HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.4 Measure D Recycling Measure V �o
CITY OF DUBLIN
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 8, 1990
SUBJECT: Measure D: Alameda County Waste Reduction and Recycling
Initiative
do(Prepared by: Paul S. Rankin, Assistant City Manager)
EXHIBITS ATTACHED: Exhibit A: Copy of Initiative
Exhibit B: County Counsel's Analysis
RECOMMENDATION: Consider whether City Council desires to take a position
C/�%�`'
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: If the initiative is approved by the voters and
implemented, garbage rates will need to increase.
The initiative levies a $6.00/ton fee, which would
generate approximately $12 million countywide.
DESCRIPTION: At the City Council meeting on September 24, 1990,
Councilmember Snyder requested that the City Council consider this measure at
their next meeting. Councilmember Snyder is the City's representative on the
Alameda County Waste Management Authority. The following analysis outlines
the primary provisions of the initiative. The initiative will appear on the
November ballot as Alameda County Measure D. The specific sections of the
initiative are noted in brackets.
GOALS
Measure D restates the requirements in State Law (AB 939) , which mandate
cities to achieve a 25% reduction of waste disposed of at landfills by
January 1 , 1995. AB 939 also requires a 50% reduction by January 1 , 2000
[64.040(A) (1 ) ] . In addition, Measure D Initiative requires the Recycling
Board to establish by January 1 , 1999 a date by which the amount of solid
waste landfilled is reduced by 75% [64.040(A) (2) ] .
COMPOSITION OF RECYCLING BOARD
The Recycling Board is appointed by the Board of Supervisors and consists of
11 members as follows [64. 130(D) ] :
a. 5 members would be Waste Management Authority members. The Waste
Management Authority Board is comprised of elected officials from
its member agencies. Therefore, these members would be elected
officials appointed by the Waste Management Authority.
b. The following six appointments are to be made by the County Board
of Supervisors and they must be residents of Alameda County.
1 . Representative of an organization engaged in operating
recycling programs within the County
2. A source reduction specialist with substantial experience
3. A representative of the recyclable materials industry
4. A representative of the solid waste industry
5 . A representative of an environmental organization with a
significant membership active in recycling issues
6. An environmental educator employed as such on a full-time
basis
The initiative allows the Board to operate as a subsidiary of the Waste
Management Authority, provided the Authority concurs. Otherwise, the Board
is to operate as a separate entity within the structure of County Government.
The majority of the Board is comprised of appointees and not elected
officials. As previously discussed, this Board will have discretionary
control over millions of dollars generated from garbage rate payers in
Alameda County.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4 COPIES T0:
ITEM NO. ✓��� / � ''�/
The measure establishes a requirement that the Recycling Board shall meet at
least once each month. There are also mandatory attendance requirements for
the Board members. The Board will be authorized to receive compensation of
$100 per meeting provided that the annual compensation does not exceed $3,000
per member. In addition, the Board is authorized to hire staff to carry out
the provisions of the measure.
PLAN DEVELOPMENT
The initiative requires the development of a plan within one year of the
effective date. [64.040(B) ] . The stated purpose of the plan is to establish
recycling programs necessary to meet the goals discussed in the paragraph
above.
AUDIT OF PROGRAMS
Section [64.040(C) ] of the initiative requires an audit to determine
compliance with the Plan adopted pursuant to the initiative. Subsection 1
states that the audit would include an evaluation of recycling programs
regardless of whether they were funded by Measure D. This requirement
subjects programs to the review of the Recycling Board regardless of how they
are funded.
FUNDING
Subsection [64.050] establishes a requirement to collect a $6.00 per ton fee
on all refuse accepted at a landfill or incinerator within Alameda County.
The initiative also establishes the manner in which the surcharge can be
modified. Section [64. 050(E) ] allows for unexpended funds to be temporarily
invested in accordance with accepted principles of financial management, in
financial instruments that encourage, to the extent possible source reduction
and recycling while discouraging non-sustainable uses of natural resources.
Based on current estimates of waste disposal within Alameda County, it is
anticipated that the surcharge would generate approximately $12, 000, 000. The
investment criteria also differ from what is typically addressed with public
monies. The California Government Code restricts the types of public agency
investments. Usually safety and liquidity are the primary factors used to
determine an appropriate investment.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
During the first 27 months, 80% of the funds are to be apportioned on a per
capita basis to municipalities for the planning and implementation of
Residential and/or Commercial Recycling funds. [64. 060(A) (1 ) ] Section
[64.060(B) (1 ) ] reduces the amount of grant money apportioned to
municipalities to 50% of the total funds beginning with the 28th month.
The following chart and assumptions detail the estimated financial impact of
the agency grant program to the City of Dublin. It should be noted that all
calculations are estimates only and the projections were not adjusted for
changes in future years.
Assumptions:
o 2 million tons garbage /year Countywide - subject to $6.00 fee
o 1990 State Department of Finance Populations
Alameda County 1 , 265,929
Dublin 25,825 (2% of County Total)
o 23,850 tons of Garbage Produced in Dublin/year
(Estimate based on Quarterly Survey 3/90)
Annual Amt Distributed Annual Amt Generated
to the City by Dublin Rate Payers
Annualized $ first 27 months $192, 000/yr $143, 100
Annualized $ after 27 months $120, 000/yr $143, 100
Amts over a 10-year period $1 , 362, 000 $1 ,431 ,000
As shown above, the estimate projects that Dublin rate payers would pay more
than is returned to the City during a 10 year period. Also, the formula
provides for reduced funding after 27 months. Therefore, the cost of
replacing the funding would need to be obtained from additional garbage rate
increases.
-2-
During the first 27 months, 20% [64. 060(A) (2) ] or an estimated $2.4 million
will be used for the following activities:
a. Development of Source Reduction, Recycled Product Market
Development, and Recycled Product Purchase Preference Programs.
b. Expenses associated with the Recycling Board created by the measure
and administrative costs.
C. The preparation of the County Source Reduction and Recycling
Element as required by AB 939.
Beginning with the 28th month, 50% of the funds are to be disbursed on the
programs noted below. The dollar values shown are for informational purposes
based on the current disposal Countywide of approximately 2 million tons.
(1 ) 10% ($1 .2 million) designated for a grant program for non-profit
organizations engaged in maximizing recycling, composting, and
reducing waste within the County. The measure designates the
Recycling Board as eligible to receive these funds for conducting
planning, research, and studies. [64.060(B) (2) ]
(2) 10% ($1 .2 million) shall be applied to the Source Reduction
Program. [64.060(B) (3) ]
(3) 10% ($1 .2 million) shall be applied to the Recycled Product Market
Development Program. [64.060(B) (4) ]
(4) 5% ($600, 000) shall be applied to the Recycled Product Purchase
Preference Program. [64.060(B) (5) ]
(5) 15% ($1 .8 million) shall be disbursed on a discretionary basis by
the Recycling Board to support activities described. A maximum of
3% of this category may be retained by the Board to cover the cost
of administering the fund. [64.060(B) (6) ]
The measure restricts contracts using Measure D funds to a five year period
unless approved by the Recycling Board. [64.060(D) ] The Board could authorize
a contract period of up to 10 years. The distribution amounts could be
changed by a vote of the Recycling Board with a concurrence of the Board of
Supervisors and a majority of the population.
MUNICIPAL GARBAGE RATES [64. 070]
In order to be eligible to receive these monies, the City must adjust local
garbage rates to provide full reimbursement to the local refuse hauler. The
City can request the assistance of the Recycling Board to develop a product
disposal fee in order to reduce the amount of the surcharge included in the
garbage rate.
