Stadiums , Tents and Parking Lots

1. Stadiums, Tents and Parking Lots HHW Collection in Tacoma

2. What we will Cover • Background on Tacoma HHW Programs • The Evolutionary process of HHW Collection in Tacoma • What we learned along the way • What our future challenges will be

3. Tacoma HHW Collection • The stadium years • 1987 through 1990 • Collection Events at Cheney Stadium • 462 customers at first event • Last event two sites over multiple days • 1990 event - 1817 Participants

4. The Stadium Period

5. What did we learn? • The early events in Tacoma were: • Very expensive $60.00 – 90.00/participant (Operations only!) • Very stressful • Used a lot of staff • Not sustainable over the long haul

6. Landfill Superfund Issues • If we implement an “effective” HHW program, we can keep our last remaining cell open • Used our HHW experience to develop a fixed facility with small scale mobile collection system

7. Tents & Parking Lots!! • 1990 – 1994 • Temporary fixed facility (tents and trailers) • All Waste handling under tents • Serve Tacoma residents only • Mobile facility • All sites in Tacoma • Accept HHW in field, transport back to facility for processing and shipping • Two weeks per event

8. What did we learn (part 2) • Fixed facility had most impact • Steady increase in use and volume • Open 7 days per week • Technicians became extremely efficient with poor facilities

9. Mobile Facility • Mobile facility – unsatisfactory response • Some locations too close to fixed facility • Response rate evaluation • Hours of fixed facility more convenient • Low participation = inefficient & inefficient • Direct mail was effective and controllable

11. A Permanent Home! • New facility in 1994 - What did we learn (part 3) • Facility used at a fraction of capacity • Technicians much more efficient = more down time • Need more customers or less open hours • Still doing collection events with Pierce County – large 1 day events • Interlocal Agreement with County

12. Cooperation helps Efficiency • Interlocal Agreement • Increased use of facility by over 50% • County reimbursements pay for their share of operations, plus capital and some overhead • Facility more efficient and cost effective • Eliminate large collection events for good, start “Satellite” program

13. Satellite Program • Designed and built by the Technicians • Base facility is a modified rolloff • More secure, easier to move, environmentally safer • 3 days per week

14. Satellite Box

15. Satellite Program • Careful site selection – balance population of the target area and availability of service for that area • Average 30 customers per day • Approx. $25.00 per customer – Ops only

16. Big Picture Lessons • Continued evaluation is critical – doesn’t need to be a big process • It is the employees and not the facilities that make the program • Partners that pay are nice!

17. Big Picture Lessons (the obvious) • Facilities/Service • Location • Space – build as much capacity as you can afford • Operators need to be involved with facility and equipment purchases • Material flow, safety • Applicability of equipment

18. The Challenges Ahead • Integrating the HHW collection program with sustainability • How do we fit in with promoting less toxic material, less chemical use, behavior change • Product Stewardship

19. Gary Kato Tacoma Public Works Solid Waste Management gkato@cityoftacoma.org 253-593-7713