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Home My WebLink About09/20/1990 SWC MinutesMOUNT PROSPECT RECYCLING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 20, 1990 PRESENT: Dick Bachhuber, Joe Kubik, Elizabeth Herbert, Paul Hoefert, C-eorge Luteri, Brian -Robertson, Ken Westlake and Mary Winkler. Glen Andler - Public Works '�taFf Lynn Herrick - Daily Herald Harold Rentschler - Mount Prospect Resident ABSENT: Steve Polit Chairman Westlake called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m. The august meeting minutes were reviewed. Joe Kubik suggested it be stated in the minutes that, in reference to Glen Andler's report on employee hours devoted to recycling, the work was accom- plished without additional staff or overtime. The minutes were then approved. Joe Kubik asked if.it would be possible for Mount Prospect resi- dents to drop off household hazardous waste at another village if and when they have a hazardous waste collection day. Ken Westlake and Glen Andler both commented that it probably wouldn't be allowed. Glen Andler added that Public Works has been in contact with Jim Miller of SET, a hazardous waste dispos- al firm. Jim Miller estimated that a typical household hazard- ous waste pick up for a village the size of Mount Prospect would involve about 1100 households, each dropping o=- _bout 100 lbs. of waste. With a disposal cost of $1.25 per._ =he total cost would be approximately $137,000. CITIZEN FORUM Harold Rentschler indicated he had no comments. Lynn Herrick said she was attending the meeting out of curiosity. M*�"Zi:N4fW -1 % 4 xJ Glen Andler reported the newsprint glut continues to have a negative effect on the recycling program. Paper users are cur- rently charging $5.00 per ton as a tipping fee for newsprint. They are not refusing to accept paper loads but are charging to offset warehousing costs. BFI asked that the Commission consid- er delaying collection of newsprint in the multifamily program. -2 - Glen Andler added that BFI is not bidding on additional recy- cling programs pending completion of their transfer/sorting facility in Palatine. The fall leaf program will continue as in prior years. The pickup schedule was published in the last Village Newsletter. Land acquisition for a new transfer site next to Melas Park is still being dealt with by the Village. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District has informally agreed to allow MelaF Park to continue to be used as a transfer site during the land acqui- sition effort. The organic farm in Barrington was inspected to see if the agreed upon space for leaves had been prepared. Most of the land had been cleared prior to the visit. The Village Newsletter offered loads of leaves to residents free of charge. George Luteri offered to encourage the Park District to apply some leaves to the community garden plots this fall. Various members commented there had been recent reports in news- papers about communities reconsidering bans on leaf burning. The issue has not been raised in Mount Prospect yet. Glen Andler announced that Mount Prospect is hosting a seminar on leaf collection for public works representatives from more than 70 communities. The Village's leaf program is considered a model program. RECYCLING QUESTIONNAIRE Ken Westlake and George Luteri completed the recycling question- naire revision in time to meet the printer's deadline. George Luteri noted two typographical errors in the galley proof but too late to correct prior to printing the quest: --.sire. The Village Newsletter should be printed and mail -t. end of Sep- tember. The strategy for tat-.:lating the results was discussed. A firm cut-off date was not established. However, most of the respons- es should be in within two or three weeks after the question- naire is delivered to the residents. Rather than hold a special meeting to tabulate the results, it was decided that each member would get a pile of questiurnaires to compile. Joe Kubik asked if the Commission should prepare in advance for potential questions about the questiornaire. The consensus was that the Public Works staff could deal with calls from residents. MULTIFAMILY PROGRAM Glen Andler presented a draft letter intended to introduce recy- cling to multifamily residents. Commission members made a num- ber of suggestions for rewording and reorganizing the letter. A second draft will be prepared. -3 - Ken Westlake suggested the Commission start thinking about hav- ing some speakers available if needed to answer questions by residents. Ken Westlake, Dick B_achhuber and Mary Winkler volun- teered. Because the price for newsprint went negative in August, Ken Westlake raised the question of whether newsprint should be collected from multifamily units, at least until the price situa- tion improves. 'The Commission members felt this couli. impart a negative impression about the recycling program and might compli- cate things later when it was decided to resume collecting news- print. Glen Andler commented that BFI expects to have its recyclables sorting facility on line by January or February 1991. ARC Dis- posal has taken over the old FSC facility on. -Busse Road. They expect to open a recyclables buy back operation in October. They don't expect this to cause a significant drain from the curbside collections. Paul Hoefert asked about the 800 curbside bins for multifamily units. Glen Andler indicated the bins are being distributed over abs-.: six weeks, starting at the south end of the Village and working north. The d'.stribution should be complete by Novem- ber 1. It was also asked if multifamily bins will be commingled as is planned for the multifamily dumpsters. Glen Andler re- plied that for now all recyclables in bins will be curb separat- ed. However, BFI is currently working on the economics of curb separation versus centralized separation. COMMERCIAL RECYCLING STATUS Paul Hoefert reported he had located three cc -.-4 s interested in recycling office paper. This information way ._assed to the Chamber of Commerce. All three companies later gave presenta- tions of their services to the Chamber. The general plan is to begin recycling office paper at the Kensington Business Center, then expand from there. Mary Winkler reported she tal'--d with Ward's management about recycling cardboard. She wds :;ld Wards collapses and back hauls their boxes to their warehouse. Cardboard from eight stores is baled at the warehouse and sold. Wards did not feel they generated enough cardboard at Randhurst to justify a baler at that site. Janet Hanson of The Chamber of Commerce asked Mary Winkler for information on anyone interested in collecting dry cleaner bags. Mary indicated she would find out who is collecting the grocery bags and pass that information on to Janet Hanson. -4 - OTHER BUSINESS SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION Ken Westlake lead a discussion concerning the future role of the Recycling Commission. Basically, the issue distilled down to whether the Commission should expand its role to cover solid waste issues or expand even further and include all environmen- tal issues. Most members were enthusiastic about dealing with solid waste but were divided about dealing with a broad range of environmental issues. There was concern expressed that many environmental problems can be difficult to deal with at a local level and that the Commission's effectiveness could be diluted if too many issues were addressed simultaneously. A subcommittee, consisting of Ken Westlake, George Luteri and Dick Bachhuber, was formed to review the issue in detail. SECOND RECYCLING BIN POLICY Glen Andler reported that he has residents for a second recycling for the second bin. To date, he guests. There have been about 30 This includes new residents that ments. New residents should get wasn't left with the house. been getting requests from some bin. Some have offered to pay has been refusing these re - requests per month for bins. want a second bin or as replace - their first bin free if one Ken Westlake suggested the Commission members begin thinking about how to deal with the addition of plastic bottles and tin cans when BFI is reac.� to start collecting these in 1991. PLASTICS Lisa Angell attended a plastic recycling conference on September 12, 1990. The National Association for Plastic Container Recov- ery (NAPCOR) is willing to help the Village (at no cost) set up a plastic recycling program. Glen Andler mentioned that BFI is plan..ing o1i collecting mixed plastics and sorting them at their new facility. ARC Disposal will also buy mixed plastic when they open the collection center on south Busse Road. Waste Management is a leader nationally in plastic recovery. They have formed a number of joint ventures with plastic manufacturers. -5 - The next Commission meeting was 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Public Works. 9:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, George Luteri jm/WASTE/SEPTRECY.MT scheduled for Thursday, October The meeting was adjourned at