Administrative Policy #1.15 - Solid Waste Management
Purpose
The City of Corvallis (City) recognizes its responsibility to be a good steward of the City's fiscal resources and of the environment. Waste reduction and recovery saves natural resources, energy, and disposal space and costs, and reduces pollution risks and greenhouse gas emissions.
Scope
This Policy applies to all City departments.
Policy
It is the policy of the City of Corvallis to minimize solid waste to the landfill. The City Council's Sustainability Policy supports the effective and efficient use, re-use, and recycling of resources.
Procedures
The City will maintain solid waste reduction programs and address the requirements of LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) for on-going consumables, durable goods, and other organizational solid waste that result from City operations or facility construction, alterations, and additions. The City supports upstream and downstream solid waste reduction by requiring departments to purchase materials that:
- a. Are used or refurbished, substituting for the purchase of a new product, when feasible;
- b. Are durable, repairable, or re-fillable;
- c. Have multiple uses or can be recycled;
- d. Are made from recycled content in place of virgin materials;
- e. Have minimal packaging.
Goals
Objectives of this Policy for Staff
Require employees to actively participate in solid waste reduction programs.
Train staff in solid waste conservation and recycling, sustainable purchasing, and life-cycle costing.
Develop opportunities to recycle or re-use materials that ordinarily get sent to the landfill.
Purchase products or services that meet the City’s standards but have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This applies to raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, re-use, operation, maintenance, and disposal.
Conduct annual inventories and waste audits of solid waste containers at all City facilities to ensure the levels of solid waste service are appropriate to the amount of waste generated.
Establish guidelines and City-wide reduction goals and document progress toward goals in the annual Sustainability Report.
Guidelines
Oregon law establishes a hierarchy for the management of solid waste. The first objective is to prevent the generation of the waste. If that is not possible, the next best option is re-use, followed by recycling, composting, and energy recovery. Safe disposal is the last option, if none of the others is feasible.
The City organization seeks to be a model of solid waste management by:
- a. Reducing solid waste disposal expenditures through a reduction in solid waste generation;
- b. Providing guidance and educating employees on how to integrate solid waste reduction practices in operations and decisions;
- c. Investigating and implementing re-use and recycling options to reduce solid waste generation in City operations;
- d. Promoting solid waste as a resource of value in the local and global economy; and
- e. Integrating the purchase of sustainable products with the desire to provide efficient and cost-effective service delivery to residents.
Therefore, this Policy directs staff to eliminate garbage from the City's solid waste stream in order to:
- a. Manage the City's solid waste in compliance with Oregon law;
- b. Meet the long-term organizational goal of reducing waste to the landfill;
- c. Meet the City's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Cities for Climate Protection Program; and
- d. Meet the City's commitment to increase recycling rates in City operations and in the community as a signatory of the United States Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
Implementation and Assistance
The Public Works Department, through the Sustainability Program, shall lead implementation of the Policy objectives, coordinate solid waste reduction activities within the organization, and provide information and assistance as requested.
Each department is responsible for the solid waste generated from its operations and for implementing reduction opportunities. Department Directors will assist employees in conservation of resources and prevention of resource waste.
All employees will contribute to the City's solid waste reduction efforts in the course of their daily operations and when carrying out projects for which they are responsible by implementing the objectives and by suggesting other solid waste management best practices.
Review/Update
The Public Works Director will prepare this Administrative Policy for review every two years for City Manager approval.
Last reviewed: 11-2014
