TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Amanda Griffis - Supervising Environmental Resource Specialist
REPORT BY: Amanda Griffis - Supervising Environmental Resource Specialist
SUBJECT: California Integrated Waste Management Act
RECOMMENDATION
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CALIFORNIA INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Staff to provide an update on the status of activities relevant to the Act.
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BACKGROUND
WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING, HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAMS UPDATE
HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS - The spring hazardous waste (HW) collection event is scheduled for Friday April 25, 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm (business) and Saturday April 26, 2025 8:00am - 1:00pm (residential). The event will be held at the Upper Valley Disposal Service (UVDS) Compost & Recycling Yard in Rutherford. In addition to HW collection, electronic waste collection and paper shredding will be available for residents. Residents may also pick up compost at no charge during the April 26 event.
Upper Valley Waste Management Agency’s (UVWMA) HW collections contractor Clean Earth will mobilize for the temporary event, collect and dispose of HW dropped off by the public. UVWMA pays a flat fee for mobilization dependent upon the number of cars that use the event. Businesses will schedule appointments and pay disposal costs for their materials, residents are not charged a fee and are not required to schedule appointments. UVWMA will pay for HW disposed of by residents.
Electronic waste will be collected by UVDS and document shredding will be provided by a third-party vendor during the hazardous waste event. The electronic waste collection and document shredding are one of the three times per year events provided by UVDS at no additional cost per the franchise agreement. The electronic waste collection and document shredding will be for residents only, not businesses.
The max per drop off for hazardous waste is due to state law, it is 15 gallons or 125 pounds per vehicle for both businesses and residents. The maximum drop off for document shredding will be five banker boxes. There will be three stops at the event - hazardous waste, electronic waste and document shredding.
UVWMA will pay for compost distributed to the public, counting towards the annual SB 1383 required organic product procurement target.
Copies of flyers for the event are included as Attachment A - Rutherford Residential HW 2025 and Attachment B - Rutherford Business HW 2025.
UVWMA completed the required Department of Toxic Substances Control electronic Verification Questionnaire (eVQ) report in March. The report included both EPA ID numbers UVWMA utilizes for the temporary HW collection events and the total tons collected at each event.
SHARPS AND MEDICATIONS DISPOSAL - SB 212 requires pharmaceutical companies to pay for a statewide medication and sharps take back program. SB 212 was approved by the Office of Administrative Law on January 7, 2021. The regulations were effective immediately. Manufacturers are required to run statewide stewardship programs that provide safe and convenient disposal options for pharmaceutical and home-generated sharps waste at no cost to the consumer. Medication collections will be available in receptacles and via pre paid mail back options at no cost to consumers. Sharps will be collected via a secure mail back container at no cost to consumers. Secure sharps mail back containers are to be provided at the point of sale or with five days by stewardship programs and containers can also be requested online. More information on these programs can be found at countyofnapa.org/hazwaste.
In addition to the above mentioned stewardship programs, Clean Earth accepts non-controlled medications and sharps at up-valley hazardous waste collection events. Clover Flat Landfill accepts sharps at no charge during regular business hours. A medication collection bin is located at the St. Helena, Calistoga and Yountville Police Department; non-controlled and controlled medications are accepted.
BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING PROGRAM - UVWMA applies as a regional agency for payments that CalRecycle issues for beverage container recycling programs. Staff uses the $25,000 of funds for beverage container recycling and litter reduction activities. Examples include the purchase of recycling bins for public buildings, community parks, main streets, businesses, schools and public gathering areas, and expenditures related to the installation of water refill stations. UVWMA submitted an application for the “FY 2024-25” funding cycle, the application has been approved by CalRecycle and payment has been received. Funds can be expended between early 2025 (after award) and January 5, 2027. UVWMA staff completed use of the “FY 2022-23” funding cycle and submitted the required report in April 2025, UVWMA staff are now expending the “FY 2023-24” funding cycle.