The issue of a product disposal fee is a complex issue in which the State
Integrated Waste Management Board is mandated to prepare a study concerning
the state-wide consequences of such a fee. The concept involves a
methodology for levying a separate fee on items which are not recyclable and
are normally disposed of at a landfill. For example, a separate fee could be
levied on disposable diapers. From a practical standpoint, it would appear
extremely difficult to levy this type of fee on a local basis.
In March of 1990 the local garbage company estimated that single family
residential units generated 5, 400 tons of garbage per year. It is important
to note that this is an estimate only generated from a quarterly survey.
Assuming 4,935 residential accounts, the monthly cost to Dublin residents
would be 55 cents per month. Adequate information is not available to
identify the cost to commercial, industrial, and multifamily customers. The
City currently imposes a $1 .25 per month charge for curbside recycling.
SOURCE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS
Section [64. 080] discusses the content of the source reduction program and
the following section discusses the Residential Recycling Program. Cities
receiving money from the fund must provide a recycling program to each person
who receives garbage service. The recycling service must be offered within 2
years of the initiation of the Recycling Fund.
Within the current Dublin City limits, the provision of a recycling program
to each single family residence receiving garbage service is convenient.
However, in the event that less developed areas are annexed, this requirement
may result in increased costs. For example, in areas which are currently
rural, the cost of having a weekly collection may be extremely unproductive.
-3-
Typically, a curbside program is operated most efficiently in urban areas
with a significant number of single family homes. It may be most efficient
to provide the curbside service only after there is sufficient development to
support the program. Measure D would not allow this type of phasing.
Section [64. 1001 discusses the requirements for the Commercial Recycling
Program. Similar to the residential program, the initiation must begin
within two years of the initiation of the recycling fund. Any city receiving
funds must have a commercial recycling program available to every business,
government, and public or private institution to which garbage collection is
offered.
PROHIBITION OF INCINERATION [64. 1401
Measure D would prohibit the operation of an incinerator within Alameda
County. In addition, the measure would prohibit the acceptance of
incinerator ash at any landfill, regardless of the location of the
incinerator which produced them.
CONFLICTS AND DUPLICATION
AB 939 became effective January 1, 1990 . This State Law substantially
revised the process for Waste Management Planning statewide. In several
areas Measure D would either duplicate or conflict with the current State
Law. Also, agencies have been working for several months to implement the
requirements of State Law.
o Amount of Solid Waste Diversion
State Law requires cities in 10 years to divert 50% of the waste
typically placed in a .: landfill. The methods of reaching this goal
include recycling, composting, and source reduction. Measure D exceeds
the State requirement by requiring the Recycling Board to establish a
date for 75% diversion of waste from the landfill. The Board is to
establish the date by January 1 , 1999.
o Preparation of a Recycling Plan
Under current law (AB 939) , each City is required to prepare a Source
Reduction and Recycling Element. In addition, the county is required to
develop a Countywide Element. The City of Dublin as a member of the
Alameda County Waste Management Authority (Authority) as been working on
a joint project to select a consultant team to assist with this project.
The cost associated with the development of a baseline plan is being
paid for by the Authority through tipping fees already imposed. It is
currently projected that the Authority will make a selection in October.
In accordance with State Law, the City is to have the plan submitted by
July 1, 1991. The law requires a comprehensive plan which addresses the
following components:
(a) Waste Characterization (f) Education and Public Information
(b) Source Reduction (g) Funding
(c) Recycling (h) Special waste
(d) Composting (i) Household Hazardous Waste
(e) Solid waste facility capacity
Given the requirements in AB 939 to prepare this information, the
development of a separate County Plan pursuant to the initiative appears
to be a duplication. Also, the planning process is well underway in
order to address the stated submittal date of July 1 , 1991 .
o Distribution of Funds to Prepare County Source Reduction and Recycling
Element (SRRE)
Alameda County through the Waste Management Authority has been working
to develop SRRE as required by AB 939. The Authority has implemented a
tipping fee increase to pay for the cost of this work. In addition to
the County plan, the Authority project will provide baseline information
for the City planning requirements. The Authority has worked with the
member agencies to develop a Request for Proposal and it is anticipated
that the Consultant will be selected by the end of October.
o Identification of Measure D Recycling Board as the AB 939 Task Force
Section[64.130(B) 1 suggests that the Recycling Board serve as the Task
Force required by AB 939. The Board of Supervisors is required to seek
-4-
the consent of a majority of the cities containing a majority of the
population, regarding the designation as the AB 939 Task Force.
The Waste Management Authority has already appointed an AB 939 Task
Force. The group has already been conducting meetings pursuant to its
charge in AB 939. If a new Task Force is appointed sometime after the
November election, it will disrupt the planning process. AB 939 already
has very tight timeframes for completing specific requirements.
Additional delays would not be in the interest of timely completion of
the AB 939 planning process.
o Prohibition of Incineration
This provision is more restrictive than what is allowed by AB 939. The
State Law allows agencies to use the transformation process (i.e. ,
incinerator) to meet up to 10 percent of the required 50 percent
reduction by the year 2000. There are other regulatory requirements
within State Law regarding the use of incinerators.
Overall, AB 939 involves a complex process to address solid waste management.
The State recently released revised regulations for implementing the Act.
The addition of an additional County process will further complicate waste
management issues. It also appears appropriate to consider whether the
provisions in State Law already address the primary intent of the initiative.
COUNTY COUNSEL REVIEW
The County Counsel is required to prepare an impartial analysis of measures
which appear on the ballot. This document is included in the Voter Pamphlet
and Sample ballot. A copy is attached as Exhibit (B) . The final paragraph
of the County Counsel's analysis identifies potential conflicts with existing
law. One potential conflict is with the imposition of a surcharge which may
violate provisions of AB 939 . State Law requires that fees imposed be based
on the types or amount of waste and the actual program cost.
The County Counsel has also noted that the measure appears to apply some
provisions to cities regardless of their participation in the County funding
program. Those areas which are beyond the requirements in State Law may
violate the State Constitution relating to the powers of municipalities.
CONCLUSION
The City Attorney has recommended that if the City Council wishes to take a
position, that they should do so by minute action. Staff recommends that the
City Council consider the measure.
-5-
THE ALAMEDA COUNTY WASTE REDUCTION. AND RECYCLING "
INITIATIVE CHARTER AMENDMENT :
( Final Text : November 13, 1989)
SECTION 64 : WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING
SUBSECTION 64 . 010 : NAME
This Section of the Alameda County Charter shall be known and may be cited
as the Alameda County Waste Reduction and Recycling Act of 1990
(hereinafter the "Act" ) .
SUBSECTION 64 . 020 : PURPOSE
The purpose of this Act is to:
A. Provide for an Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Plan
(hereinafter the "Recycling Plan") in conformance with new state law
requiring all California cities and counties to plan, fund and
implement a comprehensive source reduction and recycling program
(Paragraph 64 . 040(B) ) ;
B . Meet , by January 1 , 1995 , the state-mandated goal of reducing by at
Least twenty- five percent the refuse landfilled in Alameda County,
then meet by January 1 , 2000, the further state-mandated goal of fifty
percent , and set longer- term goals starting at seventy-five percent
(Paragraph 64 . 040(A) ) ;
C. Ensure that the Recycling Plan provides for at least the following
essential elements :
1 . An Alameda County-wide Source Reduction . Program (Subsection
64 .080) to minimize the generation of refuse;
2. Residential Recycling Programs (Subsection 64.090 ) to provide
each Alameda County residence with curbside pick-up of recyclable
materials;
3 . Commercial Recycling Programs (Subsection 64 . 100) to reduce the
refuse disposal costs of businesses and government agencies;
4 . An Alameda County-wide Recycled Product Market Development
Program (Subsection 64 . 110) to create and strengthen stable
markets for recycled materials; and
5 . A Recycled Product Purchase Preference Program (Subsection
64. 120) to further encourage recycled materials markets by
maximizing the amount of recycled products purchased by County
government agencies;
D . Fund the Recycling Plan by instituting a six dollar per ton surcharge
on materials disposed of in Alameda county landfills (Paragraph
64 .050(A) ) ;
E . Create an Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board
(hereinafter the "Recycling Board") to coordinate the Recycling Plan
(Subsection 64 . 130) ;
F . Prohibit the incineration of refuse within Alameda County (Subsection
64 . 140) .
