Chapter 2 – Planning for Zero Waste
The state of Washington requires each County to develop a comprehensive solid waste plan aligned with the state’s vision and priorities.1 The Thurston County Solid Waste Program is responsible for developing that state-required solid waste plan. Voluntarily, Olympia has created this separate Plan to guide city-level solid waste management. Olympia’s plan aligns with the vision and priorities of the state’s plan (Figure 1), which was developed by the Department of Ecology (Ecology), including an emphasis on moving toward zero waste and sustainable materials management.
View Figure 1 Washington 2021 Statewide Solid Waste Plan Vision and Priorities
Source: Ecology, “2021 State Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan”
This chapter summarizes how this 2023 2030 Plan was developed. It provides the rationale for aiming towards zero waste and describes the organizational relationships and the legal and policy framework within which the Waste ReSources Utility operates.
Zero Waste
Zero waste has been defined as “a philosophy and a design principle for the 21st†Century.” It includes going beyond recycling by taking a whole-system approach to prevent waste and minimize impacts across the entire lifecycle of materials, from extraction through manufacturing and distribution to usage and end-of-life management (Figure 2). The Zero Waste Alliance defines zero waste as:
The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.
View Figure 2 Materials Lifecycle Perspective
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The ever-increasing quantity of waste is a global problem, resulting from a growing population and the spread of consumer values and consumption. Society generally supports exploitation rather than conservation of raw materials and non-renewable natural resources.
Increased consumption and insufficient conservation result in air and water pollution, environmental exposure to toxic materials, and rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Because manufacturers are not accountable for the costs of managing products at end of life, they have no incentive to make end-of-life management cheaper or more environmentally sustainable.
The movement towards zero waste is a response to the environmental, economic, and operational issues created by increasing waste. The zero-waste approach seeks to:
• Consider the whole lifecycle of a product and ways to reduce waste in “upstream” production and distribution processes, as well as in “downstream” consumer choices and waste management practices.
• Support operational efficiency by reducing the overall amount of waste to be handled, and by facilitating shared public and private responsibility for end-of-life waste management.
• Reduce the total quantity of discarded material. The total “pile” of waste generated — everything “thrown away” or discarded — gradually shrinks over time.
• Recycle and compost the remaining discarded material. Of the shrinking pile of waste, the amount of material disposed in a landfill also shrinks as more and more material is recycled or composted.
Reducing overall waste generation and diverting the remaining discards from disposal to recycling or composting has environmental, public health, and economic benefits (Figure 3). Conventional production processes extract raw materials and use them to manufacture products. Recycling and reuse replace the raw material extraction stage by providing a recycled feedstock for manufacturing. The process is made easier with an upstream approach, which focuses on designing products and packaging with recycling and reuse in mind. The environmental and economic benefits of waste prevention are similar to the benefits of recycling, but even greater.
A zero-waste approach provides both environmental and economic benefits. Waste prevention, recycling, and composting can reduce GHG emissions, energy and water consumption, air and water pollution, and resource depletion. Recycling and composting also create more jobs than landfill disposal while also creating valuable inputs for new products.
Zero waste strategies applied widely could result in significant economic benefits both locally and globally. These include the economic value of reducing the environmental impacts described above, creating jobs, and saving waste management costs for individuals and businesses.
In the short term, Olympia’s residents and businesses can save on their garbage bills by implementing zero waste practices. Every ton of waste not generated in the first place saves the Utility $119 in disposal costs. Per ton, the processing costs for recycling and composting have been either cost-neutral or resulted in a cost savings of up to $75 per ton for the Utility. These savings, minus any increased labor and equipment costs, help control costs to ratepayers.
View Figure 3 Sustainable Management Approach
Source: Ecology, “2015 State Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan”
Planning Process
This Plan was prepared by Waste ReSources staff and Cascadia Consulting Group (Cascadia). To better understand the ability of the Utility to adapt to a changing world, Cascadia researched multiple topics for the creation of this Plan and summarized findings through a series of memos. The Utility reviewed and analyzed each of the following memos:
• Goals and Metrics memo (Appendix 5)
• Education and Outreach memo (Appendix 3)
• Fleet Electrification memo (Appendix 4)
• Multifamily and Multiuse Building Code and Collection Policies memo (Appendix 1).
