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Department of Ecology News Release - September 23, 2004
04-177
SPOKANE - Thirteen counties in Eastern Washington will share more than $2.6 million in grants to help them devise ways to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills.
The "coordinated prevention grants," issued by the state Department of Ecology, pay for managing solid waste and developing innovative projects to reduce waste or eliminate it altogether.
The money for the grants comes from a state tax paid by wholesale distributors of petroleum and other hazardous materials. The program was set up under the Model Toxics Control Act that was passed as a voters' initiative in 1989.
The following summaries reflect the amount of the state grants:
Adams County will use $118,000 to study the feasibility, planning and design of yard-waste collection sites at the Ritzville and Bruce transfer stations. The study will help determine if the transfer stations can handle the sites, or whether it is more cost effective to either haul the debris to Quincy or have a company chip the materials.
Asotin County will use a total of $125,000 to continue its current program of collecting household hazardous waste and recyclable materials from Asotin and Nez Perce county (Idaho) residents and from the cities of Asotin, Clarkston and Lewiston.
Ferry County will use $101,000 to continue operating a permanent facility at the Torboy Transfer Station to collect used oil, antifreeze and oil-based paint. The county also will hold an annual household-hazardous-waste collection event at the facility and conduct a public education program to describe how to use, recycle and dispose of hazardous waste.
Franklin County will use $180,000 to distribute waste-reduction and recycling educational materials to the community, teachers and students. The money also pay for an informational hotline and for participating in community events such as the Benton-Franklin County Fair and Energy Expo.
Garfield County will use just over $35,000 to increase the amount of materials local residents recycle. The county plans to improve public access to the existing cardboard recycling container by building a ramp and a pit for the container. The county also will research and develop educational tools to distribute to businesses, community members and schools.
Grant County's public works department will use nearly $225,000 to study the feasibility of operating an organic waste composting facility at the county landfill.
Lincoln County will use about $106,000 to purchase a 10-unit recycling bin, a corrugated-cardboard recycling container and a cardboard baler to cut down on transporting costs.
Pend Oreille County will spend about $109,000 to purchase a one-ton truck and fork lift that will be used for recycling and household-hazardous-waste activities. The money also will continue to pay for staff to operate and maintain the county's existing household-hazardous-waste facilities at Deer Valley, Usk and Ione.
Spokane Regional Solid-Waste System will use $850,000 to pay for programs that support waste reduction, re-use and recycling, to develop markets for recycled materials, and to pay for long-term solid-waste planning.
Stevens County received $262,000 to implement a public education and information program that includes school-based programs, a resource center and a toll-free hotline. The money also will be used to establish a new permanent household hazardous waste collection facility at the Loon Lake transfer station, and will continue to support the current collection facility in Colville.
Walla Walla County will use almost $370,000 to complete the regional composing facility to compost institutional food wastes and natural vegetation. The county will work with schools, colleges and hospitals to develop methods to separate and collect food waste to be taken to the composting facility. If successful, the program will extend to commercial food-waste composting and will be able to turn organic materials into a valuable soil amendment that diverts 4,000 tons per year from the landfill.
Whitman County received $160,000 to promote waste reduction, re-use and recycling through the community recycling drop-off program, the school recycling program, the county office recycling program and seasonal community events throughout the year.
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Media contact: Jani Gilbert, public information manager, 509-329-3495;
pager, 509-622-3073
(NOTE: Please call for a local contact.)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