SUBSECTION 64 . 030 : FINDINGS
The people of Alameda County find and declare that :
A. The increasing consumption of single-use and environmentally harmful
products depletes natural resources, produces huge quantities of
refuse - - most of which is disposed of in ways that damage the
environment - - and, ultimately, will injure future generations;
B . The use of terms such as "garbage" and "solid waste" result from - -
and serve to reinforce - - wasteful attitudes; the materials referred
to by these terms retain their value as natural resources, and should
instead be described and treated as "discarded materials" to be
recycled rather than incinerated or landfilled;
C. At least ninety percent of the discarded materials generated within
Alameda County are landfilled as are vast quantities of discarded
materials from neighboring counties; existing landfill capacity in the
Bay Area will be exhausted in less than twenty-five years, while new
Landfills are increasingly difficult and expensive to site; landfill
is neither a long-term, nor a sustainable, nor an environmentally safe
option for disposal of discarded materials;
D . Refuse incinerators are a poor alternative to source reduction and
recycling; such incinerators damage the environment by wasting natural
resources that could instead be recycled, by accelerating the release
of greenhouse gasses - - which worsen global warming -- and by
generating toxic substances;
E . Each person discards materials and should therefore be involved in
solving the problems caused by the disposal of such materials; this
involvement must include changes in individual behavior resulting from
each person' s awareness of her or his role in creating or finding
solutions to environmental problems; only through such changes can
sustainable consumption and disposal patterns be established and the
biosphere restored;
F. The County government shares a responsibility with Alameda County
cities and sanitary districts to provide a comprehensive source
reduction and recycling program which will foster these necessary
changes in individual behavior as well as ensure that the goals set by
state law are met; and
2
` I
G. The best available method for funding the Recycling Plan is a
surcharge on materials disposed of at landfills .
SUBSECTION 64 .040 : RECYCLING POLICY GOALS AND RECYCLING PLAN
A. Recycling Policy Goals :
1 . Consistent with the California Integrated Waste Management Act of
1990 (hereinafter the "CIWMA" ) , it shall be County policy to
reduce, recycle, and compost, by no later than January 1 , 1995 ,
at least twenty- five percent (25X) , and by no later than January
1 , 2000, at least fifty percent (50X) , by weight , of all
discarded materials generated within Alameda County.
2 . The Recycling Board shall establish , not later than January 1 ,
1999, a date to reduce, recycle, and compost at least seventy-
five percent (75X) , by weight , of all discarded materials
generated within Alameda County, and, as necessary to the
establishment of sustainable discarded materials management
practices , shall subsequently establish a date (or dates) to
reduce, recycle and compost further quantities of discarded
materials.
B . The Recycling Board shall develop, within one ( 1 ) year of the
effective date of this Act , a plan to establish the recycling programs
necessary to meet the recycling policy goals set forth in Subparagraph
64 . 040(A) ( 1 ) (all citations contained in this Act are, unless
otherwise noted, to this Act) , said plan to be known as the Alameda
County Source Reduction and Recycling Plan (Recycling Plan.) . The
Recycling Board subsequently shall amend the Recycling Plan as
necessary to meet said recycling policy goals, and as necessary to
meet the further recycling policy goats established by the Recycling
Board pursuant to Subparagraph 64.040(A)(2) . The Recycling Plan shall
incorporate all Alameda County recycling programs, whether funded by
this Act or not . In developing and amending the Recycling Plan, the
Recycling Board shall consult with the Alameda County Board of
Supervisors (hereinafter the "Board of SUpervisors") , the Alameda
County Waste Management Authority (hereinafter the "Authority" ) and
Alameda County municipal governing bodies, and furthermore shall seek
to maximize public input as to the contents of the Recycling Plan by
holding public hearings 'and establishing public advisory committees.
C. The Recycling Board shall contract, not more than four (4) years after
the effective date of this Act, and then every five (5) years
thereafter, for an audit to determine compliance with the Recycling
Plan and the degree of progress toward the recycling policy goal then
in effect . Said audits shall be conducted by an independent auditor
(or auditors) with experience in source reduction and recycling . The
reports of said audits shall be completed within one ( 1 ) year and
issued to each municipality, the Board of Supervisors and the
Authority. Said reports shall include at least the following:
1 . A narrative and analytical evaluation of all recycling programs
3
within Alameda County, whether funded through this Act or not,
both Alameda Countywide and within each municipality;
2. A statistical measure of the progress toward the recycling policy
goal then in effect;
3 . An evaluation of the Recycling Board' s activities, including, but
not limited to, an accounting of the monies spent by the
Recycling Board; and
4 . Recommendations to the Recycling Board, the Board of Supervisors ,
the Authority and the municipal governing bodies for the
maintenance and expansion .of recycling programs , and any
necessary resulting amendments to the Recycling Plan.
SUBSECTION 64. 050 : RECYCLING FUND
A. Commencing not later than three (3) months after the effective date of
this Act , each landfill or incinerator in Alameda County shall collect
a surcharge of six dollars (56.00) per ton on all refuse accepted for
landfilling or incineration at said landfill or incinerator. All
monies collected through said surcharge shall be paid by the operators
of each landfill or incinerator into a fund, to be known as the
Alameda County Recycling Fund (hereinafter the "Recycling Fund") ,
established for the purpose of receiving and disbursing monies
pursuant to this Act . The Board of Supervisors shall ensure the
collection of said surcharge, either by modifying the use permits of
said landfills and incinerators or by any other necessary means .
B . Should the collection of said surcharge be found to be in violation of
an existing contract or agreement to import refuse generated outside
of Alameda County for landfilling or incineration within Alameda
County, the Board of Supervisors may vote to waive collection of said
surcharge for the refuse described within said contract or agreement .
However, any future contract or agreement for the importation of
refuse for landfilling or incineration within Alameda County, executed
or negotiated after the effective date of this Act , shall provide for
the collection of said surcharge for the refuse described within said
contract or agreement.
C. Any necessary costs of collection of said surcharge incurred by
Landfill or incinerator operators shall not be subtracted from said
surcharge but , consistent with Subsection 64 .070, shall be passed
through to refuse generators by means of the refuse collection rates
set by each municipality.
D . Said surcharge may be adjusted only as follows:
1 . The Board of Supervisors may place a ballot measure on the
Alameda County ballot for an alternative or additional funding
mechanism for the Recycling Fund. Said funding mechanism may
Levy a surcharge or disposal fee on types of discarded materials.
Said ballot measure may also include a provision to adjust said
surcharge in direct correlation to the funding resultant from the
4
proposed surcharge or disposal fee.
2. The Authority may pay monies within its jurisdiction to the
Recycling Fund with the intent of mitigating said surcharge.
