and the franchised waste collection companies as well as cooperation from businesses. It is anticipated that the new County staff position will be available to assist in business outreach for possible new waste collection program efforts.
Upgrade Special Events Recycling Program
Providing waste reduction and recycling opportunities and programs at public or private special events can be a boost to reduce waste and the diversion tonnage as
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well as offer education for the community. These events allow the County a cost- effective means to get the message out about how to reduce waste and recycle more. They provide a key element of a total public awareness campaign. The current practice of lending County-owned recycling containers, signage, and training to local festivals and events provides the tools needed by these groups to divert additional wastes as well as the awareness of recycling “away from home.” Hauling services for event recyclables must be discussed and assured from franchised haulers to ensure that collected materials are delivered to appropriate processors and markets. Ultimately, a more coordinated program for all types of events would reduce County staff time in managing these periodic efforts and create a standardized system across many venues. Garten Services, Inc. was awarded an ODEQ/Marion County grant (effective in March 2009) to complement these County event recycling services and loaned equipment. Depending on the number and type of public events hosted by each jurisdiction in the County and the willingness to provide recycling opportunities, franchised hauler representatives or Garten could assist in planning standard recycling and/or composting collection systems for these events. Planning for event recycling requires understanding of vendor flexibility in the use of recyclable or compostable packaging and wares. It is anticipated that a portion of County’s staff currently dedicated to special events recycling coordination could be reduced by Garten’s entry into this field.
Continue Waste Reduction/Recycling Grants
The grant program has been a part of the Marion County recycling promotion and education program for many years. It has generally been successful in helping enthusiastic generators implement new recycling programs including providing capital to purchase bins or other tools and equipment.
Past funding for County-sponsored Waste Reduction/Recycling Grants provided to worthy community projects or businesses was available from the revenue generated from a surcharge on medical waste disposed at the WTEF from sources outside Marion County. In addition to grants, these monies fund part of a recycling education staff position in the Salem/Keizer School District. The County has set a cap on the amount of medical waste that can be received from outside sources; thus, funds to support continuation of these grant programs are limited. Securing grant funds allows continuation of this grass-roots program, spurring the community to devise workable solutions to waste recovery. Funding based on a reduced stream of optional waste will not provide consistent monies with which to grant new ideas. The Waste Reduction/Recycling Grant program could be effective in helping to start up programs for select generators even if the level of funding were less than in previous years. In fact, although the County budgeted over $100,000 per year for the program, the budget was never fully expended, based on applications received and projects proposed. A smaller budget, possibly with per-grant graduated limits, could still provide opportunity to several waste reduction and/or recycling projects.
A consumer-driven program, such as these grants, is a proactive element for increasing waste reduction and recycling awareness and programs which does not require a major commitment of County staff resources to operate. Evaluation of projects, initial seed monies to spur the effort, and periodic reporting and verification (which can also be used in publicity) can provide years of waste diversion for enthusiastic, guaranteed participants in a commercial recycling program, which the County may never have known was desired or possible without the grant application.
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Consider Upgrade of PVC and/or Polystyrene Collection Events to be Permanent
By assessing the amount of material collected and staff time spent to organize and run periodic events, the County could determine if permanent recycling for these materials would be more cost-effective and result in higher diversion. With the recent success of the polystyrene collections and market developments for local polystyrene recycling, coordination may be possible to provide year-round service for this material. Early discussions between the County and vendors lead to the initial establishment of a (currently) permanent collection location for polystyrene at the Salem Fresh Start Market. Use of this service by the public, maintenance by the location, and contractor availability to accept and market this recyclable material will need to be monitored to assess the sustainability of this recent implementation. Establishing a permanent collection program has two benefits: it provides a direct, ongoing diversion of these materials for recycling and collection helps to expand awareness of the entire County waste reduction/recycling program.