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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7A - Update on recycling efforts in urban parksCITY OF BOULDER PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE: May20. 2002 (Agenda Item Preparation Date: May 10, 2002) i.~C~NDA TITLE: Update On Recycling Efforts in Urban Parks REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: Jan Geden, CPRP, Director, Parks and Recreation Doug Hawthorne, CPRP, Parks Superintendent Kara Dinhoffer, Environmental Affairs Department Bob Peck, City Parks Manager FISCAL IMPACT: Approximately $6,750 for Recycling Bins and other costs to be determiaies~ darii~~ the pilot program. PURPOSE: The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update to the Board concerning recycling efforts in urban parks this summer. BACKGROUND: During the February PR.AB meeting, staff from the Parks Division and the Environmental Affairs Department presented information to the Board on the history of recycling efforts in urban parks, information about how trash is currently collected in urban parks, and opportunities for implementing test recycling sites in 2002. Staff recommended that a pilot program be implemented at three sites. The intent of the pilot program is to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, use patterns and budgetary impacts on this program, ANALYSIS: Since the February PRAB meeting, staffmet and discussed this issue further with Environmental Affairs staff. Three parks have been chosen for this pilot. They represent an athletics field, a small, neighborhood park, and a larger destination type pazk. The three park sites are Stazio Ball Fields, Martin Park, and Tom Watson Park. At Tom Watson Park, the North Zone Parks Supervisor, Mary Kazlauskas will work with IBM and their vendors to investigate the possibility of having IBM staff empty the recycling AGENDA ITEM # VII-A PAGE 1 containers into carts located near the periphery of the park, where EcoCycle trucks can collect the recyclables. At Martin Park, recycling containers will be located mostly neaz the shelter. The South Zone Parks Supervisor, Lisa Green is investigating the most appropriate entity to empty ~- the recycling containers. EcoCycle will collect the recyclables from carts located outside of the park, where the trucks can easily service them. Staff will do a walk through at Stazio Ball Fields to determine the best location for recycling containers. It may be worthwhile to have the public place recyclables directly into carts that EcoCycle can empty, but which have a small hole in a locked top for recycling bottles. The proposed recycling containers are: For internal to the city p~rks. Must be emptied into a cart for EcoCycle to pick up. Carts that EcoCycle can pick up. Must be located somewhere that EcoCycle trucks can access. Staff will periodically update the Board on the progress of the efforts. 2002 Boulder Creek Festival RecyclinQ Staff is also working with the organizers of the Boulder Creek Festival and the Office of Environmental Affairs to facilitate more waste reduction at City special events. At the 2002 Boulder Creek Festival, next to every trash box there will be an easily identifiable recycling container for recycling cans, glass, and plastic bottles. Creek Festival volunteers and employees will empty the bins and EcoCycle will collect the recyclables from the event when it is completed. The Office of Environmental Affairs Trash Tax budget purchased the bins and will be contracting with EcoCycle for the collection services this year. There will also be corrugated cardboard recycling set up for the event vendors. City staff is akeady working with the Boulder Creek Festival organizers to make the Hometown Fair in the fall and the 2003 Boulder Creek Festival into "Zero Waste Events." It is envisioned that future Creek Festival or Hometown Fair vendors would be required to use recyclable and compostable utensils and a collection system would be set up to minimize the amount of waste material produced at the event. Staff will report back to the Board at the conclusion of the 2002 Boulder Creek Festival on how much trash was diverted to recycling, and will establish waste reduction goals for the subsequent events. The recycling containers at the Boulder Creek Festival will look like the diagram below- clear AGENDA ITEM # Vii-A PAGE 2 green plastic containers somewhat shaped like a soda bottle. However, the Creek Festival bins will have a custom-made sticker on them stating cans, glass, and plastic bottles can be recycled PUBLIC COMMENT AND PROCESS: This item is being heard at this public meeting, as advertised in the Daily Camera. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This is an information item only. •^~ Y ~~ ~ AGENDA ITEM # VII-A PAGE 3 ~~ere.