Project Description
The City of Lakewood used their grant funds to divert the Bulky Item
Collection donations to reuse facilities; materials included construction and demolition debris, electronics, and
household bulky items. The project focused mainly on the residential
sector with disposal alternatives through the Bulky Item Collection system.
The City worked with the local hauler to divert the
collected materials to local charitable organizations in need of the
items, and diverted 67.5 tons on average per month for reuse purposes.
As indicated on their Work Statement, there were a total of three main
tasks, and related sub-tasks, to complete this project.
The steps required to accomplish their project are as follows:
Task 1.1: Identify Items for Reuse Activity. (Reimbursable Services)
Task 1.1 is 100 percent complete.
Task 1.2: Software Program to Track Reuse Items. (Reimbursable
Services)
Task 1.2 is 100 percent complete.
Task 1.3: Sort Collected Items. (Matching Services)
Each day, the driver takes the day's dispatch tickets, which note which
items are slated for reuse. The driver then marks the reusable items with a
green sticker and when the driver returns to the yard, those items are
separated from the items that are to be recycled. At the yard, there are
sections for the different items which the partnering organizations can then
look through and choose which items they want for reuse. Task 1.3 is ongoing
through the grant term.
Task 1.4: Coordinate Collection with Reuse Organizations.
(Reimbursable Services)
The city's hauler continues to use the contact list to coordinate pickups
with the various organizations. The list is included on the city's Web site,
www.lakewoodcity.org/r3, to encourage residents to contact the
organizations directly in the future. Task 1.4 is ongoing through the grant
term.
Task 2.1: Create Reuse Pamphlet. (Reimbursable Services)
Task 2.1 is 100 percent complete.
Task 2.2: Printing Reuse Pamphlet. (Reimbursable Services)
Task 2.2 is 100 percent complete.
Task 2.3: Write and Submit Newspaper Articles. (Reimbursable Services)
An article has been written for inclusion in the City's recycling guide,
published at the end of October 2004. A second article will be submitted for
publication in March 2005. Task 2.3 is 50 percent complete.
Task 2.4: Develop Flyer for Reuse Stores. (Reimbursable Services)
This task was incorporated in to Task 2.1.
Task 2.5: Printing of Flyer. (Reimbursable Services)
This task was incorporated in to Task 2.2.
Task 2.6: Participate in Community Events. (Reimbursable Services)
Staff attended two community events in June 2004, reaching approximately 300
residents.
Task 2.6 is 60 percent complete and will be ongoing through the grant term.
Task 3.1: Manage Funds. (Matching Services)
City staff has created a separate budget item in the City's budget to track
the finances of this program. Task 3.1 is 70 percent complete and will be
ongoing through the grant term.
Task 3.2: Planning, Tracking Milestones, Record Keeping. (Reimbursable
Services)
City staff performed an audit of the city's contracted hauler to evaluate
the process used to collect information about the items to be collected
under the bulky item program and make modifications to improve the program.
The program was evaluated under three phases: initial call by resident,
collection of items, and contact with reuse organizations.
Initial Call
From the audit, it appears that the initial call by the resident is well
handled by the contracted hauler's customer service staff. The customer
service representative asks the resident the type and quantity of each item
to be collected, as well as the functionality of the item - if it is
reusable, repairable, or is truly a discard. The driver is then given a
dispatch ticket with information regarding the items at the residence to be
collected.
Collection of Items
From the audit, it was discovered that more often than not, the items at the
residence are not the same as what is on the dispatch ticket. Staff believes
that scavengers are taking the majority of the reusable or repairable items
and leaving the discards. The driver does make note of which items were
missing and if they were replaced with something else, although there has
been no tracking of what is on the ticket compared to what was actually at
the residence. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the amount of material
being diverted by the program. Staff is working with the hauler to make
changes to the software in order to reconcile the collections in order to
accurately reflect what was at the residence and what was collected for
reuse or recycling in order to estimate program diversion totals.
Contact with Reuse Organizations
There have been some difficulties with timely coordination between the
contracted hauler and the reuse organizations. The hauler has not been
contacting the organizations on a routine schedule, claiming that most items
cannot be reused. The hauler claims that the only items being sent for reuse
at this time are mattresses. Staff will continue to work with the hauler to
contact existing program partners and locate new partners and to facilitate
coordination of collection activities. Task 3.2 is 80 percent complete and
will be ongoing through the grant term.
Task 3.3: Submission of Monthly Progress Reports. (Matching Services)
Due to difficulties in obtaining information on items slated for reuse,
monthly progress reports have not been completed. Contracted staff continues
to work with the City's hauler to provide program totals. Task 3.3 has not
yet been started and will be ongoing through the grant term.
Task 3.4: Submit Final Report to CIWMB. (Matching Services)
Task 3.4 has not yet been started and will be completed in April 2005.
Submitted by Michelle Nicholls, Solid Waste Consultant
November 30, 2004
*Permission was obtained from grant recipient to publish project profile.
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