Members of the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee FROM
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October 31, 2013 TO: Members of the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee FROM: Christine Smith, Phoenix, Chair SUBJECT: MEETING NOTIFICATION AND TRANSMITTAL OF TENTATIVE AGENDA Thursday, November 7, 2013 - 1:30 p.m. MAG Office, Suite 200 - Chaparral Room 302 North 1st Avenue, Phoenix A meeting of the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee has been scheduled for the time and place noted above. Members of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee may attend the meeting either in person, by videoconference or by telephone conference call. Those attending by videoconference must notify the MAG site three business days prior to the meeting. If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact Chair Smith or Julie Hoffman at 602-254-6300. Please park in the garage underneath the building, bring your ticket, and parking will be validated. For those using transit, Valley Metro/Regional Public Transportation Authority will provide transit tickets for your trip. For those using bicycles, please lock your bicycle in the bike rack in the garage. In 1996, the Regional Council approved a simple majority quorum for all MAG advisory committees. If the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee does not meet the quorum requirement, members who arrived at the meeting will be instructed a legal meeting cannot occur and subsequently be dismissed. Your attendance at the meeting is strongly encouraged. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please make arrangements for a proxy from your entity to represent you. Pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), MAG does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admissions to or participation in its public meetings. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Jason Stephens at the MAG office. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. TENTATIVE AGENDA COMMITTEE ACTION REQUESTED 1. Call to Order 2. Call to the Audience 2. For information. An opportunity will be provided to members of the public to address the Solid Waste Advisory Committee on items not scheduled on the agenda that fall under the jurisdiction of MAG, or on items on the agenda for discussion but not for action. Members of the public will be requested not to exceed a three minute time period for their comments. A total of 15 minutes will be provided for the Call to the Audience agenda item, unless the Solid Waste Advisory Committee requests an exception to this limit. Please note that those wishing to comment on action agenda items will be given an opportunity at the time the item is heard. 3. Approval of the June 20, 2013 Meeting 3. Review and approve the June 20, 2013 Minutes meeting minutes. 4. Holiday Recycling Videos 4. For information and discussion. In cooperation with members of the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee, the Maricopa Association of Governments recently completed six 30-second holiday recycling videos. The amount of waste generated increases during the holidays and the videos are designed to bring awareness to the opportunities for reducing, reusing and recycling. The MAG member agencies will be able to utilize the videos as part of their recycling education and outreach efforts during the holiday season. 5. Regional Solid Waste Management Statistics 5. For information and discussion. On April 2, 2013, a memorandum was distributed to members of the MAG Management Committee requesting updated regional solid waste and recycling data. Information on existing, planned, and closed facilities was also requested from the private sector. The updated data was compiled and redistributed to members of the MAG Management Committee on October 8, 2013 for a second review. The final solid waste management data and an overview of the information collection effort will be provided. 6. Green Waste Discussion 6. For information and discussion. In March 2012, the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee participated in a survey to assist with identifying future Committee discussions. One area of interest expressed by the Committee was green waste collection. Committee members will be invited to discuss current green waste programs, challenges experienced, and potential future opportunities. 7. Solid Waste Advisory Committee Activities and 7. For information and discussion. Next Steps In February 2012, the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee was reconvened to share ideas on best practices and discuss other solid waste matters. An overview will be provided of the regional solid waste management activities completed to date. In addition, there will be an opportunity for the Committee to discuss next steps. 8. Call for Future Agenda Items 8. For information and discussion. The next meeting for the Committee has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. For your convenience, the Tentative Meeting Schedule for the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee for March - November 2014 is provided. The Chair will invite the Committee members to suggest future agenda items. 