08/07/2006: "Curb-Side, or Self-Haul: Input Is Wanted"

Public Works (Public Works), SWAC (Solid Waste Advisory Council) and a professional Consultant have been working though the problem of how to handle solid waste in San Juan County. But other than a handful of interested citizens who have attended some of the meetings, there has been very little general public input on the subject. On Thursday, August 10th, from 7 to 9 pm there is an Open House for community input at the Mullis Center in Friday Harbor. in which two main questions are to be asked:

• What does the San Juan Island community want in its solid waste management system?
• What recommendation should the Solid Waste Advisory Committee deliver to the San Juan County Council concerning managing San Juan Island's solid waste?
The public is invited to help answer these questions. Another big question is the first one that needs an answer, and that is who takes the trash to wherever it goes to. At a recent CC (County Council) meeting, the Council told Public Works that they hoped SWAC would be able to make a decision if self-haul or curb-side pick-up, should be how trash gets to a disposal site. If self-haul is chosen, that would foreclose any hope by some that the County would send all solid waste directly off island.

SWAC member Tom Munsey told the Council that regardless of who hauls the garbage, it was his opinion that there will be a transfer station on San Juan Island, but that it may not be at the same location as the current one. One of the early questions that generated some comments from the public was: Should garbage be processed on San Juan or Orcas, or should it go directly to the mainland; which is it's ultimate destination since it is no longer feasible to have a land fill in San Juan County.

The Council has stressed the importance of the public being aware of the direction the discussion has taken, and PW has stated there will be an information booth at the County Fair this year, and it is expected there will be both an opportunity for the public to learn more about the solid waste issue, and to also be able to register an opinion that will be carried on into future discussions by the SWAC. Once the SWAC has decided on a recommendation, it will forwarded it to the County Council.