Should the Authority vote to do so, the Board of Supe-rvisors
shall adjust said surcharge accordingly, provided that no such
adjustment shall result in a net loss to the total receipts to
the Recycling Fund within a given year.
3 . The Board of Supervisors may vote at any time to adjust said
surcharge in direct accordance with changes in the Consumer Price
Index.
4 . Commencing January 1 , 1995 , and once every five years thereafter,
the Board of Supervisors may vote, with the advice of the
Authority and/or a double majority of the cities, to pass an
ordinance adjusting said surcharge by up to twenty percent ( 20%) .
Said ordinance ma-y take effect immediately, but shall be subject
to approval or repeal by a vote of the people at the next
regularly scheduled Alameda County election.
5 . The Board of Supervisors may vote, with the concurrence of a
double majority of the cities, to adjust said surcharge, if
either the federal government or the State of California
institutes recycling programs that duplicate and fund the
recycling programs established by this Act .
E . The Recycling Board shall administer the Recycling Fund in accordance
with the provisions of this Act . Recycling Fund monies that are not
immediately expended may be temporarily invested, under the direction
of the Recycling Board and in accordance with accepted principles of
financial management , in financial instruments that encourage, to the
extent possible, source reduction and recycling while discouraging
non-sustainable uses of natural resources. Any interest or other
income resulting from such investments shall accrue to the Recycling
Fund.
SUBSECTION 64 .060: SUPPORT FOR RECYCLING PROGRAMS
A. During the first twenty-seven (27) months after the effective date of
this Act , the Recycling Board shall support recycling programs and
otherwise fulfill the provisions of this Act by disbursing monies from
the Recycling Fund as follows:
1 . Eighty percent (80%) of the total shall be apportioned on a per
capita basis to municipalities for the planning and
implementation of Residential Recycling Programs and/or
Commercial Recycling Programs , for new or expanded recycling
programs, and for the preparation of the city source reduction
and recycling elements, pursuant to the CIWMA. Funds so
disbursed shall be used exclusively for supporting municipal
recycling programs.
2. Twenty percent (20%) of the total shall be applied to the
5
following :
a. The development and implementation of the Source Reduction
Program, the, Recycled Product Market Development Program and
the Recycled Product Purchase Preference Program;
b. The Recycling Board' s expenses for the administration of
this Act; and
C . The preparation of the Alameda County source reduction and
recycling element, pursuant to the CIWMA.
B . Commencing twenty-eight (28) months after the effective date of this
Act , the Recycling Board shall support recycling programs and
otherwise fulfill the provisions of this Act by disbursing monies from
the Recycling Fund as follows :
1 . Fifty percent (50X) shall be disbursed on a per capita basis to
municipalities _f..or the continuation and expansion of municipal
recycling programs .
2. Ten percent ( 10X) shall be applied to a grant program for non-
profit organizations engaged in maximizing recycling, composting,
and reducing waste within Alameda County. The Recycling Board
shall be an organization eligible to receive funds under this
Subparagraph, for the purposes of conducting planning, research ,
and studies directed at furthering the purposes of this Act .
3 . Ten percent ( 10X) shall be applied to the Source Reduction
Program.
4 . Ten percent ( 10X) shall be applied to the Recycled Product Market
Development Program.
5 . Five percent (5X) shall be applied to the Recycled Product
Purchase Preference Program.
6. Fifteen percent ( 15X) shalt be disbursed on a discretionary basis
by the Recycling Board to support any of the activities described
within this Paragraph . A portion of said fifteen percent ( 15X)
may be retained by the Recycling Board to cover the necessary
costs of administering the Recycling Fund, provided, however,
that said portion shall not exceed three percent (3X) of the
total funds paid to the Recycling Fund in a given year.
C. For the purpose of apportionment of funds under the provisions of this
Subsection, and for the purpose of sound discarded materials
management, the Recycling Board shall cause accurate, reliable, and
up- to-date estimates to be maintained of the amounts and kinds of
recycling and refuse generation occurring in each municipality. For
the purpose of ensuring comparability of data, any composition study
or waste characterization study performed with Recycling Fund monies
shall comply with standards to be established by the Recycling Board.
Said standards shall include, but shall not be limited to, both
methodology and categories of discarded materials . In establishing
6
said standards, the Recycling Board should utilize the categories for
discarded materials outlined in Paragraph 64 . 150(0) .
D . Contracts using Recycling Fund monies shall be made for periods of not
more than five (5 ) years , except that, upon a finding of the Recycling
Board that a longer period is necessary in order to capitalize a
specific project , the Recycling Board may vote to allow a particular
contract to be made for a period of not more than ten ( 10) years . No
contract using Recycling Fund monies shall provide for an option to
renew or any similar provision that would result in the extension of a
contract , on a less than fully competitive basis , for a cumulative
period of more than five (5 ) years or, in the case of a contract which
the Recycling Board has authorized to be made for a longer period for
purposes of capitalization, more than ten ( 10) years.
E . Nothing in this Act shall prevent any municipality, other
jurisdiction, or other organization within Alameda County from raising
or expending additional funds or taking other actions in support of
recycling programs .
F . Commencing January 1 , 1995 , the Recycling Board may vote, with the
concurrence of the Board of Supervisors and a double majority of the
cities , to adjust the distribution of funds under Paragraph 64 . 060(B )
in order to further progress toward the recycling policy goal then in
effect .
SUBSECTION 64 .070 : MUNICIPAL RATE STRUCTURES
A. In order to be eligible to receive monies from the Recycling Fund,
each municipality must , either by adjusting local refuse collection
rates or by instituting a product disposal fee, provide for full
reimbursement to its local refuse haulers) for the costs of the
surcharge established by Paragraph 64 .050(A) .
B . Upon request of a municipality, the Recycling Board shall cooperate
with said municipality, the Alameda County Joint Refuse Rate Review
Committee and the refuse haulers) serving said municipality to design
an incremental refuse collection rate structure which will :
1 . Fully reimburse said haulers) for the increased costs resulting
from the surcharge established by Paragraph 64 . 050(A) ;
2. Encourage source reduction and recycling among residents by
charging successively higher amounts for each garbage can
collected; and
3. Provide residents with the option to use smaller garbage cans at
a decreased rate in order to reward source reduction and
recycling.
C. Upon request of a municipality, the Recycling Board shall cooperate
with said municipality, the Alameda County Joint Refuse Rate Review
Committee, and the refuse haulers) serving said municipality to
design a product disposal fee, to be levied on purchases of products ,
7
with emphasis on those products that either are non- recyclable or are
environmentally harmful , which will :
1 . Allow said municipality to fully reimburse, in lieu of or in
addition to an increase in refuse collection rates , said
haulers) for the increased costs resulting from the surcharge
established by Paragraph 64.050(A);
2. Encourage source reduction among residents; and
3. Discourage the purchase of environmentally harmful products .
SUBSECTION 64 . 080: SOURCE REDUCTION PROGRAM
The Recycling Board shall disburse monies allocated in Subparagraphs
64 . 060(A) (2 ) and 64 .060(B) (3) , on a discretionary basis, for the
development of an Alameda Countywide Source Reduction Program. Funded
components of the Source Reduction Program shall include, but shall not be
Limited to, the following :
A. A county waste minimization program with a goat of reducing the weight
of County purchases , and with a specific goal of reducing the weight
of County purchases of paper products by ten percent ( 10X) by January
1 , 1995 , and by fifteen percent ( 15X) by January 1 , 2000 . Said
program shall emphasize the conservation of paper products by means of
a comprehensive employee education program. The Recycling Board may
establish further goals for reduction in County purchases .
