HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4.5 Home Composting Education Program 00 -Lto
CITY OF DUBLIN
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 10, 1990
SUBJECT Alameda County Home Composting Education
Program - Prepared By Paul S. Rankin,
Assistant City Manager
EXHIBITS ATTACHED Grant Proposal
RECOMMENDATION Grant Conceptual Approval of Shannon Park
for the Program and Direct Staff to Notify
Alameda County of the City's Interest
FINANCIAL STATEMENT None
DESCRIPTION Each year, 1.9 million tons of municipal solid
wastes are generated and disposed of in Alameda County. About one
third of this vast quantity of material is estimated to be organic,
compostable yard and kitchen waste. Clearly, composting must be a
major component of a comprehensive integrated waste management
program, and composting is a required component of the Source
Reduction and Recycling plan elements required by AB 939 . Thus,
Alameda County is pursuing development of a Home Composting Education
Program to educate the people of Alameda County in a number of home
composting techniques.
Through a grant from the Alameda County Waste Management Authority,
Alameda County plans to design and construct three permanent
demonstration sites throughout the County. The program is designed to
provide a place where people can see a number of different home
composting techniques, and get ideas and information on starting their
own composting systems. Alameda County Environmental Health Vector
Control Program will contract with a program coordinator who, with the
assistance of a technical consultant, will assist in the design of the
permanent demonstration sites, and publicize the program.
Two of the three permanent demonstration sites have been secured: at
Lakeside Park in Oakland, and at the Tri-CED Community Recycling
Center in Union City. The third site, to be located in the Dublin,
Livermore, Pleasanton Valley, has yet to be selected. Staff has met
with representatives from the program to discuss possible locations in
Dublin. They prefer a public location which would be in an area
typically visited by members of the public. They would like to have a
kiosk which explains the composting process and potentially benches in
the area. The County would pay all development costs and maintain the
compost area.
Included in the Shannon Park Master Plan is an area designated for the
future development of a demonstration garden area. The development of
this project is not included in the current five year Capital
Improvement Program. City Staff and County Vector Control
representatives viewed the site to determine whether it was suitable.
Although a precise layout has not been developed it appears that the
Shannon Park location offers several advantages:
o It is located along a major street which can be conveniently
accessed by residents throughout the target area.
o The Community Center could provide meeting space for
educational seminars and workshops.
• The location is accessible to handicapped residents.
• The type of use is consistent with the overall masterplan.
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ITEM NO. - Copies To: Alameda County Vector Control
In order to proceed with the possible development, Vector Control has
requested that the City indicate the availability of potential sites.
Staff would request that the City Council grant conceptual approval of
the Shannon Park for the project. If Shannon Park is selected by
Alameda County, an agreement and site layout would be presented for
City Council approval at a future meeting.
Attached is a copy of the grant proposal which explains the program in
further detail.
Grant Proposal
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Home Composting Education in Alameda C IVY: �
a Multiple Agency Cooperative Progra (.�E�il
YECT.OR C01 .k 4 ACES
Background
Each year, 1..9 million tons of municipal solid wastes are generated and disposed of in Alameda
County. About one third of this vast quantity of material is organic, compostable yard and
kitchen waste. Clearly; composting must be a major component of a comprehensive integrated
waste management program, and composting is a required component of the Source Reduction
and Recycling plan elements requi►cd by AB 939. While there arc many different composting
techniques, home composting has several advantages over other techniques: it requires very little
capital investment; it involves people directly in managing their own wastes; there is no need to
develop markets for the compost,since the producer uses it; and it is considered source reduction,
the preferred method in the new hierarchy of waste management practices.
A concerted effort to educate the public in the benefits and techniques of home composting can
have a significant impact on the volume of waste entering the waste stream. Based on the City
of Berkeley's recent Waste Composition Study, approximately one third of that City's residential
waste stream is material suitable for backyard composting.Successful home composting education
programs elsewhere, such as Seattle's, have proven the benefits of home composting in a
metropolitan area. The goal of this program will be to inform and encourage Alameda County
residents in the use of simple, adaptable techniques to recycle their own organic wastes.
Proposed Program
This proposal outlines a program aimed at educating and encouraging the public in proper home
composting techniques. The responsibilities for designing, implementing, administering, and
maintaining the program will be divided between three agencies: Alameda County Environmental
Health Vector Control Program, which will administer the educational component of the program
and ensure compliance with health and safety codes; and the Cities of Oakland and Union City,
each of which will construct and maintain a compost demonstration site.
The Home Composting Education Program will seek to educate the people of Alameda County
through several channels. '.['lie Cities of Oakland and Union City will each design and construct
permanent demonstration sites, where people can see a number of different homc composting
techniques, and get ideas and information on starting their own composting systems. Alameda
County Environmental Health Vector Control Program will contract with a program coordinator
who, with the assistance of a technical consultant, will assist in the design of (lie permanent
demonstration sites, and publicize the program. The Coordinator will also construct a mobile
demonstration unit that can be taken to fairs, farmers markets, and other events; will conduct
regularly scheduled workshops at the permanent demonstration sites to educate interested
Iuembers of the public oil the fundamentals of home composting; and will schedule and hold
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occasional workshops to train volunteers and to educate specific groups. T'llc Coordinator will
develop a slide show for use in schools and workshops, and will staff a composting information
hot line. This Inix of outreach methods, and the multiple agency structure with central
coordination, will enable the program to reach all parts of the county, and will facilitate future
expansion through establishment of additional permanent demonstration sites in other cities.