Bell and Associates (Bell), working as a subconsultant to Cascadia, also conducted a baseline study of the cost of waste collection services to help determine the feasibility of various options for Waste ReSources, including a multi-year cost analysis (See Appendix 2). The research focused on feasibility of adopting shared compactor rates, providing commercial recycling service, and expanding single-family organics service.
The Plan was reviewed by the City’s Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) and the City Council’s Land Use and Environment Committee. The UAC serves as the principal public advisor on utility policy matters for the City’s four public utilities: Waste ReSources, Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Storm and Surface Water. Committee members played a key role in reviewing this Plan and provided recommendations for clarification and improvement. The Plan underwent an internal review by Waste ReSources staff; the City’s diversity, equity, and inclusion team; and visual design team.
Public Information and Involvement
Historically, the Utility has used varied levels of public involvement, starting with the first Toward Zero Waste Plan in 2008 and the 2015 update. For the 2023 2030 Plan, Waste ReSources sought public input through the coalition of neighborhood associations (CNA), a Utility bill insert, and posting the Draft Plan online. The City’s Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) gave input on the draft goals and strategies of the Plan in 2021 and 2022, and served as a primary policy advisor, followed by the City’s Land-Use and Environment Committee (LUEC). The Draft Plan was reviewed by the UAC and LUEC in 2022, prior to a public hearing and final adoption in 2023.
Ongoing Plan Review
Waste ReSources will manage the programs described in this Plan following the principles of adaptive management, which require routine review of effectiveness and course correction, as needed. The Utility will provide annual evaluations of program performance to the community and elected officials. This process will provide an opportunity to consider whether to revise strategies or programs.
Organizational Relationships
This section describes how the Waste ReSources Utility fits within the local and regional waste management system and the Public Works Department. The City of Olympia has a Council/Manager form of government, with an elected City Council that makes policy decisions and an appointed City Manager who oversees several departments, including Public Works.
Public Works Department
The Public Works Department is organized into six Lines of Business, illustrated in Figure 4. This structure streamlines accountability and decision-making. Each line of business includes program and planning, as well as operations and maintenance, to create a cohesive unit for each area of work. Figure 5 presents the organizational structure within the Waste ReSources Utility.
View Figure 4. Olympia Public Works Organizational Structure
Source: Waste ReSources Staff
View Figure 5 Waste ReSources Utility Organizational Structure
Source: Waste ReSources Staff
The Waste ReSources Utility is managed and funded as an enterprise fund, and therefore its financing is entirely self-supporting (see Chapter 7). Like other City utilities, Waste ReSources is responsible for its share of City overhead expenses. These include a portion of City and Public Works administration, legal and administrative services, computer and telephone networks, fleet services, buildings, insurance, and billing and janitorial services.
The Waste ReSources Line of Business is composed of two functional program areas:
1. Collection — operational staff responsible for day-to-day collection of solid waste and customer service (see Chapter 4).
2. Waste Prevention and Reduction — planning and program development staff responsible for strategic planning, policy formulation, and developing and maintaining education and outreach programs (see Chapter 5).
Legal and Policy Framework
This section highlights the legal and policy framework within which Waste ReSources functions: federal, state, and local laws and policies governing solid waste planning, handling and disposal, and collection and transportation.
Olympia Municipal Code Title 13, Chapter 12 (OMC 13.12) gives the City’s Public Works Department exclusive authority over collection of all residential and commercial garbage and residential recyclables. Commercial recyclable and organic materials are collected in an open competitive environment.
The key laws governing solid waste planning and management are:
• Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA, 1976 and 1984)
• Washington State Solid Waste Management Act (Chapter 70.95 RCW)
• Thurston County Board of Health Rules
• Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (RCW 35.21.120)
• Special solid waste laws governing product stewardship, recycling, and recovery
The plan remains consistent with the hierarchy of waste management practices established by the RCRA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (reduce, reuse, recycle, and responsible disposal), the state’s Beyond Waste Plan, Thurston County’s Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, and Olympia’s Comprehensive Plan.