CALRECYCLE - UVWMA staff have begun expenditures towards the second cycle of CalRecycle’s SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program. UVWMA was approved for the funding, the check for $300,000 has been received and UVWMA’s proposed plan for use of the funding has been approved by CalRecycle. UVWMA plans to use the funding to procure compost that is required to be purchased by SB 1383, contract with a consultant to update best practices for food recovery capacity assessments, print materials for public education and outreach, purchase interior compost bins and bags for the business assistance program, contract with environmental outreach and education firm to onboard multifamily dwellings for compost and contact with a community based social marketing firm to conduct outreach to the general public on the need to place all organics in compost bins. Funds must be expended by April 1, 2026.
SB 1383 requires counties to assess, in collaboration with local cities and waste agencies, the amount of organics processing facility capacity and food recovery capacity available to jurisdictions within the county. Napa County identified a need for new or expanded edible food recovery capacity in every jurisdiction in Napa County in the recent planning period of 2025 - 2034. Due to the lack of capacity, jurisdictions were required to submit an implementation schedule to CalRecycle detailing how jurisdictions will access new or expand edible food recovery capacity. Food recovery capacity does not adhere to jurisdictional boundaries and food recovery capacity expansion will require a collaborative effort between all jurisdictions in Napa County. All cities in Napa County and Napa County collaborated to create and submit the same implementation schedule. Napa County will continue to lead countywide edible food recovery efforts and the regional group continues to meet about every six weeks.
SB 1383 IMPLEMENTATION - UVWMA and UVD&R continue work together to reach out individually via phone, email and site visit to non-compliant accounts to provide education and assistance with meeting SB 1383 organics recycling requirements.
Jurisdictions are required to enforce upon non complaint entities. UVWMA staff keep records of outreach efforts, allowing for referral of non compliant entities to code compliance when necessary. UVWMA is required to keep records of enforcement actions taken by jurisdiction code compliance staff for annual reporting to CalRecycle.
SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to meet container contamination minimization requirements. One way to meet these requirements is by conducting route reviews of all hauler routes for prohibited container contaminants once per year. Within routes, containers may be randomly selected along the route for further inspection and enough containers must be inspected in to order to adequately determine overall compliance. This further inspection is typically called “lid flips”. Residential lid flips are tentatively scheduled to be conducted in June and July. Commercial lid flips will be conducted throughout the year and in a concentrated period in the fall.
UVWMA and UVD&R staff have increased monitoring of bins and carts for contamination at businesses. Contamination can include but is not limited to food scraps and paper towels in landfill bin, soft stretchy plastic in recycling bins and compostable plastic in compost bins. Focus will begin at Tier 1 and Tier 2 mandated food donors, commercial accounts who are not compliant with SB 1383 despite multiple outreach and assistance efforts and businesses who were recently onboarded for composting. Increased monitoring began in March and will continue through the year.
UVWMA plans to procure organic products (compost) on behalf of member jurisdictions to meet 2025 targets. SB 1383 local assistance grant funding will be used to pay for compost purchases. The targets for 2025 are 4,343 cubic yards or 1,737 tons of finished compost.
SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to provide a way for the public to make a complaint about an alleged violation to SB 1383. Napa County’s website, the host for UVWMA information, has a complaint form at countyofnapa.org/SB1383. UVWMA member jurisdictions Town of Yountville, City of St Helena and City of Calistoga direct the public to the Napa County website to log SB 1383 complaints. After UVWMA receives a complaint, it has 90 days to commence an investigation if UVWMA determines it is a violation of SB 1383. UVWMA received its first SB 1383 complaint in February 2025 about a business that did not provide the SB 1383 required three bin (recycle, compost and landfill) system in the guest area. SB 1383 requires organic waste generators that are commercial businesses to provide containers for the collection of organics and recyclables in all areas where disposal containers are provided for customers. UVWMA is working with the business to bring their customer disposal area into compliance with SB 1383.