The goal of the first year of the program, for which a grant is proposed, will be to encourage the
establishment of 1,000 new home composting operations, and to lay the groundwork for an
exponential increase in the number of home composting operations in the following years. 1,000
home composting units will divert approximately 163 tons of organic material. from collection,
transfer, and landfill each year,. and will provide the people who make the compost with a
valuable soil amendment for their gardens.
Ilmgcam Elements
The permanent dcnunlstration sites will be located in easily accessible public places: at Lakeside
Park in Oakland, and at the Tri—CEO Community Recycling Center in Union City. The sites will
be constructed by state—subsidized East Bay Conservation Corps crews, and will be staffed by
part—time employees. Each site will have several different kinds of compost bins, from simple
hoop structures to complex three—bin systems, as well as a worm composting box, and will also
have raised garden beds to demonstrate the use and value of compost in intensive urban
gardening. The sites will be designed to facilitate self—guided tours, so that they can remain open
full—time. The Program Coordinator will hold a series of weekend workshops at each of the
demonstration sites. The workshops will be publicized via radio and television "community
bulletin boards," press releases, and mailing of fliers to appropriate organizations.
In addition to the regularly scheduled workshops, between six and ten occasional workshops will
be offered during the year. 'I'tlese workshops will fall into two categories: some will train
volunteers who will then participate in the program by staffing the mobile display unit; and the
rest will be geared to specific groups who can further disseminate the knowledge independently
of the program. A workshop for science teachers, for example, would focus on ways in which
home composting can be incorporated into lesson plans. All workshops will be held at the
permanent demonstration sites.
Tile Home Composting Education Program will include a mobile display unit that the Program
Coordinator, an intern assistant, or a volunteer can set up at events anywhere in the county. The
mobile display unit will consist of an information board with a graphically illustrated guide to
composting, scale models of several compost bill designs, and written information on backyard
colllposting.
The final element of the program is the compost hotline. This telephone number will be made
available to the public to answer their questions, and to help them solve problems with their
composting systems.
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Staffing
Staff will be required to coordinate the educational program, and to maintain the demonstration
sites. The proposed staff positions are as follows:
Program Coordinator: A full—time contract position, under the auspices of the Environmental
Health Department's Vector Control Program. 'rile role of the Coordinator will be to train and
supervise staff and volunteers, publicize the program, establish and maintain press contacts,
establish and maintain relations with appropriate organizations, schedule regular showings of the
mobile display unit and the slide show, and organize, schedule, and conduct the regular and
special workshops.
Intern Assistant: A full-time East Bay Conservation Corps intern to assist the Program
Coordinator in performance of all of his or her duties, particularly to assist in the school outreach
program, and to staff the hotline and the mobile demonstration unit.
Composting Consultant: a part—time consultant to assist in development of the demonstration sites
and mobile units,develop informational materials, including the slide show,develop the workshop
format, and assist in the training of volunteers.
Site Maintenance Workers: Two part—time workers, one at each permanent demonstration site,
to maintain the sites. These may be EBCC interns, regular part—time employees, or part—time
assignments of existing positions.
Program Evaluation
The program is proposed to run for an initial period of one year. Throughout the life of the
program, the Coordinator will compile data upon which to base a final evaluative report. The
program will be evaluated on its effectiveness in educating and encouraging the public in proper
home composting techniques. Specific evaluation criteria and methods shall include:
1. Rough quantitative estimates of the number of people passing through the permanent
demonstration sites.
2. Rough quantitative estimates of the number of people approaching the mobile demonstration
unit.
3. Number of people attending regular and special workshops.
4. Nunnber of calls to the Hotline.
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5. Number of brochures distributed.
6. Number of complaints to Vector Control relating to home composting.
7. Evaluation of a survey of people reached by the program. The survey will take the form of
a simple questionnaire attached to the literature given out, and returned by mail.
The Coordinator and Consultant will evaluate the program, and prepare a final report detailing
the program's progress toward achievement of its goals, and the problems encountered along the
way. The report will include recommendations for continuation of the program.
Implementation Schedule
Program start-up July 1, 1990
Recruitment, hiring of staff July, 1990
Construction of demonstration sites August, 1990
Construction of mobile display unit August, 1990
Workshops and other outreach programs begin September, 1990
Workshops and other outreach programs through June, 1991
Program review and evaluation Quarterly
Final report and recommendations April 15, 1991
I3a�cryar�i ..�mpostin Demonstration Site
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Backyard Composting : enter. • ' .
Demonstration Site
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Seattle Engineering Dept.
Seattle Tilth Association
AFY WARMS-
I. Orientation Area: start
jof self-guided tour '`� kiosk -
2. Incorporation Methods plaza ,/ '�-
3. Holding Methods ' entry.
4. Turning Methods
5. Special Methods
6. Bloreactor & heated beds
7. "Hot" Three-Bin System
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