ECO Position on Efficiency in Waste Hauling – September 20, 2009
by Katie Breckheimer, chair of the ECO Recycling Committee
Background information:
As part of the recommendation of the consultants hired to analyze the Henderson County Solid Waste system (referred to as the 2009 Feasibility Study), one of the recommendations is to ask county staff to work with the 18 independent waste haulers, who are permitted by the county to collect residential waste, to come up with an efficiency plan. This was presented to the county commissioners for a decision on August 3, 2009. A decision was made on September 16th to separate out the capital improvement plan (which was approved on that date) and hold a special hearing /workshop regarding the efficiency plan. The language in the recommendation is soft regarding an efficiency plan. Franchising the haulers is only one way to do that. In 1998/99 the county commissioners voted down a controversial plan to franchise, much to the disappointment of those who had worked for months in preparation for it.
Natural Resource Conservation:
ECO wants natural resources preserved so we are in favor of adding the collection of recyclables to the haulers’ job of collecting trash. However, this can be done through the permitting process and does not require franchising. The State of North Carolina is requiring that more and more containers be recycled (bottles and cans) and the county can be fined for not having a good recycling plan and/or programs in place.
Energy Conservation:
If the haulers were to be franchised so that each hauler had a fair section of the county’s residences to service, then less gas/diesel would be consumed by their trucks, which typically get between 5 and 10 miles per gallon. Over all, recycling saves energy, i.e. by making an aluminum can from recycled aluminum as opposed to mining more bauxite to produce a new can, saves energy.
Air Quality:
ECO believes that an efficiency plan is important. Local air quality would improve if all 18 haulers and their trucks were not driving all over the county to service customers. Typically garbage trucks do not have good air quality controls.
Water Quality:
ECO would like to see further efforts made to require garbage trucks to have sealed container beds so that dangerous liquids from garbage do not escape from their trucks before they get to the transfer station to release their load. The State of North Carolina is tightening down on these requirements, and the county could be fined for not regulating the haulers is this regard.
Safety & Quality of Life:
ECO believes that fewer trucks on our roadways would add to the physical safety as well as our quality of life of our residents through less traffic and noise on our roads and in our neighborhoods. Having only one day in which all families’ trash and recycling bins are set out would also increase the aesthetics of our neighborhoods.
Conclusion: ECO would like to propose that an efficiency plan be implemented that will also safeguard the jobs of people who work in the trash removal industry in Henderson County. ECO believes that efficiency is important but should not come at the expense of haulers’ livelihoods. ECO requests that the commissioners and the Solid Waste Department review this situation and propose a plan that can accommodate both goals.