B . An annual non-monetary award program for businesses which demonstrate
a significant reduction in the use of packaging materials or the use
of materials in manufacturing processes, or waste reduction through
the durability and/or recyctability of their products .
C. An industry and/or university program to research and develop source
reduction opportunities and incentives.
D. An intensive public education campaign to promote alternative
individual consumer habits and in-house source reduction programs for
businesses and institutions.
E . Disposal cost reduction studies and waste audit services to
demonstrate to businesses and institutions the efficacy of recycling
programs.
SUBSECTION 64 .090: RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING PROGRAMS
Within two (2) years of the initiation of the Recycling Fund, each
municipality receiving monies from the Recycling Fund shall provide a
Residential Recycling Program to every resident to whom refuse collection
service is offered on a regular schedule which is as frequent as said
refuse collection. , However, it shall not be mandatory to provide said
program to residents more than once a week.
8
SUBSECTION 64 . 100 : COMMERCIAL RECYCLING PROGRAMS
Within two (2) years of the initiation of the Recycling Fund, each
municipality receiving monies from the Recycling Fund shall make an
adequate Commercial Recycling Program available to every business,
government , and public or private institution to which refuse collection is
offered, on a regular schedule. Municipalities may determine that a
Recyclable Materials Recovery Program is an appropriate means of satisfying
a part of this requirement .
SUBSECTION 64 . 110: RECYCLED PRODUCT MARKET DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The Recycling Board shall disburse monies allocated in Subparagraphs
64 .060(A) (2) and 64 . 060(8) (4) of this Act , on a discretionary basis , for a
program to develop and expand markets for recycled products . Funded
components of the Recycled Product Market Development Program shall
include, but shall not be limited to, the following :
A. A regional cooperative marketing strategy;
B . Grants for demonstration projects targeted at new uses of recycled
materials and new techniques for recycling materials;
C. An Alameda County-wide information exchange which targets potential
users and sources of recycled products; and
D . Municipal programs to administer permit assistance to recycling
industries .
SUBSECTION 64 . 120: RECYCLED PRODUCT PURCHASE PREFERENCE PROGRAM
A. The County shall purchase Recycled Products where they are comparable
in function and equal in cost to products manufactured from virgin
materials.
B. The County shall apply, to the extent made possible by the
availability of monies under Subparagraphs 64 . 060(A) (2) and
64 .060(8) (5 ) , a price preference of ten percent ( 10X) to its purchases
of Recycled Products where said Recycled Products are comparable in
function to products manufactured from virgin materials .
1 . Price preferences shall be applied to a full range of recycled
product categories, including, but not limited to, recycled paper
products, compost and co-compost products, recycled glass,
recycled oil , and recycled solvents and paints .
2. The Recycling Board may establish a price preference which is
greater than ten percent ( 10X) for certain recycled product
categories , if it is demonstrated that the manufacturing costs
for said recycled product categories are higher than the
manufacturing costs for similar products produced with virgin
materials such that a ten percent ( 10X) preference is
9
insufficient for said recycled products to be competitive.
3 . Commencing January 1 , 1995 , the Recycling Board may reduce the
price preference for certain recycled product categories , if it
is demonstrated that the manufacturing costs for said recycled
product categories are competitive with the manufacturing costs
for similar products produced with virgin materials, and that any
such reduction will not result in a substantial decrease in the
percentage of recycled products purchased in the category
affected by the reduction.
4 . Any monies remaining after fulfilling the other requirements of
this Paragraph in a given year shall be apportioned by the
Recycling Board to municipalities which have established similar
price preferences and recycled product specifications .
C. Consistent with Paragraphs 64 . 120(A) and (B) , the County shall modify
its purchasing forms and procedures to ensure that , beginning no later
than one ( 1 ) year after the effective date of this Act , information as
to the recycled content , including both postconsumer discards and
secondary discards , of all supplies and materials purchased by the
County is available and taken into account during the purchasing
process. Said information shall also be obtained for the supplies and
materials portions of all public works contract bids that are received
by the County.
D . Any County agency which has responsibility for drafting or reviewing
specifications for procurement items shall be required to revise said
specifications, within one ( 1 ) year of the effective date of this Act ,
to eliminate exclusions of recovered materials and requirements that
said items be manufactured from virgin materials.
E . To the extent that the practice of accepting bids for multiple
products inhibits the purchase of recycled products, the County shall
accept bids for individual products and/or bids for fewer products .
F . The Recycling Board may establish standards for a recycled product
category which exceed the levels of postconsumer and secondary discard
content established by this Act, provided, however, that said
standards will not result in a substantial decrease in the percentage
of recycled products purchased in said category.
G. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, this Subsection
shall apply to the supplies and materials portions of all public works
contracts made by the County. The County may set minimum amounts of
recycled products, both by quantity and by category, to be utilized in
the execution of said contracts; and shall contract separately for the
supplies and materials portions of said contracts where such separate
contracting would result in more complete compliance with this Act
while not significantly increasing the cost of a given contract ,
except as allowed by Paragraph 64. 120(8 ) .
H . It shall a County policy goal to purchase recycled paper products such
that , by January 1 , 1995, at least fifty percent (50X) of the total
dollar amount of paper products purchased or procured by the County
10
shall be purchased or procured as recycled paper products . Not later
than January 1 , 1999, the Recycling Board shall recommend to the Board
of Supervisors further policy goals for County purchases of all types
of recycled products .
SUBSECTION 64 . 130: RECYCLING BOARD
A. The Board of Supervisors and the Authority shall appoint an eleven
( 11 ) member board, to be known as the Alameda County Source Reduction
and Recycling Board (Recycling Board) , to administer this Act as well
as to carry out any other tasks consistent with the purposes of this
Act that may subsequently be given to the Recycling Board by the
voters or the Board of Supervisors.
B . To avoid unnecessary administrative duplication, the Board of
Supervisors shall seek the consent of a double majority of the cities
for the Recycling Board to serve as the local task force mandated by
California Public Resources Code Section 40950 (as enacted by the
CIWMA) . A failure to obtain such consent shall not be construed to
inhibit the establishment of the Recycling Board. In the event that
the Recycling Board is not named as said local task force, the
Recycling Board shall review any recommendations of a local task force
regarding source reduction and recycling.
C . To further avoid unnecessary administrative duplication, the Authority
may, within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this Act , accept
the Recycling Board as a subsidiary body of the Authority. Should the
Authority not so accept the Recycling Board, or if the Authority at
any time ceases to exist , the Recycling Board shall be established as
a separate entity within the structure of County government . However,
notwithstanding an initial failure by the Authority to so accept the
Recycling Board, the Board of Supervisors may at any time, upon
request of the Authority, make the Recycling Board a subsidiary body
of the Authority.
D . Members of the Recycling Board shall be appointed in accordance with
the following :
1 . The Authority may appoint five (5) of its members to sit on the
Recycling Board. Should any or all of said five (5 ) Recycling
Board members not be appointed by the Authority within four (4)
months of the effective date of this Act, the Board of
Supervisors shall cooperate with a double majority of the cities
to appoint said member or members, except that a member appointed
under such circumstances need not be a member of the Authority,
but must be a member of the governing body of a municipality.
2 . The Board of Supervisors shall appoint six (6) Alameda County
residents to the Recycling Board as follows:
a. A representative of an organization engaged primarily in
operating recycling programs within Alameda County;
b. A source reduction specialist with substantial experience as
11
such;
C . A representative of the recyclable materials processing
industry;
d. A representative of the solid waste industry;
e . A representative of an environmental organization with a
significant membership active in recycling issues within
Alameda County; and
f . An environmental educator employed as such on a full - time
basis .