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - UVWMA and UVD&R offer free assistance to any business requesting help in improving waste version, it is also available to any business working to become complaint with SB 1383 and is often offered in the initial direct outreach to businesses who are notified they are not compliant with SB 1383. Assistance includes: a walk through to assess needs, UVD&R suggested service changes to allow for compliance with SB 1383, recycling and composting interior bins, staff trainings, interior and exterior signs, interior bins stickers and on going support. Businesses may request assistance by calling UVD&R at 707-963-7988 or emailing UVWMA at upvalleyrecycles@countyofnapa.org.
OUTREACH - UVMWA and UVDS staff have scheduled four dates to conduct outreach at the St Helena Farmers Market. Other outreach activities for the remaining 2025 calendar year are being scheduled and will be included in a future agenda item.
ZERO WASTE EVENT SUPPORT - UVWMA staff have created and made available a Request for Zero Waste Event Support application. The purpose of the form is to request from UVWMA a one-time reimbursement of up to $250 for efforts relating to making events that are free and open to the public zero or low waste. Reimbursements for the following items will be considered: temporary recycling and/or compost service, temporary bins for waste sorting stations, clear bags for recycling or compostable bags for compost, compostable service ware and signs for bins. The application was included in the October 2022 agenda packet, requests can be made via email to upvalleyrecycles@countyofnapa.org.
PROJECTS FROM 2020 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY - As a result of the 2017 fires, a large amount of debris from both Napa and Sonoma was disposed of at the Clover Flat Landfill (CFL). At that time UVWMA derived its revenue from the amount of waste disposed of at CFL. A significant amount of funds beyond what is needed for the daily needs of UVWMA was accumulated. The UVWMA Board voiced an interest in putting this money back into the community, assisting its members in implementing projects that are related to the UVWMA’s mission. The Board authorized issuance of a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA), which was distributed to each of the members on February 10, 2020.
The following projects were approved by the UVWMA Board.
In August 2020 and June 2023, the UVWMA board approved the proposed project from the City of St Helena, $120,000 for the Money Way Waste/Recycling Consolidation Project. In May 2024, UVWMA approved a project revision to instead purchase new recycling, compost and trash containers for City of St Helena parks. UVWMA staff recently viewed the newly installed bins and will be assisting with appropriate signage for each bin, showing what can go in. UVWMA staff have not received a reimbursement request from the City of St Helena.
In August 2020, the UVWMA board approved the proposed project from the Town of Yountville, $77,679.56 for a mulching lawnmower and new trash and recycling bins through public property in town limits. UVWMA received and paid reimbursement requests totaling $76,651.26 in November 2020 and January 2021.
In October 2020, the UVWMA board approved the proposed project from Napa County, $90,000 for security cameras to deter illegal dumping and message boards. UVWMA received and paid a reimbursement request of $67,300.64 in April 2024.
In February 2023, the UVWMA board approved the proposed project from the Town of Yountville, $98,500 for “Big Belly” recycle, compost and trash bins in high traffic areas. UVWMA received and paid a reimbursement request of $98,500 in February 2025.
In June 2023, the UVWMA board approved the proposed project from the City of Calistoga, $100,000 for a new street sweeper. UVWMA received and paid a reimbursement request of $100,000 in April 2025.
HOME COMPOSTING WORKSHOPS - Workshop co-sponsors, UVWMA, Napa County, City of Napa, and Napa County UC Master Gardeners have scheduled 2025 countywide workshop dates. The up valley workshop for 2025 has been scheduled for May 18, 2025 at the up valley campus. This compost workshop will be a dual workshop again, where attendees choose to either learn about backyard composting or worm composting. UVMWA, Napa County, City of Napa and UC Master Gardeners are collaborated to update the compost workshop guide provided at each workshop and are next working to create a Spanish version.
UVWMA MEETING RECORDINGS - Links to UVWMA meeting audio recordings will now be posted at the following link, in addition to in the Legistar system: countyofnapa.org/UVWMA. UVWMA staff will post the audio recordings at that link as soon as they are available.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California
Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.