COUNCIL LETTER

CITY OF GALESBURG

MARCH 1, 2004

 

 

AGENDA ITEM:  Application to apply to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to host a one-day household hazardous waste collection event. 

 

BACKGROUND: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) provides local governments, civic groups and not-for-profit organizations the opportunity to participate in a state-sponsored household hazardous waste one-day collection program.  The IEPA funds these events in the spring and fall in various communities throughout the State.  The purpose of the program is to have individual households bring their used or unused household products to a central location point.  The products that residents bring to the event are normally items that have potentially dangerous ingredients and could cause safety hazards in the home.  Farm waste, industrial, commercial and institutional wastes will not be accepted.  Examples of items residents may bring to the one-day event include the following:  oil-based paints, household batteries, used motor oil, paint thinners, cleaning products, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, antifreeze, fluorescent lamp bulbs, solvents, old gas, pool and hobby chemicals and aerosol paints. 

 

POLICY QUESTION:  Should the grant application be submitted to remove chemicals that would potentially be disposed in the Knox County Landfill?

 

BUDGET IMPACT: The IEPA will provide the on-site contractor to process the waste and 100% funding for the contractor to accept, test, package, transport, manifest and provide final disposal for all the wastes delivered to the event.  The 2003 event cost the IEPA $90,320.  The City of Galesburg is not submitting a local match beyond the publicity costs, which are estimated to be $4,500 at this time.  The IEPA rates the applications based upon the time that has passed since the last household hazardous waste collection event and the grant application.  The City can provide a local match at a later date to increase the City’s ranking if needed.  There is an additional $5,000 budgeted in the Refuse Fund for FY 2004 for this local match.

 

RECOMMENDATION: The City Manager and Director of Community Development recommend approval to submit the grant application to the IEPA for a household hazardous waste collection event.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:

 

Grant Application

 

Application for a One-Day Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

 

1) Applicant__City of Galesburg__________

Address__Galesburg City Hall___________

_________55 W. Tompkins St.  __________

_________Galesburg, IL 61401___________

County __Knox_______________________

Contact Person__Julie Main_____________

Phone Number__309/345-3614___________

2) Type of Applicant* Organization __X__Local Government

_____Civic Group

_____Non Profit Organization

_____Other (specify:____________)

*If the applicant is not a unit of local government, please attach proof that

the appropriate governmental unit(s) (i.e., County Board, City Council,

Village Mayor) is (are) aware of, and supports, the project’s scope.

3) Please describe the proposed collection site target area:

a) Name(s) of Town(s)/County/Township etc., included in the proposed

collection area_All residents of Knox County would be targeted.  Publicity efforts will also be coordinated with the Tri-County Resource and Waste Management__ Council of McDonough, Mercer and Warren Counties.  

 

b) Total population of target area and number of eligible households

Population__Galesburg 33,706 Knox County  55,836___

Households__Galesburg 13,237 Knox County 22,056 __

 

4) For the collection site, Agency contractors require a large, open area with

sufficient space to allow for semi-trailers, a large tent, several roll-offs and

other equipment. A long queuing area with separate entrance and exit is also

required to accommodate traffic flow. IEPA personnel and contractors need

access to the site from 12:00 noon Friday until midnight Sunday.

a) Please describe the proposed collection site and attach a photograph,

sketch and map of the area_The site is a school parking lot located_on the northside

of Fremont Street, approximately 2 blocks west  of Henderson Street.  Henderson is a major north–south street in Galesburg.  The lot is well known by area residents__ and the parking lot provides a large area for queuing traffic and storing the______ contractor’s equipment.  This site will provide a separate entrance and exit.  Please refer to the attached site plan._____________________________________________

 

b) Owner* of the proposed collection site_Community Unit School District No. 205

*If the property owner of the site is other than the applicant, attach a

letter of permission from the property owner.  Please see attached letter.

Address__1135 West  Fremont Street  ______________________________________

"Normal" Use of Property__Parking lot for Galesburg High School      __________

Size (square footage)___98,600     __________________________________________

Surrounding Land

Use__School, Church, Residential and Vacant      ____________________________

Traffic Access/Control around site__There is one entrance and one exit to the site.

A Police Officer/Police Explorer will be stationed on Fremont Street and another_

person will be stationed at the site entrance.                         ____________________

______________________________________________________________________

5) List local personnel available for pre-collection day organization (P.R.

planning etc.) Include what forms of advertising (e.g. newspaper, direct

mail, flyers etc.) will be used to promote the event and include a

proposed time schedule. Attach an additional sheet if necessary.

The City of Galesburg Associate Planner will coordinate the pre-collection day___ organization.  This person has coordinated 4 previous IEPA HHW events.  Local_ media provides excellent coverage of governmental programs.  IEPA approved___ press releases will be distributed to the media to announce the event and remind__ residents to attend.  Public service announcements will be developed for the______ radio stations and cable television.  Flyers will be printed and placed in_________

governmental offices and local retail stores (especially those that sell paint_______ products).  A postcard/brochure will be mailed to all Galesburg residential refuse customers.  The Chamber will also include a flyer in their monthly newsletter just prior to the event.   Time Schedule:  Announce date to media as soon as possible._  Develop and print postcard/brochure, flyer and Public Service Announcement___ (PSA)._Approximately 4-6 weeks prior to event mail letter and flyers to all Knox_ County Mayors and coordinate with Tri-County Resource and Waste___________ Management Council to provide flyers.  Distribute flyers to governmental offices_ and local retailers.  Approximately 2-3 weeks prior to event direct mail__________ postcard/brochure and place ads in newspaper until 1 day prior to event.________

6) Describe the types of local personnel available for collection day

assistance (e.g., traffic control, greeting participants, surveying cars).

Include any assistance to be provided by police and/or street

departments.

City staff and volunteers from various service clubs will be the local personnel_____ available for collection day assistance.  These volunteers will greet participants,____ survey cars, etc.  The City of Galesburg Police Department and the Police Explorers will coordinate traffic control such as blocking lanes and directing vehicles._______

7) Please state the amount of any local contribution that would be able to

be made toward the cost of the collection:

$_4,500 Printing/Postage/Advertisements__

8) Attach a letter from not-for-profit organizations (e.g., Habitat for

Humanity, Goodwill, Salvation Army) in your area that would be

willing to accept new, unopened, useable household products (i.e. paint,

yard chemicals, cleaning products) that are accepted at the collection.

Please see attached letter from the Galesburg Rescue Mission and Women’s Shelter.

 

 

9) Please include any other pertinent information or plans you may have

in relation to this requested event:_The City of Galesburg will pay for the printing_ of the postcard/brochure and flyers along with the postage and newspaper ads.  This local contribution will cost the City of Galesburg approximately $4,500.___________

 

Applications are NOT chosen on a first come, first serve basis. If you have any

questions concerning this application, contact the Waste Reduction Unit at

217/785-8604. Fax 217/782-9290. www.epa.state.il.us

Applications should be sent to:

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Bureau of Land #24

Waste Reduction Unit

1021 North Grand Avenue East

P.O. Box 19276

Springfield, IL 62794-9276