Alternatives and Evaluation

5.4.1 Increase Commercial Waste Collection of Recyclable

Materials

The SCOOP program is one way collection companies are targeting commercial businesses to recycle mixed paper. There is a comprehensive strategy to implement more universal collection services for this waste stream. Data regarding waste disposed in Marion County suggest there may be a considerable amount of recyclable materials available for capture within the commercial waste stream. Studies indicate that businesses will respond to rate incentives and cost avoidance. The current rates provide reasonable incentives for businesses to consider smaller waste containers in conjunction with reduced frequency of pickups. In order for these incentives to

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materialize into increased recycling rates, education and promotion must include financial benefits.

The County, working with the Mid-Valley Garbage and Recycling Association and Garten, could consider expanding the current commercial recycling programs. This could be through a combination of collection in select targeted areas and/or establishing a pilot program for collecting commingled recyclable materials from certain businesses. The program should include a direct financial incentive for these customers to participate.

Some communities have considered instituting Disposal Bans (DB) or Mandatory Recycling Ordinances (MRO) to restrict generators from disposing of paper or other recyclables. These regulatory approaches require ongoing monitoring and enforcement to realize increases in recycling rates. However, studies indicate that volume based rates and high tipping fees are also effective incentives to recycle.

5.4.2 Develop Transfer Stations Capacity

For the past 20 years, the County and service providers have continued to develop the facilities needed to provide collection and transfer services.

The success of the waste reduction and recycling programs implemented over this period has aided in delaying the need for any new system capacity. While the need for this new capacity is not immediate, it is appropriate that in order to have the capacity available when it is needed, alternatives which are in the best interest of maintaining cost-effective services to users need to be evaluated and a course of action determined.

Several options for transfer station expansion or construction of new facilities are addressed below. Construction of transfer station facilities at MRRF or the WTEF are two possible solutions. Other alternatives include expanding existing transfer stations: NMCDF and SKRTS. At this time, these facilities accept only residential/commercial materials delivered directly by residents, but they could be expanded to allow access for commercial waste haulers. The possibility of constructing a transfer station at a new site is also explored.

Expand MRRF to Function as a Transfer Station

The MRRF, which currently accepts primarily C/D waste to be sorted for recyclables, is located near the WTEF. The MRRF and the WTEF are each about one-half mile from I-5. Based on site visits in June 2008, there appears to be space for expanding the existing MRRF facility or adding an additional building for transfer capacity.

The MRRF is situated between Salem and Woodburn, and is centrally located relative to waste generation. The proximity of the MRRF to I-5 also makes it easily accessible and increases convenience for haulers that are accustomed to transporting waste to the WTEF. If the WTEF remains in operation, all waste would be transferred to the same location, minimizing the transport distance to the WTEF. This should contribute to maximizing efficiency for haulers, which should translate into lower costs.

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One option discussed in Chapter 3 is to direct more waste from SKRTS to the MRRF for processing. Likewise, additional processing for commercial loads could be incorporated in a new or expanded facility. This has two advantages: 1) it will increase the recovery rate and 2) it will allow the facility to meter waste delivery to the WTEF and at certain times to the landfill.

Add Transfer Capacity at the WTEF

In response to the growing need to regulate or meter the delivery of waste to the WTEF, Covanta has prepared a site plan and proposed layout for expanding the tip floor and waste receiving area. In this plan, the WTEF could continue to receive waste at all times, including times of scheduled plant maintenance, planned downtime, or when waste exceeds capacity. During such times as the waste cannot be processed through the WTEF, the waste could be reloaded into transfer trailers for delivery to an appropriate disposal site.

This site would provide similar advantages to the alternative of expanding the MRRF. Its location in proximity to and access off I-5 are the same, and all waste could be metered and efficiently transported to out-of-County disposal sites.

In addition, expanding an existing facility is preferable to siting a new transfer station, if it is located properly. This option differs from the alternative to expand MRRF in that this proposed option does not currently include processing waste to recover materials.

Expand NMDCF to Function as a Larger Transfer Station

Another possible location for transfer station expansion is NMCDF. NMDCF has some advantages because it is located with relatively easy access and has space for expansion. NMDCF is located in the northern portion of the County (north of Woodburn) and is not centrally located relative to waste generation and disposal facilities. Because of this, transport to NMDCF will be less cost effective than other alternatives. However, the NMCDF site might be a desirable location if the County were to consider disposal at other landfills located outside of the County. If disposal options north of Marion County are utilized, the NMDCF may become more cost- effective.

Expand SKRTS

SKRTS is located close to areas of waste generation just off a State highway, providing easy access. It is located in the south part of the County and provides a means to cost-effectively transport waste to the Coffin Butte Landfill. To handle additional traffic, as well as to handle more waste, the facility would need to be modified. There is sufficient space to retrofit the existing transfer station, but the site does have certain limitations.

More study is required to determine how SKRTS could be expanded. However, its proximity to where most waste is generated, as well as its location relative to Coffin Butte, make this alternative desirable from a standpoint of service level and cost- effective transportation.

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Consider Other Possible Transfer Station Locations

Transfer stations could be located at a number of other areas in the County that meet the criteria of convenience, centralized location, available land, and transportation access. BI, for example, is centrally located and may be another potential location for siting of a transfer station.

Many factors should be considered in transfer station planning. Determination of the most suitable site for a transfer station would need to take into consideration the location of current and future disposal options. Transfer station needs would vary depending on which disposal options are selected in the future.

An important factor is whether the County continues to deliver waste to the WTEF after 2014 when the current contracts expire or begins to rely on other alternatives for managing waste. Relying on other management methods could include an alternative technology or disposal at regional landfills located in the Columbia Gorge. Another factor to consider will be the need to process and recover more material. With the waste stream growing and with limited transfer station capacity in existing facilities, the need to invest in new transfer capacity will increase in the near future.

5.5 Recommendations

Franchised haulers in Marion County provide relatively uniform and consistent services throughout the cities and unincorporated County. Over the last five years, the residential collection services have matured and appear to provide a majority of customers the opportunity to recycle and separate yard waste. One opportunity to expand recycling is to recover more materials from the commercial waste stream. This can be accomplished through several methods. One is to offer incentives to high-grade waste and possibly expand pickup of commingled materials from these sources. The materials can then be either processed in Marion County or transported to other processors in the region.

The current transfer station system has continued to evolve over the past 15 years and has provided convenient and reliable service to the customers. With growth in population and with current capacity of the WTEF, there will be an increasing need to more efficiently transport waste to alternative disposal sites. There is the possibility that increased disposal capacity could be developed in Marion County either with expansion of the WTEF or possibly alternative technology. However, this is unlikely in the near future, thus improvements in transfer station capacity are needed.