To: Board of Supervisors
From: Public Works
Agenda Section: Departmental
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Recycling Convenience Zones in Humboldt County
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Review the existing Recycling Convenience Zones as shown in Attachment 1; and
2. Provide direction to the Department of Public Works on recommended changes to the Recycling Convenience Zone Boundaries.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Solid Waste (3691-438)
DISCUSSION:
The Department of Public Works (DPW) is currently involved in a Pilot Program with Hambro Recycling and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecyle). The pilot program involves the provision of California Refund Value (CRV) services by Hambro Recycling in the communities of Willow Creek and Redway. As part of this pilot, the county has the ability to make recommendations to CalRecycle to change the boundaries of the current Recycling Convenience Zones shown on the maps in Attachment 1.
A convenience zone is typically a one (1) mile radius circle with the center point originating at a supermarket that:
1. Is identified in the Progressive Grocer Marketing Guidebook.
2. Has gross annual sales that are $2 million or more.
3. Is considered a “full-line” store that sells a line of dry groceries, canned goods, or non-food items and perishable items.
The importance of Recycling Convenience Zones is that without them, a supermarket that meets the above requirements must offer CRV services or pay CalRecycle a $100 per day penalty.
A convenience zone can be expanded if it is both (1) located in a rural region, and (2) would include within its expanded radius only one recycling center that is not within any other zone.
There are two (2) ways by which expanded convenience zones in rural regions can be created:
1. Supermarket-Based Expanded Zone (Five Miles)
o An interested person must petition CalRecyle to have the zone expanded
o There can be only one (1) recycling center located in the expanded zone
o If there are multiple zones, only one (1) zone needs to be expanded to encompass the singular recycling center
o The expanded zone shall not overlap with a non-rural region that may be located in close proximity to a recycling center in a rural region.
o The expansion of the zone is not permanent. If another recycling center opens up within the five (5) mile radius, or if map updates indicate that the area is no longer rural, the zone shall be returned to the original one (1) mile radius.
2. Dealer Aggregate Expanded Zone (Three (3) Miles)
o An interested person must petition CalRecyle to have the zone expanded
o There can be only one (1) recycling center located in the expanded zone
o There must be at least two (2) dealers within three (3) miles of the rural region recycling center, and these dealers must be within a mile of each other. The aggregate sales volume of the qualifying dealers must be at least $2 million gross annual sales.
o The dealer closest to the recycling center will be designated as the center point of the expanded zone
o The expanded zone shall not overlap with a non-rural area or another convenience zone
o The expansion of the zone is not permanent. If another recycling center opens up within the three (3) mile radius, or if a new convenience zone opens up within the expanded zone, or if map updates indicate that the area is no longer rural, the zone shall be returned to the original half-mile radius.
The direction DPW is asking is whether the Board would like to retain the existing Zones, direct DPW to maximize the recycling convenience zones through applicable exemptions or have the Board members want to work directly with DPW on recommendations on areas within their respective supervisorial districts. Maximizing the Zones may include other options than the possible rural exemption including solid waste franchise areas that provide curbside CRV collection.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
The proposed action will require staff time. The cost of staff time has been included in the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 approved budget Solid Waste 3691438.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
There is no impact to staffing, this is part of the solid waste duties currently in the DPW
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Framework.
Core Roles: Provide for and maintain infrastructure
New Initiatives: Build interjurisdictional and regional cooperation
Strategic Plan: N/A
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
CalRecycle
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board Discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
1. CalRecycle’s Map of Humboldt County’s Recycling Convenience Zones
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A