3 . The membership of the Recycling Board shall reflect expertise in
the field of source reduction and recycling .
4 . No for-profit corporation, including its divisions , affiliates ,
parents and subsidiaries , wholly or partially owned, may have
more than one ( 1 ) employee or representative on the Recycling
Board at any one ( 1 ) time.
5 . All members of the Recycling Board shall be appointed within four
(4 ) months of the effective date of this Act . Members of the
Recycling Board shall serve a term of two (2) years , and may be
reappointed for one ( 1 ) successive term, except that , for the
purpose of ensuring continuity in the administration of this Act,
the initial terms of two (2) of the members appointed by the
Authority and three (3) of the members appointed by the Board of
Supervisors shall be one ( 1 ) year. Should a Recycling Board
member appointed by the Authority cease to be a member of the
Authority, or if a Recycling Board member who is a member of the
governing body of a municipality should cease to be a member of
said governing body, or if a Recycling Board member ceases to be
a resident of Alameda County, her or his seat on the Recycling
Board shall be immediately deemed to be vacant .
b. Should a Recycling Board member for any reason vacate her or his
seat , the governing body (or bodies) that appointed said member
shall appoint a new member within two (2) months of the date the .
seat is vacated, except that if the appointing body is the
Authority and the Authority has either ceased to exist or has
failed to appoint a new member within said two (2) month period,
the Board of Supervisors shall cooperate with a double majority
of the cities to make the appointment. All such appointments to
the Recycling Board shall otherwise be made in compliance with
the requirements that applied to the original appointments .
7. In the event of temporary incapacity or other inability to attend
Recycling Board meetings, a Recycling Board member may request
that the governing body (or bodies) that appointed said member
appoint an interim Recycling Board member to serve, for a period
of no more than three (3) months, in the place of said member.
E . The Recycling Board shall schedule and conduct regular meetings at
12
least once each calendar month, and shall schedule special meetings
and committee meetings as necessary to the business of the Recycling
Board. Regular meetings shall be scheduled with at least one ( 1 )
month advance notice to the public . Special meetings and committee
meetings shall be scheduled with at least one ( 1 ) week advance notice
to the public.
F . Recycling Board members shall attend at least three fourths (3/4 ) of
the regular meetings within a given calendar year . At such time as a
member has been absent from more than one fourth ( 1/4 ) of the regular
meetings in a calendar year, or from two (2) consecutive such
meetings, her or his seat on the Recycling Board shall be considered
vacant .
G . Consistent with the principle of maximizing public participation in
all Recycling Board activities, the Recycling Board may establish
advisory committees and shall provide for full participation of the
public in the functions of such bodies .
H . The Recycling Board shall hold its meetings , hearings , public
hearings , and other proceedings in such places and at such times as
are likely to maximize access to said proceedings by as broad a range
of Alameda County residents as is reasonably possible. To this end,
the Recycling Board shall hold at least one ( 1 ) regularly scheduled
evening meeting per year in each supervisorial district in a location
accessible by public transit and shall ensure full access to all
Recycling Board meetings by the physically disabled.
I . All hearings , meetings , proceedings or other discussions of the
Recycling Board, or of any committee or other subsidiary body of the
Recycling Board, shall be open to the public, as shall the minutes,
records of proceedings or documents received or discussed by the
Recycling Board or its subsidiary bodies . Access to meetings or
documents of the Recycling Board may be restricted only in
circumstances authorized by those provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act
(California Government Code Sections 54950 et seq. ) , or of the
California Public Records Act (California Government Code Sections
6250 et seq. ) , or of any successor legislation to either said act ,
relating to actual or imminent litigation or to evaluation of an
employee of the Recycling Board. No such restriction shall be lawful
unless it is first justified in the relevant written notice of meeting
by specific identification of the actual or anticipated litigant or by
specific identification of the position of the Recycling Board
employee to be evaluated. All Recycling Board documents shall be made
available for copying by members of the public for the direct cost of
the copies only, not to exceed a limit of ten ( 10) cents per page.
Said limit may be adjusted by the Recycling Board in direct proportion
to the Consumer Price Index.
J . The Recycling Board shall formulate rules for its own procedures and
other rules as necessary to facilitate the implementation of the
provisions of this Act .
K. Each Recycling Board member shall have one ( 1 ) vote. A quorum for
decisions of the Recycling Board shall be a majority of its members,
13
except that a smaller number may vote to adjourn meetings .
L . The members of the Recycling Board shall elect from their number a
chair to be the presiding officer of said Recycling Board. The term
of office of said chair shall be no more than one ( 1 ) year and shall
expire at the end of the calendar year in which the chair sits .
H. Each Recycling Board member shall receive compensation not to exceed
three thousand dollars ($3, 000 . 00) for one ( 1 ) calendar year , not to
exceed one hundred dollars ($100. 00) for each regular meeting of the
full Recycling Board, or each special meeting or committee meeting of
at least two (2) hours duration, which said member has attended.
N . The Recycling Board shall hire such staff as are required to implement
the provisions of this Act . Staff salaries and benefits shall be paid
out of the monies allocated for the administration of this Act ,
pursuant to Subparagraphs 64.060(8) (2) and 64 . 060(C) (6) .
0. The Recycling Board may apply for , receive and expend supplementary
funding grants from private and public sources .
P . Conflicts of Interest :
1 . No Recycling Board member shall participate in any Recycling
Board action or attempt to influence any decision or
recommendation by any employee of or consultant to the Recycling
Board which involves herself or himself , or which involves any
entity with which the member is connected as a director, officer,
elected official , consultant , or full - time or part- time employee,
or in which the member has a direct personal financial interest
within the meaning of California Government Code Section 87100,
or any successor statute thereto.
2. No Recycling Board member shall participate in any proceeding
before any agency of either the County or a municipality as a
consultant or in any other capacity on behalf of any solid waste
handler, recycling organization, or other person or organization
which actively participates in matters before the Recycling
Board. Nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to prohibit
a representative from a municipality from fully participating in
the deliberations of her or his own governing board.
3 . For a period of one ( 1 ) year after leaving her or his seat on the
Recycling Board, a former Recycling Board member shall not act as
an agent or attorney for, or otherwise represent ,. any other
person before the Recycling Board by making any formal or
informal appearance or by making any oral or written
communication to the Recycling Board.
0 . Ex Parte Communications:'
1 . No Recycling Board member, or person who serves as a consultant
or in any other capacity on behalf of a solid waste handler,
recycling organization, or other public or private entity which
actively participates in matters before the Recycling Board, or
14
other person who intends to influence the decision of a Recycling
Board member on a matter before the Recycling Board, excepting a
staff member of the Recycling Board acting in her or his official
capacity, shall conduct an ex parte communication unless the
following steps are taken:
a . The Recycling Board member shall notify the person who
engaged in the ex parte communication that a full disclosure
of said communication must be entered in the Recycling
Board' s record; and
b. Either the Recycling Board member or the person who engaged
in said communication shall , prior to the next regularly
scheduled meeting of the Recycling Board, submit a full
written disclosure of said communication which shall be
entered in the Recycling Board' s official record.
2 . For the purposes of this Paragraph , "ex parte communication"
shall mean any oral or written communication concerning matters ,
other than purely procedural issues , under the jurisdiction of
the Recycling Board which are subject to a vote of the Recycling
Board, but shall not mean any such communication performed before
the Recycling Board, or any subsidiary body thereto.
