Performance Measures
Sustainable Resources Measure
Create resources from waste, reduce emissions and increase the efficiency of facilities and operations.
2006 results
DNRP's rating for the performance measures that support this goal is a yellow — signifying results are within 10 percent of target.Areas under this goal where DNRP performance approaches target:
- Solid and hazardous waste management; and
- Wastewater resource reclamation.
Areas under this goal where DNRP performance needs improvement:
- Facility conservation and energy capture.
Areas under this goal where data is insufficient:
- Climate protection (a plan was recently developed); and
- Energy plan (a plan was recently developed).
Key influencing factors
For many years, DNRP divisions and programs have been aggressively researching, analyzing and adopting appropriate technologies for harvesting resources from wastewater and solid waste streams. Successful implementation of these approaches often requires cooperative behavior changes of residents and businesses.Reducing solid waste disposal and improving recycling rates require individual and institutional behavior changes, while an industrial pre-treatment program helps businesses reduce pollutants that, left untreated, would enter the wastewater treatment stream.
Aging equipment has limited the ability of the Wastewater Treatment Division to convert biogas collected from the wastewater treatment process, while system development challenges have slowed the implementation of technology to convert landfill methane into a usable energy.
The insufficient data on the climate protection and energy plans is a factor of timing. Comprehensive plans were completed and adopted late in 2006 and implementation is just getting under way.
Strategies going forward
The completion of the Brightwater Treatment Plant in 2010 will significantly increase available volumes of reclaimed water. New regulations, incentive programs and outreach efforts are helping ensure that the wastewater treatment program can increase its production of resources from wastewater.A contractor is working on plans to convert landfill gas that is currently burned off into a usable energy source. Upcoming efforts to improve recycling rates and reduce the amount of solid waste that comes to King County's Cedar Hills Regional Landfill include policy changes, outreach and education and improvements in solid waste management facilities.
DNRP is developing a resource management database to improve the tracking and analysis of resource consumption at its facilities. This application, which will be completed soon, will highlight opportunities to improve efficiencies. The Green Building team is rolling out the GreenTools Web site to better support county project managers who seek to achieve LEED certification for their project.
Teams are in place to ensure coordinated implementation of King County's inter-related Climate Protection and Energy plans. An assessment of operational greenhouse gas emissions required for King County's participation in the Chicago Climate Exchange is helping staff identify opportunities for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
More information about King County's Solid/Hazardous Waste Mgt, Wastewater Resource Reclamation, Facility Conservation, Energy Plan, and Climate Protection is available by continuing to the pages for these performance measures:
