Travis County Zero Waste Inter‐local UpdateTravis County Environmental Quality Overview•About Travis County•Zero Waste Interlocal Agreement•Program Purpose•Diversion and Engagement Activities•Plans in Progress•Looking Forward2 Travis County•Incorporated cities•870,060 population•22 villages and cities•374.59 square miles•Unincorporated Rural Areas•192,940 population•650.26 square miles3 County Authority•Counties in Texas donothave zoning power •Counties in Texas have limited regulatory (ordinance) authority.•Counties have limited rule ability solid waste4 InterlocalAgreements•Household Hazardous Waste Interlocal: adopted in 1997•Travis County Households served in FY2018 3,824 •Best Management Practices for the Storm Water Permitting•ZeroWaste Interlocal: adopted in 20135 Zero Waste InterlocalLead by ExampleEducationCommunity Drop‐off and Reuse Facilities 6 Policies•Texas Health and Safety Code(Section 361.425) •Waste Management Policy•Recycling Participation Order•Green Building Resolution•Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy7 Program PurposeInstill accountability within the culture of Travis County to reduce our impact on the environment.•Decrease waste generation•Divert waste from landfill•Explore revenue generating opportunities8 Diversion Activities•Office Reuse Project•Water Bottle Refill Stations•Participation in the ReVersePitch•Recycling Coordinator9 WEIGHT OF RECYCLED MATERIALS BY COMMODITY (thousands of lbs.)100100200300400500600700800ElectronicsAutomotive FluidsOrganicsCardboardTiresMetalConfidential ShredSingleStreamConstruction, DemolitionThousands of Pounds Employee Engagement•Green Team•Toner Ambassadors•Healthy People Healthy Planet•Recycling Training and Outreach11 Public Engagement•Pharmaceutical Take‐back•Reuse Recycle Drop‐off Center Participation•T‐shirts for Hunger•Lunch and Learn Seminars•Three‐rings for Learning•Lake Travis Cleanup12 Plans in Progress•Sustainable Jail Plan•Parks Recycling and Waste Management Plan•Texas State Study•Austin Community Climate Plan Update•GHG Inventory and Climate Action Plan13 Looking Forward•Update ILA in 2020•Stronger partnership to achieve goals•Engage with other incorporated cities to increase zero waste 14 QuestionsEmily AcklandEnvironmental Program ManagerEmily.Ackland@traviscountytx.govTom GleasonSustainability Project ManagerTom.Gleason@traviscountytx.govShaun AucklandConservation CoordinatorShaun.auckland@traviscountytx.gov15
Violet Bag Encampment Garbage Collection PilotZero Waste Action Committee 01/08/2020 Learnings and Recommendations Interdepartmental Homelessness Encampment Management Program 4 sites chosen based on 311 call dataOther necessary criteria for a pilot site:●An active encampment with resident buy in●Along an existing ARR route●Have a safe, accessible area to pull up a truck Kiosks vs. Outreach Distribution Iterations Impact Next Steps●ARR has taken over responsibility for ordering bags and filling kiosks ●All sites ideally will have kiosks, with new iterations of kiosks being explored ●Integral Care and the Office of Design and Delivery assist in site identification and outreach●Sites will will close and move as necessary, coordinated at weekly Interdepartmental Homelessness Encampment Management Program meetings
Zero Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes January 8, 2020 The Zero Waste Advisory Commission convened in a regular meeting on January 8, 2020 in Council Chambers in City Hall in Austin, Texas. The following are the meeting highlights. For detailed information, please visit http://www.austintexas.gov/cityclerk/boards_commissions/meetings/97_1.htm. CALL TO ORDER Chair Acuna called the Commission Meeting to order at 6:36 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Gerry Acuna, Cathy Gattuso, Lisa Barden, Melissa Rothrock, Amanda Masino, Kaiba White. Absent: Jonathan Barona, Ian Steyaert. Staff in attendance: Ken Snipes, Tammie Williamson, Richard McHale, Victoria Rieger, Gena McKinley, Andy Dawson, Gabriel Gonzalez, Lori Scott, Scott Long, Marcus Gonzalez, Amy Slagle. 1. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Jeffrey Jacoby signed up to speak. He thanked the Commission for their resolution on November 21st. 2. APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 21, 2019 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES Chair Acuna entertained a motion. Commissioner Masino moved for approval. Seconded by Commissioner Gattuso. Item did not pass on a 5-0-1 vote. Commissioner Barden abstained. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION 3. OLD BUSINESS 3a. Discussion and Action – Impact of Ordinance Change Pursuant to City of Austin Extraterritorial Boundary Revision Jon White, Travis County, talked about the recently amended Solid Waste Siting Ordinance. Mr. White explained that the recent amendment fixed some contradictions that had been in the original 2003 ordinance. Mr. White said that as the ordinance was being re-worked, Travis County and the City of Austin had agreed to release extraterritorial jurisdiction over lands around the Waste Management site. Mr. White said that although the [Waste Management site] were going to continue operations, future activities would not be permitted because it’s the longstanding position that the City and County both have a longstanding position for waste disposal activities at [the Waste Management] location to end. Chair Acuna asked how this affects us in meeting the needs and goals of our city master plan, expanding household hazardous waste opportunities and diversion. Mr. White said that it does allow for potential sites to be developed elsewhere in the county, but the ordinance is more adapted to add transfer stations than landfills. Commissioner Masino asked what the boundaries were of the siting ordinance. Mr. White said it was North of 290 (Blue Goose Road), and the limits were to west where railroad and creek are; within half a mile. Chair Acuna asked for clarification, if it would impede the city’s ability to identify a household hazardous waste …
