Kern County's Reuse Assistance Grant Project
(Part 3: June 1, 2004 to December 1, 2004)

Task 1: Consultant Time to Coordinate Outlying Communities and Nonprofits for Program Participation and Collection Events. (On-hold)
BARC's consultant has contacted prospective hosts in the outlying areas to stage collection events. Hosts include local thrift stores, County solid waste facilities, and other municipalities. The reason task 1 is 40 percent complete is that mobile collection of electronic waste has been temporarily placed on hold to reassess strategy. Task 1 is 40 percent complete and placed on hold.

Task 2: Design Ads for Newspapers, Flyers, and/or Brochures. (Complete)
Newspaper ads have been designed. Task 2 is 100 percent complete.

Task 2.1: Print Ads in Local Metropolitan Newspaper. (On-hold)
Advertising in local papers for three events have been completed. Task 2.1 is 25 percent complete.

Task 2.2: Print Ad in Outlying City Newspapers. (On-hold)
Advertising for three events have been completed. Task 2.2 is 25 percent complete.

Task 3: Develop Letters Publicizing Collection Events for City-Wide Distribution. (Complete)
A draft flyer advertising the Bakersfield Metropolitan collection event has been completed. Task 3 is 100 percent complete.

Task 3.1: Supplies for 3,000 Copies of Letter. (Complete)
Printing supplies have been purchased. Task 3.1 is 100 percent complete.

Task 3.2: Print 3,000 Letters. (Complete)
Over 3,000 copies of the flyer had been printed. Task 3.2 is 100 percent complete.

Task 4: Develop Procedures for Collection, Storage, Safety, Documentation, and Transport. (Complete)
Procedures for collection, storage, safety, record keeping and transport have been completed. Task 4 is 100 percent complete.

Task 5: Train Collection Event Labor for Two Collection Events. (Complete)
Worker collection event training has been conducted. The supervisor of the Electronic Waste Department of BARC was trained and has exclusively handled the outlying mobile collection events. Task 5 is 100 percent complete.

Task 5.1: Train Collection Event Labor for Eight Collection Events. (On-hold)
Worker collection event training has been conducted. Training was conducted specifically for the Bakersfield collection event. Task 5.1 is ten percent complete.

Task 6: Purchase Pallets and Supplies. (Complete)
Pallets and supplies were purchased. Task 6 is 100 percent complete.

Tasks 7.0–7.3: Staffing Collection Event in Bakersfield and Rent Forklift. (On-hold)
The Ridgecrest collection event was conducted but had mixed results. Participants were very happy with the service and the thrift store electronic waste collection program was highlighted to residents who were unfamiliar with the availability of local options. Participants stated that radio advertising would have been more effective than advertising in local papers. Two pallets worth of electronic waste was collected. Tasks 7.0–7.3 are 100 percent complete.

Tasks 8.0–8.4: Staffing Collection Event in Shafter, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (Complete)
The Taft collection event was conducted but also had mixed results. Only one pallet of mixed quality electronic material was donated. Even though it is very important to periodically advertise the electronic waste reuse/recycling program, the results of the first two outlying city collection events has led us to believe collection events may not be the most effective marketing mechanism. Also newspaper advertising does not appear to be effective. Tasks 8.0–8.4 are 100 percent complete.

Tasks 9.0–9.4: Staffing Collection Event in Ridgecrest and Rent Forklift. (On Hold)
The City of Delano has offered the use of their city yard to stage the event. Tasks 9.0–9.4 are 0 percent complete.

Tasks 10.0–10.4: Staffing Collection Event in Delano, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On Hold)
The Tehachapi collection event is on hold. Tasks 10.0–10.4 are 0 percent complete.

Task 11.0: Compile Data into a Progress Report. (Complete)
The progress report was completed by June 2004. Task 11.0 is 100 percent complete.

Tasks 12.0–12.4: Staffing Collection Event in Tehachapi, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On-hold)
The Shafter collection event has been placed on hold. Tasks 12.0–12.4 are 0 percent complete.

Tasks 13.0–13.3: Staffing Collection Event in Bakersfield and Rent Forklift. (Complete)
The Bakersfield collection event was staged with modest results. Over ninety vehicles were processed, however the electronic waste was not of high quality. Tasks 13.0–13.3 are 100 percent complete.

Tasks 14.0–14.4: Staffing Collection Event in Taft, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On-hold)
The second Bakersfield collection event has been placed on hold. Tasks 14.0–14.4 are 0 percent complete.

Tasks 15.0–15.4: Staffing Collection Event in Kern Valley, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On-hold)
The Kern Valley collection event has been placed on hold. Tasks 15.0–15.4 are 0 percent complete.

Tasks 16.0–16.4: Staffing Collection Event in Rosamond, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On-hold)
The Rosamond collection event has been placed on hold. Tasks 16.0–16.4 are 0 percent complete.

Task 17.0: Compile Data into a Progress Report. (Ongoing)
The progress report will be completed by the required due date. Task 17.0 is 100 percent complete.

Tasks 18.0–18.4: Staffing Collection Event in Arvin, Rent Forklift, and Trucking from Collection Event. (On-hold)
The Arvin collection event has been placed on hold. Tasks 18.0–18.4 are 0 percent complete.

Expected accomplishments during the next evaluation period:
We have not accomplished much during this period, however BARC has assured me that they will retool the program. The prospective implementation of SB20 and SB50 will impact the collection program as originally written because recycling may become the primary message when it involves electronic waste.

The three objectives of the mobile electronics collection program are to:

1) provide a convenient option for residents and businesses to donate their electronic waste, 2) provide viable material for the reuse program, and 3) market the Recycling/Reuse Program. As stated previously, the first three events were not effective in satisfying these objectives.
A new approach is being finalized by BARC. New personnel are involved and a marketing plan is being developed. The key is to sufficiently differentiate collection of reusable electronics rather that recyclable electronics and to assure sustainability. Advertising through periodicals has not proven successful thus new advertising mechanisms with a focus on targeting commercial sources is being evaluated.
Collection events have been placed on hold temporarily to explore other options. A different model is being considered. A revised work plan will be produced by December 30, 2004.

It is very important that we are successful in sustain the program with BARC because they are the only local option.

Reported submitted by Tony Bonanno of the Kern County Waste Management Department.