R . Violations of Paragraphs 64 . 130(P) or (Q) shall be punishable as a
misdemeanor.
S. Upon request of any person or on her or his own initiative, the
Alameda County District Attorney may file a complaint in Alameda
County Superior Court alleging that a Recycling Board member has
knowingly violated Paragraphs 64 . 130(P) or (Q) , including the facts
upon which said allegation is based, and asking that said Recycling
Board member be removed from office. If , after trial , the court finds
that the Recycling Board member has knowingly violated either of said
Paragraphs, it shall enter a judgement removing said member from
office.
T . All documents issued by or in the name of the Recycling Board shall be
printed double-sided on recycled paper with the highest postconsumer
content available.
SUBSECTION 64 . 140: PROHIBITION OF INCINERATION
It shall be unlawful to operate any incinerator within Alameda County.
Furthermore, it shall be unlawful to landfill within Alameda County the ash
or residue from any incinerator, regardless of the location of said
incinerator.
SUBSECTION 64 . 150: DEFINITIONS
The following words and phrases used in this Act shall have, for the
purposes of interpreting and applying this Act , the following meanings :
15
A. "Act" shall mean this Section, Section 64 of the Alameda County
Charter as enacted by the Alameda County waste Reduction and Recycling
Act of 1990.
B . "Alameda County" shall mean the geographic entity, including both the
incorporated and unincorporated areas .
C . "Authority" shall mean the Alameda County Waste Management Authority.
D . "Board of Supervisors" shall mean the Alameda County Board of
Supervisors .
E . "Buy-Back Program" shall mean a program to purchase recyclable
supplies , materials or goods from the public.
F . "Charter" shall mean the Alameda County Charter as amended by this
Act .
G . "CIWMA" shall mean the California Integrated Waste Management Act of
1989, presently codified as California Public Resources Code Sections
40000 et seq.
H . "Commercial Recycling Program" shall mean a program to collect ,
purchase, receive, process, and/or market discarded materials
generated by businesses or institutions, public or private, for the
purpose of recycling said discarded materials; and shall include a
Recycling Education Program to encourage the participation of said
businesses or institutions.
I . "Compostable materials" shall mean nontoxic materials collected for
composting, including, but not limited to, plant debris, putrescibles,
wood and soils .
J . "Composting" means the controlled biological decomposition of organic
materials that are separated from the discarded materials stream.
K. "Composting Program" shall mean a program to collect , purchase,
receive, process, and/or market compostable materials, or co-compost
said compostable materials with manures, dairy discards, or fish
processing discards, with the aim of producing a nontoxic finished
product usable as a compost , soil amendment, landfill cover, or
potting soil .
L . "Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Program" shall mean a
program to collect , purchase, receive, process, and/or market
discarded materials generated in the construction and/or demolition of
improvements to real property.
M . "Consumer Price Index" shall mean the index for the San Francisco Bay
Area issued by the United States Department of Labor.
N . "County" shall mean the government of Alameda County, including any
department , board, commission, agency or duly authorized official
thereof .
16
0. "Discarded materials , " "discarded materials supply" and "discards"
shall mean materials that a person, business, industry, or institution
has delivered to a disposal facility, or has set in or next to a
receptacle that is regularly emptied for disposal , or has abandoned in
a public place, but shall not be construed to mean materials that must
be handled as hazardous or infectious waste; and shall be composed of
the following categories :
1 . "Chemicals , " including , but not limited to, recyclable and/or
reusable solvents , paints, motor oil , and lubricants;
2 . "Crushables , " including , but not limited to, rock, ceramics,
concrete, and nonreusable brick;
3 . "Glass, " including , but not limited to, glass containers and
window glass;
4 . "Manures , " including, but not limited to, sewage sludge that has
been dewatered, treated or chemically fixed, and livestock and
horse manure;
S . "Metals , " both ferrous and nonferrous , including cans, parts from
abandoned vehicles , plumbing, fences , metal doors and screens ,
and any other discarded metal objects;
6. "Paper , " including, but not limited to, newsprint , ledger paper,
computer paper, corrugated cardboard and mixed paper;
7. "Plant debris, " including, but not limited to, leaves , cuttings,
and trimmings from trees, shrubs and grass;
B. "Plastics , " including, but not limited to, beverage containers ,
plastic packaging , tires, and plastic cases of consumer goods
such as telephones or electronic equipment;
9. "Putrescibles, " including, but not limited to, garbage, offal ,
and animal , fruit and vegetable debris;
10. "Reusable goods, " including intact or repairable home or
industrial appliances, household goods, and clothing; intact
materials in demolition debris, such as lumber or bricks;
building materials such as doors , windows, cabinets, and sinks;
business supplies and equipment; lighting fixtures; and any other
item that can be repaired or used again as is;
11 . "Soils, " including, but not limited to, excavation soils from
barren or developed land, and excess soils from yards;
12 . "Textiles, " including, but not limited to, nonreusable clothing,
upholstery and pieces of fabric; and
13 . "Wood, " including, but not limited to, nonreusable lumber and
pallets.
P. "Disposal facility" shall mean a facility to receive, purchase,
17
process, incinerate and/or landfill discarded materials .
0. "Double majority of the. cities" shall mean a majority of the cities
representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of
Alameda County.
R . "Drop-Off Program" shalt mean a program to accept the donation of
recyclable materials at a fixed site for the purpose of recycling said
materials .
S. "Hazardous waste" shall mean any material defined as hazardous waste
by California Health and Safety Code Section 25117, or by any
successor statute thereto, but notwithstanding said section or
successor statute shall include ash and/or residue from an
incinerator .
T . " Incinerator" shall mean a facility that burns , as a means of disposal
and/or energy production, refuse, refuse-derived fuel , any material
recovered from a mixed supply of discarded materials , any type of
plastic, and/or any type of hazardous waste, but shall not mean a
facility dedicated to burning infectious waste or potentially
infectious waste.
U. " Infectious waste" shall mean any material defined as infectious waste
by California Health and Safety Code Section 25117. 5 , or by any
successor statute thereto.
V. "Landfill " shall mean a facility that buries discards as a means of
disposal .
W. "Municipal recycling programs" shall mean recycling programs within a
municipality, or recycling programs administered as a joint effort
between municipalities .
X . "Municipality" shalt mean a city or sanitary district located in
Alameda County.
T . "Postconsumer discards" shalt mean finished materials which would have
been disposed of as discarded materials, having completed their life
cycle as consumer items, and does not include manufacturing discards .
Z. "Recyclable Material Recovery Program" shall mean a program to
receive,. separate, and process mixed discarded materials for the
purpose of removing materials which will later be used in the
fabrication or manufacture of recycled products .
AA. "Recycle" or "recycling" shall mean a process by which any good,
material , supply or other object , which otherwise would be wasted, is
recycled, reused, salvaged, or.. otherwise retrieved, collected,
processed and/or marketed for return to use by society, either in its
original form or in a new form; but shall not mean, with the exception
of compost used for landfill cover, a program for landfilting or
incinerating .
Be . "Recycled product" shall mean a product, good, material , or supply, no
18
less than fifty percent (50X) of the total weight of which consists of
secondary and postconsumer discards with not less than ten percent
( 10X) of its total weight consisting of postconsumer discards; or any
product , good, material or supply which has been diverted from the
supply of discarded materials by refurbishing and marketing said
product , good, material or supply without substantial change to its
original form.