Solid Waste Planning
Washington’s primary solid waste management law is the Solid Waste Management Act (Chapter 70A.205 RCW). It establishes the roles of local governments and the state in solid waste planning and management (70A.205.010 RCW). Olympia works with Thurston County to prepare revisions to the county-wide comprehensive solid waste management plan that meet the requirements of RCW 70A.205.040 Olympia is represented on the County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC), which includes an elected official from each jurisdiction, citizens, and waste and recycling industry representatives. Through the SWAC, Olympia is working to ensure that the Thurston County Plan offers services and infrastructure that help optimize the City’s zero†waste goals.
The Solid Waste Management Act also establishes waste management priorities and requires that comprehensive plans provide programs to address those priorities (RCW 70A.205.005 (8)). These priorities complement a zero-waste framework by focusing first on reducing waste generation and second on recycling, followed by other forms of waste management.
The City develops its own zero waste plan to provide a clear direction for its waste reduction, recycling, and waste management policy and services.
The following laws and regulations govern how Thurston County and the City of Olympia handle waste:
■ Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
■ Washington State Solid Waste Management Act
■ Solid Waste Management—Reduction and Recycling (Chapter 70A.205 Revised Code of Washington [RCW])
■ Minimum Functional Standards for Solid Waste Handling (Chapter 173-304 Washington Administrative Code [WAC]), including delegation of enforcement responsibility to local health departments
■ Recyclable materials—Transporter and Facility Requirements (Chapter 173-345 WAC)
■ Solid Waste Handling Standards (Chapter 173-350 WAC)
■ Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (Chapter 173-351 WAC)
■ Thurston County Board of Health Rules
Solid Waste Collection and Transportation
State law gives cities and towns the sole authority to provide solid waste collection service (RCW 35.21.120). The City of Olympia has chosen to offer services for garbage, recycling, and organic materials. However, it excludes authority over source-separated recyclables from commercial establishments. Olympia cannot restrict commercial recycling and composting practices.
Other State Special Solid Waste Laws
Washington State has special solid waste laws for certain goods, this includes extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for products like medicine, paint, mercury lights, and solar panels. In 2022 the State passed a law for organics collection, mandating that local governments increase the quantity and quality of organics collected. Washington’s solid waste laws for specific materials include:
■ Ban of Bundled Single Use Cutlery (SB-5022)
■ Mercury lights stewardship: LightCare (RCW 70.275)
■ Plastic Packaging – Evaluation and Assessment Act (RCW 70A.520)
■ Product stewardship for solar panels (RCW 70A.510)
■ Paint Stewardship: PaintCare (RCW 70A.515)
■ Secure Medicine Return (RCW 69.48)
■ Statewide Bag Ban (RCW 70A.530)
■ The Washington State Electronics Recycling Act (RCW 70.95N)
■ 2022 Organics Management Law (HB-1799)
Olympia Laws and Policies
The City of Olympia’s solid waste laws and policies are set forth in the Olympia Municipal Code and in Comprehensive Plan policies.
Municipal Code
Garbage collection and disposal is mandatory within the City of Olympia. Olympia Municipal Code Title 13, Chapter 12 (OMC 13.12) provides that the collection, removal, and disposal of garbage and refuse within the city is universal and compulsory and may be performed by the Public Works Department or other agencies designated by the City. Regulations in OMC 13.12 include disposal requirements, collection frequency, container specifications, rates, and recycling incentives.
Figure 6 Multi-Family Collection Site
Source: Waste ReSources Staff
Ordinance 5141 (November 1990) instructed the City Manager to implement programs to maximize the reduction and recycling of city-generated waste and to procure and promote the use of recycled and recyclable products.
The City’s Engineering Development and Design Standards (EDDS) guide how commercial, multifamily, and multiuse buildings provide space for solid waste storage and collection.
Resolutions
Over the years, City Council has passed several ordinances and resolutions to make its intentions clear:
• Resolution M-1550 (March 2004) adopted a strategy to manage and reduce City government energy and fuel consumption and GHG emissions.
• Resolution M-1621 (December 2005) defined strategies and guidelines to reduce and/or eliminate the purchase and use of pesticides and persistent toxic chemicals by the City.
• Resolution M-1641 (June 2006) directed the City to focus planning efforts on strategies towards achieving the vision of zero waste, and to work with all City departments to identify and implement internal zero waste strategies.
Thurston County Solid Waste Plan, http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/solidwaste/regulations/docs/PLAN.pdf.