  |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 6, 1997
97-180
CONTACT: Angela Langley, (425) 649-7182, grant officer
Cullen Stephenson, (425) 649-7056, Solid Waste Financial Assistance Program
BELLEVUE, WA - Twenty cities in King County have received grants totaling $1.8 million from the Department of Ecology for a variety of composting, recycling and other projects aimed at reducing the amount of garbage sent to landfills.
"We commend these cities for the creativity and leadership they have demonstrated with these projects," said Cullen Stephenson, the regional supervisor of Ecology's Solid Waste Financial Assistance Program. "By finding ways to reduce consumption and re-use materials, we reduce the pressure on the landfill and preserve natural resources."
Here is a community-by-community summary of the grants and projects:
Burien: $45,161 for compost program
A minimum of 1,320 backyard composting bins will be distributed at a reduced
cost to city residents. By encouraging composting of yard and food wastes, the
city expects to divert waste from entering the landfill.
Carnation: $11,732 for park project
The grant will assist the city in purchasing park equipment constructed with
recycled plastic milk jugs. The modular play equipment will be installed in
Hockert Park, a neighbor-hood play area in the center of town. Lack of
information about how recycled products can be used has contributed to less
demand for recycled materials and low market prices. This project will
demonstrate the benefits of using recycled materials and will encourage their
use.
Duvall: $12,000 for park project
The grant will help the city purchase park equipment constructed with recycled
materials. This grant will be used to purchase picnic tables, benches and trash
receptacles made of recycled plastic in the new McCormick Riverfront Park. This
project will encourage the purchase and use of recycled materials by
demonstrating their practical and aesthetic appeal.
Enumclaw: $21,714 for waste-reduction program
The city will purchase recycling equipment and compost bins and provide funding
for educational materials on how to properly compost. These efforts will help
the city reach its 65 percent recycling goal by the year 2000 by diverting
recyclable material and yard waste from the landfill.
Issaquah: $20,592 for waste-reduction project
The city will design and construct recycling bin enclosures and signs at
multi-family and business locations. These locations frequently lack space to
store enough recycling containers, or have inadequate signage describing which
materials can be recycled. This grant will assist in modifying enclosure designs
to allow for more recycling containers. By providing greater opportunities for
residents to recycle waste, the city expects to reduce the amount of waste
entering the landfill.
Kent: $38,433 for waste-reduction projects
The city will use the grant to provide low-cost compost bins to city residents,
to purchase recycling containers in the downtown area, and to provide city
facilities with desk and lobby recycling containers. These activities will
encourage waste reduction and recycling activities and decrease the amount of
waste entering the landfill.
Kirkland: $62,838 for waste-reduction programs
The grant will be used to purchase recycling bins constructed from recycled
materials. These containers will be provided to businesses and multi-family
apartment buildings. Grant monies will also be used to purchase compost bins to
re-sell city residents at a reduced cost. By encouraging the composting of yard
debris, less waste flows into local transfer stations, resulting in a more
efficient use of resources.
Lake Forest Park: $5,845 for parks project
Grant monies will be used to purchase benches, picnic tables and bicycle racks
in city parks and public places. These materials will be constructed with
recycled plastics, demonstrating the benefits of using recycled plastics and
encouraging their use.
Newcastle: $5,559 for compost project
Newcastle will provide low-cost compost bins to city residents. By placing 200
backyard compost bins into the hands of city residents, approximately 50 tons of
yard waste can be diverted from processing facilities per year.
Normandy Park: $18,723 for recycling project
Funding will be used to purchase recycling equipment such as compactors, balers
and other materials. In addition, the grant may be used to design and construct
waste reduction and recycling facilities. By promoting waste reduction and
recycling, the city will reduce the amount of waste entering the landfill.
North Bend: $13,344 for curbside recycling
The grant will help pay for 1,000 sets of residential curbside recycling
containers, thereby supporting recycling activities for city residents. In
addition, the funding will be used to produce and distribute educational and
promotional materials to customers. These efforts support the environment by
helping reduce the amount of waste entering the landfill.
Pacific: $14,250 for composting project
The grant will be used for purchasing and distributing compost bins to city
residents. Approximately 20 percent of Pacific's waste stream is composed of
yard debris. Collection service is available, but is provided at an additional
cost and consumes resources. Composting yard debris will extend the life of
landfills and reduce the need for new ones. The city projects that up to 117.5
tons of yard debris could be diverted from landfill and processing facilities
annually.
Redmond: $9,450 for parks recycling project
The grant will help purchase recycling bins in Redmond parks; 95 percent of
Redmond's single-family residents and 94 percent of Redmond's multi-family
complexes participate in the city-sponsored recycling program, indicating
widespread demand for recycling options. By making recycling convenient for park
users, the city expects to reduce the volume of garbage collected in the city's
parks.
Renton: $65,093 for recycling and composting
In an effort to increase the levels of recycling and waste reduction, the city
will purchase recycling and yard-waste bins. In addition, the grant will be used
to purchase and distribute to residential customers up to 400 backyard compost
bins and 100 worm bins. These activities will encourage waste reduction and
recycling and decrease the amount of waste entering the landfill.
Seattle: $816,195 for recycling programs
Projects to be funded include purchasing recycling containers, improving
transfer-facility equipment, and designing and constructing resource-efficient
projects at two Seattle schools. In addition, equipment will be purchased to
minimize waste at food banks.
Sea-Tac: $38,904 for waste-reduction projects
Projects to be funded include purchasing and distributing 500 backyard
composting bins to city residents, purchasing recycling containers for public
areas, providing the city with mulching mowers, and purchasing picnic tables and
bench sets made of recycled plastic. These projects benefit the environment by
supporting recycling and waste-reduction efforts.
Snoqualmie: $11,954 for curbside recycling
Snoqualmie will purchase and distribute approximately 900 recycling containers
to city residents. Through promoting curbside recycling, the city hopes to
increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste entering the landfill.
Shoreline: $8,263 for composting program
City residents will have an opportunity to purchase low-cost backyard compost bins during city-sponsored events. By placing 275 bins into the hands of city residents, approximately 68 tons of yard waste can be diverted annually from the landfill or other processing facilities.
Vashon (King County): $578,201 for waste--management projects
The grant will be used to help design and construct a transfer/recycling station
at the Vashon Island Landfill. The landfill is scheduled to reach full capacity
in 1999. At that time, solid waste will be transported off the island. The grant
will also be used to purchase equipment used to divert the amount of waste taken
to the landfill. Items to be purchased include compactors, balers, yard waste
trailers and recycling containers. These activities will help preserve capacity
at existing landfills and delay the need for new ones.
Woodinville: $3,300 for tote bags
The grant will be used to purchase 1,200 recycling tote bags and educational
brochures for residents of multi-family units in Woodinville. Currently,
residents in multi-family complexes recycle only 25 percent of their waste
stream.
Single-family residents recycle 42 percent. By targeting multi-family units for waste-reduction efforts, the city hopes to increase recycling efforts and to reduce the amount of waste entering landfills
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
