2004 Annual Report: Waste Tires and Special Waste
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Five-Year Plan
In May 2003 the Board approved the second edition of the Five-Year Plan for the Waste Tire Recycling Management Program as required by PRC 42885.5 (Chapter 838, Statues of 2000). The revised plan included the following elements, with funding allocations and performance criteria for each:
- Enforcement and regulations on waste and used tires storage.
- Cleanup, abatement, or other remedial actions of tire stockpiles.
- Research on alternatives to the landfill disposal of tires.
- Market development and new technology for used and waste tires.
- The waste and used tires hauler program and manifest system.
The main focus of the waste tire program in 2004-05 is to implement provisions of the Five-Year Plan addressing enforcement efforts at waste tire facilities and on waste tire hauling companies. Other areas of the plan address managing various contracts for research and remediation of waste tire sites and awarding and administering grants under the Board’s seven tire grant programs.
Tire Manifesting
A major element of the waste tire plan is the development and implementation of a waste tire manifest tracking and monitoring system. The Board presented a draft manifest system at four public workshops in 2001 for affected parties. Regulations were adopted on July 1, 2003.
At the same time, extensive training on the California Uniform Waste and Used Tire Manifest System occurred. The Board sent information about the new program—including the Waste Tire Manifest System Guidance Manual, manifest, and log forms (haulers only)—to every tire generator, hauler, and end-use facility in the state. This included more than 10,000 locations. In addition, tire program staff conducted training sessions at eight locations throughout the state in both English and Spanish to assist the regulated community.
In July 2003, the Board implemented this manifest system. Tire program staff receives approximately 4,000 documents each week, and participation is continually growing. However, the many errors made on these forms require significant staff time for additional training of system users. Training on the system is conducted via telephone or on an individual basis by field staff.
To address the general manifest system problems, the Board in early 2004 directed staff to accelerate review of the tire manifest program. Staff members were asked to present options for the Board that would simplify the waste tire tracking and reporting process, improve the efficiency of the waste tire manifest system, and reduce the paperwork volumes.
On August 19 and September 8, 2004, the Board conducted workshops in Sacramento and Diamond Bar to obtain stakeholder input on ways to improve the efficiency of the waste and used tire manifest system and simplify its operation. Some suggested remedies included a simpler manifesting document, the “Comprehensive Trip Log,” and expanded use of electronic data transfer and web-based data entry for haulers to input their manifest information and minimize their reporting requirements. Staff will seek direction from the Board in early 2005 on changes to improve operation of the manifest program.
Information on the Waste Tire Manifest System as well as the Waste Tire Hauler Program is available on the Board’s website at www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/Manifest/.
Tire Grants
The Board approved awards of more than $12.4 million under the seven grant programs as described in the waste tire plan for 2004. These awards included the following:
- Waste tire cleanup grants.
- Waste tire enforcement grants.
- Local government waste tire education and amnesty day grants.
- Tire product commercialization and applied technologies grants.
- Waste tire track and other recreational surfacing grants.
- Waste tire playground cover grants.
- Rubberized asphalt concrete grants.
Remediation of Illegal Sites
California’s two largest illegal waste tire piles—the Filbin tire fire site in Westley and the Royster tire fire site in Tracy—are symbolic of the struggle to manage California’s annual toll of 33 million waste tires. Both piles were the scenes of catastrophic tire fires that occurred when environmental and fire safety regulations were ignored.
The remediation of the Filbin tire fire site was completed in the fall of 2002. In 2003, the Attorney General was successful in recovering more than $10.5 million in settlements with major responsible parties. The Board will continue working with the Office of the Attorney General to recover the remainder of $17 million expended by the Board in remediating this Westley-area site.
The Board, along with other Cal/EPA agencies, finished removing the hazardous waste at the Tracy site in 2004. Haulers removed a total of 176,295 tons of hazardous waste in 7,455 truck trips. The transportation and disposal costs for the hazardous waste were $7.2 million dollars. In late 2004 the Board began excavating the soil impacted by the pyrolytic oil. Site excavations have shown the oil impacted soil as far as 20 feet below the ground surface. The recent Five-Year Plan approved an additional $5 million dollars for the project. The total projected remediation cost for the Tracy tire fire will be $16.5 million dollars.
Household Hazardous Waste Grants
In January 2004, the Board approved the scoring criteria and evaluation process for the thirteenth cycle of household hazardous waste (HHW) grants (FY 2004–05). The Board gave preference to applications that established or expanded HHW programs in rural areas, small cities, or underserved populations; established multi-jurisdictional HHW programs addressing regional need; or did not receive an HHW grant during the eleventh or twelfth cycles.
In July 2004, the Board awarded $4.5 million in grants to 28 local governments. Due to the cycle’s under subscription and a provision in the twelfth cycle’s award resolution, the Board agreed to additionally fund all of the highest ranked and passing—but unfunded—applications from the prior cycle. This funding helps local agencies deal with the proper management of household hazardous wastes.
Used Oil Block Grants
In the tenth cycle (FY 2004–05) of used oil block grants, the Board awarded $10 million to local jurisdictions in August 2004 to implement used oil collection and recycling programs. These noncompetitive grants are based on population and are available to all California cities and counties.
Used Oil Nonprofit Grants
In December 2004, the Board approved the scoring criteria and evaluation process for the sixth cycle (FY 2004–05) oil nonprofit grants. The Board approved combining two grant cycles (nonprofit and research, testing, and demonstration) into one to realize administrative efficiencies. The Board gave preference to nonprofit applicants who focus on one of the following:
- Used oil filter collection at auto parts and retail stores.
