HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence with Public Works and Randy Coy regarding disposal of fluorescent bulbsSweeney Kathleen
From: Hahn, Paul
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 1:39 PM
To: Sweeney, Kathleen
Subject: FW: Apartment Residents access to Household Hazardous waste- response
From: Crump, Mike
Sent: Monday, April 7, 2014 3:04 PM
To: Wahl, Larry; Kirk, Maureen; Teeter, Doug
Cc: Hahn, Paul; 'knr15 @mail.com'; Mannel, Bill
Subject: RE: Apartment Residents access to Household Hazardous waste - response
Supervisors;
The following is to provide you with the County's protocol for acceptance of fluorescent tubes at the landfill and the
Chico HHW facility that Mr. Coy encountered.(below) The reason is that it costs the County $0.16 per lineal foot to
dispose of fluorescent tubes. The Board approved charging a fee to cover our costs. However, to accommodate the
individual property owner, we accept the first 32 lineal feet (8 -4 ft tubes) free of charge. This policy allows for the
typical residential generated quantities to be disposed of for free and safeguards the County from businesses disposing
large quantities on our facilities which will have a direct impact on our costs. The County's contractor of the HHW
facility was following this protocol and my understanding is that they will accept larger quantities for the same charge of
$0.16 per linear foot of as we apply here at the landfill (i.e. revenue /cost neutral) ). The County's contract with the HHW
facility contractor covers services to Butte County residents transporting household quantities. The contract allows the
contractor to receive covered hazardous materials generated by small businesses for a fee. For the HHW contractor, the
quantities that Mr. Coy was transporting and intending to dispose of at the HHW facility put him in a business generator
category.
As you know, the HHW facility in Chico is funded through the Landfills tipping fees. Any increase in costs at the facility
will need to be addresses with adjustments to the Landfill tipping fee. As you are also aware, Recology is presently
taking their solid waste collected in Chico to their landfill in Wheatland. Thus, at the present time, Recology's customers
are not contributing to the landfill or the funding for the Chico HHW facility. We are working with Recology and the
other waste haulers on Franchise agreements to bring all of Chico's solid waste to the Neal Road Landfill to resolve this
inequity.
Pleae.e let me know if you have any questions
Butte County, Dept of Public Works
7 County Center Drive Oroville CA 95965
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From: Wahl, Larry
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 12:14 PM
To: Crump, Mike
Cc: Hahn, Paul; Teeter, Doug; 'knr15 @mail.com'
Subject: FW: Apartment Residents access to Household Hazardous waste
Mr.:'oy makes a compelling case for the need to do something different. How can we address this so that these bulbs
are disposed of fairly and properly, and not put in the normal trash? There's a problem here that needs fixing.
Larry
From: Randy Coy [mailto:M_rl5_@mail.com1
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 4:23 PM
To: Wahl, Larry
Cc: Kirk, Maureen
Subject: Apartment Residents access to Household Hazardous waste
April 4, 2014
Larry Wahl, Supervisor
Maureen Kirk, Supervisor
Anne Schwab, Chico City Council
Mark Sorensen, Chico City Council
Re: Apartment Generated Household Hazardous Waste
I am the regional property manager for MWS Properties and have been responsible for large apartment
properties in Chico for over 30 years and feel we operate as a responsible, environmentally caring business.
Our website is MWSproperties.com.
In addition, I have been involved in Chico solid waste issues for years and was involved in the implementation
of a household hazardous waste add -on fee on our water bills some years ago. I was involved in the negotiation
of a lesser fee for multifamily as we are much more efficient in our disposal of items of concern. Since then,
the fee was dropped and the County of Butte now operates the Household Hazardous waste facility at the Chico
Airport.
As good neighbors and working to protect the environment, we assist apartment residents in the replacement of
light bulbs in their apartments and on their porches as well as batteries in their smoke detectors and other
building devices. Our contracts are clear that these are the residents' responsibilities. Some of these
replacements are related to safety, some because many residents do not take good care in the replacement and
disposal of bulbs and batteries.
So, our residents pay the same property taxes, sewer fees, sales taxes, etc as those in single family residences.
When I was refused disposal of bulbs and batteries on Saturday, March 29 at about 9:30 am, I was extremely
surprised that assisting our residents in disposal of their items was not acceptable to your staff. I carry proof of
my involvement in the industry. In addition, you will appreciate one of the workers at the HHW facility said
clearly "Webb's have plenty of money" indicating that our business can afford to pay for disposal elsewhere.
At that time I clearly stated the comparison to single family homes, they then looked inside my covered utility
trailer and said I was "ridiculous "..... I left with ALL BULBS, none accepted. By the way, this was a
Saturday and I was on my own time, using my own trailer... Just trying to do my part for our environment...
So now what do I do with them?
It has been 4 or 5 years since my last drop off at the HHW facility.... So I had plenty of bulbs. We save 4'
florescent bulbs, CFL bulbs, and batteries so that they are properly disposed of Occasionally, we have drop
offs into our dumpsters from anonymous persons and we try to pull them out of the waste stream out of our
concern for the environment as well. We also transport CRTs and other electronic waste to appropriate
facilities.
On Monday, March 31, I left a message for Steve Roderick through the Neal Road landfill phone number and
he returned my call on Tuesday. OK so far, he was appreciative of my and likely other apartment
owner /managers that have the same issue. He talked to his supervisor and called me back on Friday, April 4
witli the answer that our residents are not able to use the facility in this way. Each one is responsible for their
own drop off. Again, I reminded him our residents are being treated unfairly and should not have to pay twice
for disposal of their residential generated HHW. I thought, but didn't ask, are apartment residents being treated
as second class citizens? During my drop off several years ago, I had some issues, but the bulbs were
accepted. Afterward, I called Steve so that he would be aware of the problem and hopefully address the issue.
I would have thought the issue would have been resolved in the last 4 years or so. So now what do I do with
bulbs in my trailer?
Today, our revised company policy was sent to all managers at all properties stating that we will no longer
assist with the replacement or disposal of ANY light bulb or battery. Incandescent bulbs are now becoming
difficult to come by with the new state law banning most of them. Our residents have experienced significant
failures with the new GU24 CFLs. Wait untill the new integral 10 year non replaceable battery in smoke
detectors needs to be disposed of... Another law not given due diligence. Ask Mr. Roderick about this one.
The responsibility at the HHW department is tasked to remove these residential items from the waste stream..
Oh well, it looks like another government department that needs to go or at least have their mission reviewed.
Sincerely,
Randy Coy
Property Manager
530.891.3351
k iir15�mail.com