CC. "Recycled Product Market Development Program" shall mean a program to
create or improve markets for recycled products , including, but not
Limited to, one that facilitates the exchange of information between
potential sources and users of recycled products; supports the
development of techniques , systems, and practices of incorporating
recycled materials into finished products; encourages enterprises that
use recycled materials in place of non- recycled materials; and/or
assists in the establishment of cooperative arrangements or
organizations for marketing or purchasing recycled products .
DD . "Recycling Board" shalt mean the Alameda County Source Reduction and
Recycling Board established pursuant to this Act .
EE . "Recycling Education Program" shall mean a program to promote
participation in recycling programs and/or disseminate information
about the benefits of recycling; and encouraging sound consumption and
disposal practices by using language and concepts consistent with
achieving a sustainable environment .
FF . "Recycling Fund" shall mean the Alameda County Recycling Fund
established pursuant to this Act .
GG. "Recycling Plan" shall mean the Alameda County Recycling Plan
established pursuant to this Act .
HH . "Recycling programs" shalt mean Buy-Back Programs , Commercial
Recycling Programs, Composting Programs, Construction and Demolition
Debris Recycling Programs , Drop-Off Programs, Recyclable Material
Recovery Programs, Recycled Product Market Development Programs ,
Recycled Product Purchase Preference Programs, Recycling Education
Programs , Residential Recycling Programs, Salvage Programs, Source
Reduction Programs, and/or research and planning to implement any of
said programs .
ll . "Refuse" shall mean mixed discarded materials that are disposed of by
landfilling or incineration, including, but not limited to, discarded
materials that have been contaminated and thus rendered non- recyclable
during the disposal process, either by being mixed during compaction
or by any other process, and discarded products of a manufacturing
process which combines natural resources in a manner which renders
said resources unrecoverable.
JJ . "Residential Recycling Program" shall mean a program to collect at
Least three (3) different kinds of materials, from at least two ( 2)
different categories of discarded materials, by means of one ( 1 ) or
more containers , separate from conventional garbage containers, where
said recyclable materials are placed by residents at the curb or an
19
equivalent location; and shall include a Recycling Education Program
to encourage the participation of residents .
KK. "Salvage Program" shall mean a program to collect , purchase, receive,
process and/or market any fabricated good, material , and/or supply for
reuse.
L.L . "Secondary discards" shall mean finished products , or fragments of
finished products , of a manufacturing process which has converted a
resource into a commodity of real economic value, and includes
postconsumer discards; but shall not include excess virgin resources
of said manufacturing process, such as fibrous wood discards generated
during the manufacturing process , including fibers recovered from
waste water , trimmings of paper machine rolls (mill broke) , wood
slabs , chips, sawdust , or other wood residue.
MM . "Source Reduction Program" shall mean a program that results in a net
reduction in the generation of discarded materials , including , but not
Limited to, a program to reduce the use of non- recyclable materials
and hazardous waste; replace disposable materials and products with
reusable materials and products; reduce packaging; reduce the amount
of plant debris generated; reduce the amount of household hazardous
waste generated; establish refuse collection rate structures with
incentives to reduce the amount of refuse that generators produce;
increase the efficiency of the use of paper, cardboard, glass, metal ,
plastic, and other materials in the manufacturing process; and/or
maintain public education programs to accomplish any of these ends;
but shall not be construed to include any steps taken after the
material is discarded.
NN . "waste" shall mean discarded materials that have been rendered
valueless by being incinerated, 'buried, contaminated, or otherwise
destroyed; or the act of incinerating, burying, contaminating, or
otherwise destroying the value of discarded materials .
SUBSECTION 64. 160: EFFECTIVE DATE
Unless otherwise specified in this Act , the provisions of this Act shall
take effect on the date it is accepted for filing by the California
Secretary of State.
SUBSECTION 64 . 170: EFFECT ON OTHER COUNTY LAWS
No provision of this Act shall be construed to bar the enforcement of any
existing County ordinances or regulations where the subject matter of said
ordinances or regulations is wholly or partly the same as that of this Act ,
or to bar the enactment of any future such County ordinances and
regulations . All County ordinances or regulations involving the subject
matter of this Act shall be construed to further the purposes of this Act .
SUBSECTION 64 . 180 : STATUS OF EXISTING CHARTER PROVISIONS
20
Any provision of the Alameda County Charter in effect prior to the
effective date of this Act which conflicts in any way with any provision of
this Act is hereby declared to be amended by implication. No such existing
provision of said charter shall be construed to affect the application of
any provision of this Act in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of
this Act .
SUBSECTION 64 . 190: SEVERABILITY
If any subsection, paragraph , subparagraph , sentence, clause, or word of
this Act is held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, either on its face
or as applied, the invalidity of said part or application thereof shall not
affect the validity of the other parts of this Act , or the applications
thereof ; and to that end the parts and applications of this Act shall be
deemed severable. It is hereby declared, notwithstanding any finding that
a part or application of this Act is unconstitutional or otherwise invalid,
that each of the parts of this Act would have been enacted separately.
21
! COUNTY COUNSEL'S ANALYSIS OF MEASL._ D
' Measure D, if approved by a majority of the voters, will amend the Alameda
County Charter to provide a Source Reduction and Recycling Plan, which is
intended to conform to the California Integrated Waste Management Act. This
already existing state Act requires all California cities and counties to
plan, fund, and implement a source reduction and recycling program.
Measure D includes programs to: (1) encourage reduction of landfill refuse
through public education campaigns, (2) change consumer habits and promote
conservation of paper products, (3) provide residential and commercial
-` recycling programs, and (4) encourage recycled materials markets. The measure
prohibits all incineration of refuse within Alameda County.
The measure institutes a $6 per ton surcharge on refuse disposed of in
landfills. Under this measure, the Board of Supervisors is required to ensure
the collection of this surcharge, which will be passed on to residents and
businesses. The fees so -collected will be paid to a Recycling Fund estab-
lished pursuant to this measure. Eighty percent of the Fund monies are to be
apportioned on a per capita basis to municipalities for the planning and
implementation of residential and/or commercial recycling programs. The
remaining funds are for the development and implementation of a source
reduction program and for administration expenses of the measure's provisions
which, after a start-up period of 28 months, are not to exceed 370 of total
funds.
Administration of this measure is by an eleven-member Recycling Board, to
be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and the County's Waste Management
Authority, for a term of two years. Compensation of each Recycling Board
member may not exceed $3,000 annually. The Recycling Board will be a
subsidiary of the Waste Management Authority, or, if not so accepted by the
Authority, will be established as a separate entity within the County
government.
The effect of the measure on existing law is uncertain; if. there are legal
challenges, the courts may prevent portions of the measure from taking effect
on the grounds that some of its provisions appear to conflict with the
California Integrated Waste Management Act or impinge on the powers of
cities. For example, the $6 per ton surcharge may violate the provisions of
the Act, which require that fees imposed be based upon the types or amount of
waste and the actual costs of. implementing waste management plans. The
measure permits cities to avoid the obligation to establish residential and
commercial recycling programs by choosing not to seek recycling funds. By
including cities within its definition of "Alameda County," the measure's
countywide restrictions and regulations, including its ban on incinerators,
ra �
the $G p e
er ton surcharge, skid she required /5% reuuctlua in refuse at cne
source, appear to affect even those cities which choose not to seek recycling
board funds. This apparent attempt to regulate activities within cities in
ways not required by the Act appears to violate provisions of the California
Constitution relating to the powers of municipalities.
KELVIN H. BOOTY, JR.
COUNTY COUNSEL
The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure D. If you desire
a copy of the measure, please call the Elections Official's office at 272-6973
and a copy will be mailed to you at no cost to you.