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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-03-09; City Council; 12096; HOME COMPOSTING PROGRAM.\ I HOME COMPOSTING PROGRAM J&cl staff to implement a home composting program in which up to 125 , participants are provided with home composting units at no charge in exch provision of estimated diversion data. ITEM EXPLANATION: Source reduction and recycling have been mandated by AB 939 and the Mi Recycling ordinance, and embraced by Carlsbad residents as a way of life. The yard waste curbside collection program has been successfully implementec diverting approximately 20% of the single-family residential wastestream. sponsored home composting program would supplement the curbside program, to achieve AB 939 diversion goals of 25% by 1995 and 50% by 2000. Composting yard waste at home before this material reaches the waste : consistent with the City's Source Reduction and Recycling Element adopted b; Council h June, 1992, In addition, finished compost returns nutrients to Curbside collection of yard waste requires separate routes and trucks, and di- much yard waste from the curb as possible will reduce collection, transport; disposal costs. Moreover, the San Marcos Landfill is experiencing a surplt waste material from the newly implemented programs in North County. An inquiry regarding interest in a home composting program was insert January, 1993 issue of Wastelines, delivered to all mailing addresses in the C has received 106 responses from residents who are interested in home compc responses continue to trickle in. Respondents have been sent a brief introduc informing them of the status of the program. HSW IMPACT 2. Sample Home Cornposting Diversion questionnaire I 0 PROPOSED PROGRAM a Staff proposes a program in which composthg units are provided to resj charge in exchange for participation in quarterly surveys to estimate the material diverted from disposal. Funds are available for this program , Waste Enterprise Fund. All those who have submitted interest forms will f and invited to a home composting workshop. Staff will make a brief p answer any questions, distribute the composters, and compile a list of pal In the fall of last year, staff obtained five sample composters. Subsc additional sample was obtained. A notice was placed in the City Manager' offering these samples to employees who are also residents of Carlsbad, in e their feedback. All five cornposters were placed. Over the course of the the participants lost interest and their composters were transferred to othe residents. Two participants have utilized their composters faithfiillj participant has utilized the composter sporadically. The recently acquired and the two transferred cornposters are currently being used. AU participants offered their feedback to staff on criteria that they considere in a composthg unit. Staff has compiled this feedback, and developed d criterion to select a composter for mass distribution. Enclosure: An enclosed composter allows the composting of kitchen scraps without roc into the pile. The ability to compost kitchen scraps is important becam which would otherwise be used to run these items through a dispos Composting kitchen scraps instead of running them through a disposer alsc burden to the sewer system. Additionally, an enclosed composter is more pleasing. Recycled Content: [n keeping with the city's Recycled Product Procurement Policy, recycled be a selection criterion. Post-consumer recycled content shall be cons favorably than post-industrial content. Continuous Process: Home composters either are batch or continuous process. Batch process user to place material into the composter and leave it alone until it is ( weeks later. A continuous process composter allows material to be a( continuously, while harvesting of finished compost can occur contin maximize diversion, staff recommends a continuous process composter. Durability: The product must be durable, and come with a warranty. Exhib i 1 e 0 Ease of Assernblv/Use: Ease of assembly and use will be considered in selection of a unit. A methc easy harvesting of finished compost shall be a selection criteria. - cost: Oftentimes, discounts can be obtained through quantity purchases. Ther recommends selecting one composting unit for the proposed program. Findings: The six composters tested were the Soilsaver, the Green Magic Tumbler, thf the Seattle Cornposter, the Presto, and the Earth Machine. Staff has evali products based on the above criteria. The Presto is not enclosed, and t eliminated. The Green Magic Tumbler utilizes the batch process. The Bic the Seattle Composter do not allow for easy harvesting. The remaining two composting units, the Soilsaver and the Earth Machin priced the same ($40 plus tax). However, the Earth Machine is easier to a available unpackaged (consistent with source reduction goals), and is madt post-consumer and 10% post-industrial plastic. The Soilsaver is made of industrial plastic. Additionally, the price of the Earth Machine includes Cornposting Book. Therefore, staff recommends the purchase of 125 Ed b @ ClTY OF GARZSBAD HOME COMPOSING PROGRAM Diversion Questionnaire 0 Thank you for participating in the City of Carlsbad's Home Composting Prc only will you be converting your yard and kitchen waste into a useful resou: garden, but will keep yard waste off the curb, and collection and disposal ( Please take the time to answer a few simple questions about the use of cornposting unit, These questionnaires will help staff assess the effective program. Thanks again for your help! 1. 2. My family -does -does not use our home composting unit on a re My family -does -does not intend to use our home compostin long-term basis. My family has - has not used the finished compost in the garc My family diverts approximately - standard garbage cans of was wastestream in an average week. (Please try to average fluctuatioi My family diverts approximately -% of the yard waste we genera MY family diverts approximately -Yo of the kitchen waste we gen There are - persons in OUT household. 3. 4. 5. 6, 7. The amount of material diverted is expected to fluctuate on a seasonal bas be sent questionnaires each quarter. Exhibit