orange county solid waste management a sustainability challenge
TRANSCRIPT
Orange County Solid Waste Management
A Sustainability Challenge
HOW WE GOT INVOLVED
–Annual Village Spring Clean Up– Led to investigation recycling/trash disposal–Village – Town – County• Recycling – County Waste• Trash (garbage) – residents and
businesses choose hauler–Discovered Orange County has an
unacceptable Solid Waste Management Plan
WHY UNACCEPTABLE?• OC Solid Waste Mgmt.Plan expired 2010• http://
www.thrnewmedia.com/assets/OCSWMPDraft.pdf
• Plan written in 2010 was rejected by NY DEC June 5, 2012: No measurable goals/specific time periodsDid not cite county data sourcesNo plans w/specific details how to achieve goals
• No County response to DEC comments, in over 3 years, “no one has time.”
RECORD OF NON-PARTICIPATION
• OC is only county in New York State NOT sending a Recycling Coordinator to meetings dealing with solid waste issues.
• OC is only county in Region Three WITHOUT a Recycling Coordinator.
• Legislature voted to eliminate the position in 2010 after it had been vacant for 6 years.
WHY IMPORTANT? •“The environmental and public health benefits of recycling materials include energy savings, pollution reduction, reducing the volume of waste requiring disposal, and the conservation of natural resources.”
•Quote Source: www.thrnewmedia.com/assets/OCSWMPDraft.pdf
•No changes to OC Solid Waste Mgmt. practices since 1995.
•EPA: “OC now recycles less than it did in the past; much less than Ulster and Duchess counties.”
•Need to create green jobs and support sustainable businesses
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
• Unsustainable abuse of environment. • Waste of resources.• Payment of at least $310,000 fines in
rather than complying with federal, state, and county laws is a waste of money .
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED• Informed Warwick Mayor, Town Supervisor, Village
Trustee (2014)• Testified before OC Physical Services Committee
(2014/2015)• Won support of Committee Chairman, Barry Cheney &
others• Recycling Coordinator now approved line item in
proposed 2016 budget. • Networked with local, county, state environmental
&recyle groups – Commitments from Recycling Coordinators and ReUse Center
Operators to make presentations to officials/public
WHAT YOU CAN DO• Contact Steve Neuhaus & the Physical Services Committee
to ensure that Recycling Coordinator is actually hired & given measurable goals to improve the county’s solid waste management.
• Contact Steve Brescia, Legislature Chairman & legislators to insist that the legislature reinstate the bipartisan Green Committee.
• Begin a grass roots effort to improve, reuse, recycle -Increase recovery rates, green employment, support local business.
• Help host a Warwick spring event prior to Village Clean Up for individuals to recycle, rather than trash, usable goods.
LEGISLATORS’ CONTACT INFO• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]
NEXT STEPS
• In order to capitalize on our accomplishments we’d like to:– Form a Sustainable Warwick committee to expand
public information about reuse/recycle/reduce– Enlist people now to join the committee– Contact [email protected]– [email protected]