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

2012 Davis Integrated Waste Management Plan
There are several issues that repeatedly come up with the current street sweeping policy. In some areas of town,
when the street sweepers come by there are usually cars parked on the street, limiting DWR’s access to the
gutters and virtually eliminating the usefulness of a weekly street sweeping program. Switching to a less
frequent street sweeping schedule may help, as residents would be incentivized to move their cars on that
particular day.
Some areas of Davis do not need as much street sweeping as others. Neighborhoods with fewer mature trees do
not receive as much debris in the gutter as neighborhoods with many mature trees.
If the City were to consider an alternative street sweeping policy, it may be possible to maximize street
sweeping in core areas, and minimize sweeping in other areas that do not have the same need.
A survey of which streets need frequent sweeping could be done now, and some streets could immediately be
cut back to an every other week or monthly sweeping schedule.
Street sweeping is also a contract issue with DWR. It must be recognized that if the City wants to change the
street sweeping policy, it has to be reflected in the contract and the City would need to give DWR adequate time
to adjust to a service change (likely six month’s notice for any service changes).
It is possible to perform street sweeping monthly or every other week during off-peak leaf drop seasons. For
example, from winter to summer, streets could be swept once a month. During the leaf drop season, streets
could be swept weekly. Downtown areas could be swept every other week.
It is important to consider that decreasing street sweeping and removing yard materials collection may lead to a
build-up of leaves on the street. Some waste consultants have noted that residents may sweep fallen leaves into
piles for collection, but will not scoop them up to place in yard material carts. Policy could be considered that
would cite residents if they allow leaves and debris to block storm drain inlets, etc.
5.5.2 Alternative Collection System
Instead of having a multiple bin system for customers with a trash bin, paper recycling cart, comingled
recycling cart and organics cart, the City could switch to a wet/dry collection system. With such a system only
two carts or bins would need to be provided to customers. One bin would collect “wet” materials, compostable
organics such as food scraps, yard materials and food soiled paper, while the other bin would collect everything
else, dry trash and recyclables. The organics would be sent for composting, while the other dry materials would
be sorted at DWR. The mixed dry material would need to be processed through both the paper and comingled
sorting lines in order to have all the materials properly sorted out, but the end result should be a higher diversion
DRAFT
than is currently achieved through the multiple-bin system. This system would require a complete change in the
current collection system—including replacing the split-recycling carts currently in use for single-family
residential customers and the recycling carts used by commercial customers. This system may also require
DWR to obtain a Solid Waste Facility Permit from CalRecycle. See Appendix T for details of a similar project
proposal.
5.5.3 Expansion of Materials Accepted
One alternative to consider is to expand the list of items acceptable for recycling.
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