HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09202011 - SD.3RECOMMENDATION(S):
RECEIVE a presentation from the Executive Director of the West Contra Costa
Integrated Waste Management Authority, also known as RecycleMore, about reducing
single-use bags in Contra Costa County; and
1.
REFER the matter of participating in a coordinated effort to reduce single-use bags in
conjunction with other agencies in Contra Costa County to the Transportation, Water
and Infrastructure Committee for further discussion.
2.
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 09/20/2011 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II
Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
Contact: Lorna Thomson,
925-335-1231
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 20, 2011
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc: Julie Bueren, Director, PWD
SD. 3
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Catherine Kutsuris, Conservation & Development Director
Date:September 20, 2011
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Presentation on Reducing Single-Use Bags in Contra Costa
FISCAL IMPACT:
No impact to the General Fund. Any staff work related to review by the Transportation
Water & Infrastructure Committee would be funded by solid waste franchise fees
(Department of Conservation & Development staff) or funds from the clean water
program/county watershed program (Public Works staff).
BACKGROUND:
Chris Lehon, the Executive Director of the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste
Management Authority, also known as RecycleMore, requested to make a presentation to
the County Board of Supervisors about reducing single-use bags. RecycleMore is a Joint
Powers Authority responsible for certain solid waste/recycling programs on behalf of
their member agencies. The member agencies are Contra Costa County and the cities of
El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, and San Pablo. The County is a non-voting
member pursuant to a separate Agreement. The County’s role on the RecycleMore Board
of Directors is to represent the adjoining unincorporated West County areas which are
served by programs administered by RecycleMore.
The issue of plastic film (thin single-use bags) was brought to RecycleMore Board of
Directors. The Board directed staff to gauge member agencies' level of interest in
supporting a regional approach to regulating single-use bags. RecycleMore staff was
directed to approach each member agency governing board to ask them to authorize their
agency's participation in this coordinated effort to explore the benefits and feasibility of a
single-use bag ordinance. The ordinance would regulate the distribution of free single-use
carryout bags at grocery stores and retail establishments. Some of the member agencies’
City Councils have already passed resolutions expressing support for this coordinated
effort.
Although the County is not a voting member of RecyleMore, the RecycleMore staff
believes the County’s participation in this coordinated effort is a key element to its
overall success. Therefore, RecyleMore staff has been in contact with County staff from
the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) and Public Works Department
(PWD). RecycleMore has convened meetings with staff from local agencies to begin
exploring what could be accomplished jointly. Current participants in this coordinated
effort convened by RecycleMore include the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste
Authority, the Contra Costa Clean Water Program, the County (PWD Watershed
Program and DCD), and local cities. To date, we know of two Contra Costa cities
(Clayton and Pinole) that are not planning to move forward with adopting a single-use
bag ordinance in the immediate future.
RecycleMore staff prepared a “Single-Use Bag Ban Feasibility Study” which was
released in May 2011 (copy attached). The Study provides background related to
single-use bag bans, including potential issues that would have to be addressed in moving
forward (such as complying with the California Environmental Quality Act or CEQA).
Since the attached Study was prepared, the State Supreme Court decision has been
released for the Manhattan Beach vs. Save the Plastic Bag Coalition case mentioned in
the Study. That Supreme Court decision includes the following quote:
“Substantial evidence and common sense support the city’s determination that its
ordinance would have no significant environmental effect. Therefore, a negative
declaration was sufficient to comply with the requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act.”
Single-use carry out bags comprise a high percentage of litter and debris found in local
waterways. Measures to reduce or eliminate this litter from waterways and other public
lands can be expensive, and thus, a burden to municipalities with already strained
budgets. Some California cities and counties are therefore looking to reduce the amount
of litter in their waterways by regulating the problem materials at the source. Moving
forward regionally is expected to be most effective in reducing the overall amount of
single-use bags and would help provide the most “even playing field” for local grocery
and retail stores potentially affected by single-use bag ordinance requirements.
In order to achieve the benefits intended for this kind of effort, it would be much more
efficient and effective to utilize a regional (multi-jurisdictional) approach. The primary
approach being discussed is the development of a model single-use bag ordinance that
could be used by the County and local cities. Alameda County is developing a
county-wide approach that would prohibit the distribution of single-use carryout paper
and plastic bags at the point of sale. Another approach to reducing single-use bags is
implementation of reusable bag programs. Reusable bag programs have been
implemented in portions of Contra Costa County by the Central Contra Costa Solid
Waste Authority and the Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition (BayROC).
There are two National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits which
regulate runoff in the County and they contain similar requirements to reduce the volume
of trash impairment in stormwater runoff. The requirements involve demonstrating at
least a 40% reduction of this trash by 2014/2015. Among the means by which this trash
load reduction may be accomplished is by banning (or otherwise regulating) certain types
of trash items. During trash cleanups/assessments conducted thus far, plastic bags have
constituted roughly 5%, and expanded foam polystyrene (foam packaging) has
constituted approximately 25% of the trash volume. Enacting bans that remove plastic
bags and foam packaging from the waste stream can play a very large part in the County
and Flood Control District meeting their requirements of these NPDES permits.
Considering that this issue is multi-departmental, DCD staff is recommending that the
Board refer the matter of potentially regulating single-use bags to the Transportation,
Water and Infrastructure Committee for further discussion.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The matter of participating in a coordinated effort to reduce single-use bags in
The matter of participating in a coordinated effort to reduce single-use bags in
conjunction with other agencies in Contra Costa County would not be referred to the
Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee for further discussion.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS
Single Use Bag Ban Feasibility Study