9. Comments from the Committee 9. For information. An opportunity will be provided for Solid Waste Advisory Committee members to present a brief summary of current events. The Committee is not allowed to propose, discuss, deliberate or take action at the meeting on any matter in the summary, unless the specific matter is properly noticed for legal action. MINUTES OF THE MARICOPA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING Thursday, June 20, 2013 MAG Office Building Phoenix, Arizona MEMBERS ATTENDING Christine Smith, Phoenix, Chair Richard Allen, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Louis Andersen, Gilbert, Vice Chair Indian Community Cindy Blackmore, Avondale Manuel Castillo, Scottsdale Scott Lowe, Buckeye James Swanson, Surprise * Sheree Sepulveda, Chandler Charles Bladine, Tempe * Robert Senita, El Mirage * Helen Heiden, Arizona Chamber of Ernie Ruiz for Christina Betz, Glendale Commerce and Industry Willy Elizondo, Goodyear J.B. Shaw for Veronica Garcia, Arizona * Chuck Ransom, Litchfield Park Department of Environmental Quality Tara Acuna for Patrick Murphy, Mesa * Jill Bernstein, Keep Arizona Beautiful * Jerry Cooper, Paradise Valley Brian Kehoe, Maricopa County # Rhonda Humbles, Peoria Wendy Crites for Dan Casiraro, Salt River Ramona Simpson, Queen Creek Project Chris Coyle, Valley Forward *Those members neither present nor represented by proxy. #Attended by telephone conference call. OTHERS PRESENT Julie Hoffman, Maricopa Association of Larry Williams, United Fibers Governments Maher Hazine, City of Peoria Kara Johnson, Maricopa Association of Willie Black, Waste Management Governments Robin Thomas, Arizona Department of Lindy Bauer, Maricopa Association of Environmental Quality Governments Frank Shinzel, Maricopa County Air Quality Matt Poppen, Maricopa Association of Department Governments Richard Sumner, Maricopa County Air Quality Kelly Taft, Maricopa Association of Department Governments Deborrah Martinkovic, Maricopa County Air Cruz Robles Jr., City of Scottsdale Quality Department Bob Gedert, City of Austin 1 1. Call to Order A meeting of the MAG Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) was conducted on Thursday, June 20, 2013. Christine Smith, City of Phoenix, Chair, called the meeting to order at approximately 10:05 a.m. Rhonda Humbles, City of Peoria, attended the meeting via telephone conference call. Chair Smith stated that audience members are invited to use the microphone to ask questions after the presentations. 2. Call to the Audience Chair Smith provided an opportunity for members of the public to address the Committee on items not scheduled on the agenda that fall under the jurisdiction of MAG or items on the agenda for discussion, but not for action. She noted that according to the MAG public comment process, members of the audience who wish to speak are requested to fill out comment cards, which are available on the tables adjacent to the doorways inside the meeting room. Citizens are asked not to exceed a three minute time period for their comments. Chair Smith noted that no public comment cards had been received. 3. Approval of the March 21, 2013 Meeting Minutes The Committee reviewed the minutes from the March 21, 2013 meeting. Ramona Simpson, Town of Queen Creek, moved, and Willy Elizondo, City of Goodyear, seconded and the motion to approve the March 21, 2013 meeting minutes carried unanimously. 4. City of Austin, Texas, Zero Waste Goal and Resource Recovery Master Plan Bob Gedert, City of Austin, presented on the City of Austin’s efforts to achieve zero waste. Mr. Gedert provided a brief overview of his background and experiences and stated that he would be discussing advanced recycling activities, the growth of recycling within solid waste management, and materials management. Mr. Gedert indicated that the main purpose for his presentation is to be a resource and to promote the concept of integrated and expanded diversion activities through zero waste. Mr. Gedert reviewed the history of solid waste. He indicated that in Ancient Greece solid waste was the responsibility of individuals, not governmental agencies, and that waste composition was simplistic, consisting of ash, wood, pottery, broken tools, and spoiled food. There was no organized collection, and the disposal method was burial in the soil. He noted that the material was primarily compostable. Mr. Gedert noted that the concept of secondary life for materials started in this time since nearly everything was repaired or reused. During the Middle Ages, disposal methods for solid waste consisted of unmanaged urban pits which created rodent and sanitation problems. Mr. Gedert mentioned that the pits were sometimes burned. In terms of diversion, salvagers recovered and recycled many of the items including: metal, leather, textiles, and food scrap for animal feed. He commented that scavenger collection exploded even more during the Industrial Revolution because metal, glass, brick, charcoal and other building materials entered the waste stream. Scavengers now coordinated with city services, such as street sweeping, and would go out before street crews to clear the areas of debris and reusable items.