Agenda - Council - 06/24/1984 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page Three SOFT/NON-TECHNICAL AB, ATEME,N'[, STRATEGIES The soft or non-technical solid waste abatement strategies may be divided into two categories: !) Waste reduction; and 2) source separation, ! I I I I I Waste reduction methods would include any action or activities which would reduce or prevent the genercrtior~ of waste or keep wastes out of the waste collection and disposal system. These methods would include such activities as: container deposits; packaging reduction; product charges; waste charges; product ban/prohibition; conservation (such as news print and office paper reduction, reuse, and recycling); residential composting of yard waste; extended warranties; and public education and information concerning waste reduction. Many of these methods (i.e. container deposit, packaging reduction, product charges, waste charges, and product ban/prohibitions) are entirely beyond the County's ability to implement and would require legislative action. Implementation of waste reduction strategies that are within the County's capability probably would not reduce the land disposal needs of Anoka County by any more than 5%, Procurement policies, as a waste abatement strategy, is the changing of purchasing practices to purchase recycled products. Such products would include: paper with specified percentoge of recycle froer; use of re-refined lubricating oil in County vehicles; use of recapped rather than new tires on Coc~ty vehicles; md equipment purchases with extended warranties and life I cycles. I I I I I I I Off'~ paper reduction crud recycle, as an abatement strategy, would include such actions as: planning to reduce or more completely use space available on paper; copying I~ger documents on both sides of the page rather than single side copying; the use of the back side of waste office paper.for rough drafts or scratch paper; and reduction of or changing forms and procedures to reduce non-essential information or mailings. Tied to the question of office paper reduction is the issue of office paper recycling. The bulk of the waste produced by governmental operations like the courthouse is largely paper which is of a very high quality far purposes of paper recycling. It is believed that possibly 50% of the courthouse waste stream could be recovered and recycled. Office paper recycling typically is of two types of programs: the central container system; ond the desk top progr~n. The central container system requires each employee to carry recyclable paper to the centrally located container in the office area. After the container is full it is transported to a storage/pickup area. The desk top system involves the separation and accumulation of recyclable paper in a desk top or desk side container, depositing accumulated recyclable paper in a central container on the floor, and transporting the central containers to a storage/pickup area. The desk top system has been the most effective.