Solid/Hazardous Waste Management

Solid Waste Division (SWD)

Pounds of solid waste disposed per employee per week countywide

2006 results: 25.6 pounds per week

Influencing factors: A growing economy in 2006 resulted in an increase in the number of employees in the county. However, since the growth was in the less waste-intensive service industries, the average pounds per week per employee was reduced in 2006.

Strategy going forward: The strategy for 2007 is for SWD to work with cities to increase recycling services in the non-residential sector.

Percent of single-family curbside solid waste stream that is recycled

2006 results: 53 percent

Influencing factors: King County Solid Waste Division (SWD) worked closely with cities to increase the availability of food waste recycling services. The Division also launched the "Recycle More. It's Easy to Do" media campaign which resulted in increased demand for recycling carts.

Strategy going forward: These efforts will continue in 2007.

Pounds of solid waste disposed per single family household per week

2006 results: 28 pounds per week

Influencing factors: King County Solid Waste Division worked closely with cities to increase the availability of food waste recycling services. The division also launched the "Recycle More. It's Easy to Do" media campaign which resulted in increased demand for recycling carts.

Strategy going forward: These efforts will continue in 2007.

Residents' recycling and disposal behavior via EBI

About this measure: The King County Environmental Behavior Index (EBI) tracks and reports on the adoption of selected environmental behaviors of King County residents. In 2004 and again in 2006, 1000 randomly selected respondents in King County participated in a telephone survey and reported on their household's behaviors related to:

• Yard Care
• Recycling And Disposal
• Environmentally Friendly Purchasing

Understanding residents' awareness and behavior guides a more cost-effective targeting of outreach efforts and helps evaluate whether the efforts to improve these behaviors are making a difference.

The 2006 Environmental Behavior Index was conducted in spring of 2006. The findings about yard care and purchasing behavior can be found under the performance measure on solid and hazardous waste management, which is here.

Below are details on findings for residential recycling and disposal behaviors.

2006 results: The 2006 survey of residents' recycling and disposal behaviors indicates that use of recycle containers at home is high and improving, as is proper disposal of paints, kitchen grease and prescription drugs. Proper disposal of compact fluorescent light and tubes is low and is slightly declining.

Influencing factors: In 2006, the Seattle City Council passed an ordinance making it illegal and punishable by fine to put selected recyclables in the garbage. There was significant media coverage of this new legislation, which likely influenced both awareness and behavior of residents throughout King County.

Strategy going forward: SWD will continue to work with cities to allow food waste recycling with yard debris. The SWD is partnering on a recycling education campaign, "Recycle More, Its Easy to Do" and is making further improvements to its Web site about general and food waste recycling.

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Seattle - King County Local Hazardous Waste Program

Hazardous Waste Risk Reduced Through Program Participation

About this measure: For this measure it is assumed that risks to people and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes are reduced as program activities are implemented.

This measure is an index of performance of key elements of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program. The target is set for each key program element — either for meeting a specific number of work plan components or for progress toward an outcome that is anticipated farther in the future.

The index is comprised of five indicators, each contributing 20 percent toward the overall score:

Waste pharmaceuticals project

Full implementation of the largest pilot collection project in the United States

2006 results: Seven operational collection sites, which achieves 100 percent of the target
2007 target: 30 operational collection sites
2008 target: 60 operational collection sites

Nail salon English-as-a-second language business project

The purpose of this project is to work with nail salon workers for whom English is a second language to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals.

2006 results: Program developed and fully operational, which by end of 2006 was met in full.
2007 target: Develop draft "best management practices" document for nail salons
2008 target: Best management practices are implemented by 35 nail salon businesses.

Healthy schools project

The focus of this project is to reduce or eliminate exposures to key hazardous chemicals in all King County schools

2006 results: Develop and begin operating program, which by end of 2006 was met in full.
2007 target: Remove elemental (bulk) mercury from half of all King County schools.
2008 target: Complete the removal of all remaining elemental mercury from 100 percent of King County schools, and remove lead glazes from half of all King County schools.
2009 target: Complete the removal of all remaining lead glazes from all King County schools.

Low-income governmental housing

The aim of this project is to reduce exposures to key hazardous chemicals found in public housing within King County.

2006 results: Make initial contacts and develop program, which by end of 2006 was met in full.
2007 target: Reach agreement with all three public housing authorities to eliminate and properly dispose of all mercury-containing thermostats.
2008 target: Reach agreement with all three public housing authorities to reduce use of pesticides.

Flood hazard zones

This project aims to prevent the release of hazardous chemicals in the event of major river flooding in King County.

2006 results: Develop and begin operation of the plan, which by end of 2006 was met in full.
2007 target: Draft best management practices for storage and use of hazardous materials in flood zones.
2008 target: Incorporate best management practices into the codes of five cities located within flood zones, and confirm that 30 businesses located within flood zones are implementing the best management practices.

Influencing factors:

Strategy going forward:

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