- Community-based social marketing that targets recent foreign immigrants on used oil filter/oil collection.
- Marina oil/oil filter/bilge pad collection.
- Promotion of used oil/oil filter recycling to small businesses qualifying as conditionally exempt small quantity generators.
- Applicants who did not receive a grant during the last nonprofit grant cycle.
Used Oil Research, Testing, and Demonstration Grants
In December 2004, the Board approved the scoring criteria and evaluation process for the fourth cycle (FY 2004-05) used oil research, testing, and demonstration grants. Preference was given to applicants who accomplish the following:
- CBSM efforts that target recent foreign immigrants on used oil filter/oil collection.
- Oil source reduction strategies along with promotion of used oil/oil filter recycling.
- Demonstration, testing or research on techniques, processes, or markets or products resulting from recycling used oil/oil filter/plastic containers.
- Agricultural used oil/oil filter collection.
Used Oil Research and Education/Outreach Developments
Targeting High Volume Disposers of Used Oil
The Public Research Institute (PRI) of San Francisco State University conducted research that encouraged the Board to refocus its used oil recycling outreach efforts. PRI determined that approximately 19 percent of California’s population consists of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mechanics that change their own vehicle motor oil. Most of these mechanics are males between the ages of 18 and 39 whose most common public activity is attending organized sporting events. In response to this research data, the Board in 2002 started to redirect its used oil recycling education/outreach towards sports venues where DIY mechanics congregate.
In 2004, PRI further analyzed its survey data to better define the DIY target audience and determine better strategies for communicating the used oil recycling message to this audience. This additional analysis has yielded a more accurate estimate of the number and demographics of DIYs in California and delineated improved methodologies for obtaining such estimates.
Researching How to Change Improper Used Oil Practices
The Board is conducting research to determine the degree to which CBSM increases used oil recycling behavior amongst DIY mechanics. The Board contracted with California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) to conduct CBSM pilots in three counties with the goal of increasing used oil recycling participation in each county.
This pilot incorporated the four basic components of CBSM: 1) identifying the barriers and benefits to a desired behavior; 2) developing an intervention strategy that utilizes motivational “tools” to convince individuals to adopt the desired behavior; 3) piloting the intervention strategy; and 4) conducting a post-pilot evaluation of participants' behavior to determine if the intervention strategy induced behavior change. The CBSM pilot took place in Los Angeles, Madera, and Napa counties. Final results will be available in March of 2005.
The Board also funded a CBSM pilot to increase proper tire maintenance behavior in San Diego and Yuba counties. Evaluation of three interventions designed to increase the frequency with which California motorists check their tire pressure and tread revealed that these behaviors are changeable. This change can occur through several different avenues.
The study showed that vehicle owners in San Diego and Yuba Counties increased their frequency of tire pressure and tread checking. An important finding was that the effectiveness of the interventions varies as a function of gender: some approaches are more successful with females, whereas others were more successful with males.
In 2004 the Board approved a contract to study how often automobile owners changed their oil compared to the oil change intervals recommended by their auto manufacturers. Results will indicate the value of a public education campaign to expand oil change intervals is necessary.
Researching Barriers to Closing the Loop
To close the used oil recycling loop, the Board actively encouraged public and private fleet managers to purchase re-refined oil. In 2004, a Board contractor examined barriers to the sale and purchase of re-refined oil by fleet managers and held statewide workshops to promote the purchase of re-refined oil to this audience. The contractor also developed a re-refined oil distributor directory and distributed the directory at the workshops.
Alternatives to Used Oil or Products Derived from Used Oil
The used oil waste stream is processed into fuel oil via used oil recycling facilities. Industrial furnaces that burn the fuel oil emit heavy metals that accumulate in the environment. The Board has initiated a feasibility study of the crude oil refinery process for the purpose of processing used oil or products derived from used oil. The study will provide a multidisciplinary approach to the analysis of the issue in order to develop policy options for cost-effectively managing the used oil waste stream while reducing adverse environmental impacts.
Getting the Recycle Used Oil Message Out
The Board advertised used oil recycling at 10 minor league baseball parks throughout California in 2004 and conducted a used oil recycling survey of the attendees. During the baseball season, the Board’s used oil recycling message was broadcast to more than 1.5 million sports fans through signage at ballparks, public service announcements on local radio stations, and ads in pocket schedules.
Survey results at the ballparks indicate that 34 percent of attendees were DIY mechanics. Sixty-one percent were aware of the Board’s toll-free number to locate their closest used oil collection center, compared to 56 percent surveyed the previous year. This increase in awareness indicates used oil recycling public education efforts at the ball parks are successful.
In 2004 the Board continued to advertise used oil recycling at local speedways in California, where more than 2.4 million fans attend events during the season. Using a method similar to that used at the minor league baseball parks, speedways hung billboards with the used oil-recycling message at the racetrack and fans heard recycling messages on local radio and during the races. Survey results at the speedways show that 56 percent of the attendees change their own oil and 55 percent were aware of the Board’s toll-free number.
Targeting Do-It-Yourself Oil Changers
To educate all current and future drivers taking a driver license test, the Board collaborated with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) by printing a used motor oil recycling message in their annual driver’s handbook. The advertisement is placed in seven different languages and circulates to more than 4.5 million drivers in California. The goal of advertising in the handbook is to:
- Promote the recycling of used motor oil and used oil filters.
- Increase the use of the 1-800 CLEANUP hotline to locate used oil recycling centers.
- Increase awareness of the need to recycle used oil and filters.
- Increase awareness of the environmental impacts of illegal disposal.
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