10 Draft Integrated Waste Management Plan - City Council - City of ...

2012 Davis Integrated Waste Management Plan
IKEA and Orchard Hardware, for example, take back CFLs and fluorescent tubes at their retail locations in
Yolo County. Davis does not have any of these large stores in town.
It may be possible to engage Davis Ace Hardware, or find another retailer that is interested in taking back
fluorescent bulbs or tubes. Despite efforts made so far, no such retailer has been found. The disposal cost
combined with the sheer number of fluorescent bulbs or tubes that would be collected, is too daunting a number
for local businesses to manage.
It has been suggested that the City open a collection site at a City facility or at DWR. In order to set up this
type of program, funding would need to be found to pay for the disposal costs. This is extremely unlikely as the
State does not offer any long-term financial assistance to manage these wastes. The cost of the City operating
this type of program on its own budget would be so expensive that it would necessitate an increase customers
rates. As mentioned in 10.1.1, customers already pay for a regional hazardous waste collection program (the
Yolo County Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Program) through the landfill tipping fees.
Another option would be to put the burden of disposal of these toxic products back upon the manufacturers. As
mentioned in 2.9, the City passed a resolution in support of EPR. Some jurisdictions, San Luis Obispo County
for example, passed an EPR ordinance, requiring that retailers who sell batteries and fluorescents bulbs must
establish a collection program to take used batteries and bulbs back from the public. Such an option could be
possible in Davis, but would hurt local stores if prices are raised, incentivizing customers to go out of town to
shop. This type of law would work best at a regional level, even better at the state level.
Senate Bill 589, sponsored by Senator Lowenthal, would require manufacturers to establish a recovery program
for the management of end-of-life household fluorescent bulbs and tubes. This is the kind of program that
would be most effective and most cost efficient to residents, businesses and local government. This is a two
year bill and like all legislation, it is not guaranteed to pass and become law. A decision on this bill will be
made by September 1, 2013. Given the high cost of implementing a local collection program however, it may
be in the City’s best interest to wait and see how this bill progresses.
10.2.2 Expand Electronics Recycling Options
As mentioned above, the YCCL accepts e-waste for free recycling every day during its normal operating hours.
However, the YCCL is four miles outside the City limits. Two locations currently exists in Davis where
residents can take their e-waste: the Goodwill Donation Xpress, and the SPCA Thrift Store. These stores offer a
valuable service to the community, with a convenient locations and operating hours. However, as these
businesses run independently from the Recycling Program, there is no guarantee as to their continued
acceptance of e-waste; they can stop taking e-waste at any time.
DRAFT
Another option is to have an e-waste recycling option within the City of Davis that the City has some control
over. The most convenient and simplest way to operate this type of program may be for DWR to accept ewaste.
Due to regulations on CED recovery and recycling payment systems, recyclers that accept CED from
residents must collect certain information (name, zip code, etc.). As such, e-waste cannot be accepted for dropoff
recycling 24/7 as are other recyclables. There must be a person on staff to collect the information from
residents as they drop-off their e-waste. It may be possible, however, to offer free e-waste recycling at the DWR
recycling center during the CRV buyback hours, as there are staff available assisting customers in redeeming
their CRV.
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