OPENING Mr. Thomas Smith called the meeting of the Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group to order at 7:30 p.m. ATTENDANCE: SWCAG Present: Mr. Harrison A. Glasgow, Mr. James Gestrich, Ms. Joan Moon, Ms. Jo McCabe, Mr. Joseph Chisholm, Ms. Mary Lou Malo, Ms. Jane Wyman, Mr. Ned Greene, Mr. Bryan D. Roberts, and Mr. Richard Arvin. Absent: Mr. James Huisenga, Ms. Cheryl Abram, Mr. William T. Lewellen, and Mr. Albert E. Brooks. Guests: Mr. Steve Markman, Ms. Nikki Rattray Baldwin, and Ms. Kleinfeld. Solid Waste Staff: Mr. Thomas Smith, Mr. Scott Kleinfeld, and Ms. Amy Zitzmann. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Upon a properly made and seconded motion, it was approved to adopt the draft minutes of the October 19, 2017 SWCAG meeting. AGENDA TOPICS COVANTA FACILITY FIRE UPDATE/REFUSE EXCHANGE UPDATE: Mr. Tom Smith informed the committee that the Covanta Waste Energy Facility is planning on opening the middle of this month, before Christmas. He stated that they will start by taking in a small amount of trash to test everything, but he has been told that by the end of December, the facility should be up and running at full capacity. As for the material Fairfax has been bringing here to the Prince William County Sanitary Landfill, Mr. Smith said that they have not been bringing in a whole lot and they are significantly below their annual limit. The facility has been down since February and it has taken a long time to get back up and running again. During this down time, they have done a lot of maintenance; not just due to the fire, but also on equipment Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 1
and annual maintenance, so that when they reopen they should not have any problems. Mr. Smith and Mr. Kleinfeld plan to meet with Fairfax in the near future, to see if they can also divert some of the County s organics to the County compost facility as well. Until the facility reopens, Fairfax is still diverting trash to six different landfills in the area. OTHER UPDATES CHAPTER 22 REFUSE CODE UPDATES: Mr. Smith then turned the group s attention to the Chapter 22 Code changes. Mr. Scott MacDonald has worked up the Board item and Mr. Smith will brief the County Executive on the changes and will authorize a hearing in January. As soon as that package is ready, Mr. Smith will shoot the committee a copy by email so that they can review it as well. He states that most likely there will be a public hearing in February. Everyone is on board with the changes, including the members of the sub-committee and the trash haulers. Mr. Roberts asked if Mr. Smith needed anything from the SWCAG committee. Mr. Smith answered that they may receive an email from Scott MacDonald in the near future asking to review a few items. Otherwise, Mr. Smith thinks the SWCAG committee and sub-committee s work is mostly done. Mr. Smith will keep the group informed as things move forward. WASTE CONVERSION PROPOSAL REVIEW UPDATE: Mr. Smith informed the committee that he has just returned from visiting the two companies the County has been negotiating with regarding the waste conversion facility. He recently visited Edmonton, Canada. While the other facility in the running is just south of Richmond, Virginia. He stated that both of these facilities appeared viable and promising. Next week he plans to meet with County consultants to review the issues they saw with both of the facilities and the new technologies. Then they will decide on which route and direction to head. Mr. Harry Glasgow asked if a company dropped out as he remembers there being three under consideration. Mr. Smith replied that yes, one company did drop out. Mr. Ned Greene asked how the facility in Edmonton disposes of trash with temperatures being so cold. Mr. Smith answered that the facility in Edmonton has a landfill and they recycle material in the same way we do here in Prince William County. All the material is sorted inside the Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 2
building. The only problem they currently have is that the trash is on conveyor belts and is transported outside of the building. When this occurs, the trash can freeze and get stuck on occasion. Mr. Smith does not know if the building is heated, but from what he saw, everything was running fine. Ms. Moon asked if they provided Mr. Smith figures as to how much is being diverted from the landfill. Mr. Smith stated that that is a good question and will have to get back to Ms. Moon with the answer at a later date. Mr. Bryan Roberts asked what the capacity of the facility was when they designed it and if they are running at that capacity or just a percentage of it. Mr. Smith answered that in Edmonton they have just began to run the facility on a commercial scale. They are fully running at about 600 tons per day. Mr. Smith continued to state that in Edmonton, all organic material is collected with the trash and when running the waste sorting facility, workers will remove some organic material from the trash and put it into the compost. Mr. Smith found this odd that they didn t just separate the organic material from the start. The other facility, just south of Richmond, is able to produce a lot of different products, but they are not fully commercialized yet. The facility in Edmonton is only able to produce one product. Ms. Malo asked what type of products are being made at the Virginia facility. Mr. Smith answered that their main product is a pulp, similar to a paper product. Mr. Smith continued by saying that the main question is how much waste is being diverted and how much the County can divert from the landfill. The facility in Edmonton currently has more potential diversion. Mr. Joe Chisholm asked how much waste do we receive in a day here in the County. Mr. Smith answered that we receive about 1200 tons a day here. Mr. Chisholm stated that what they saw in Edmonton is about half of the material that comes into the landfill. Mr. Smith did talk to both facilities in terms of expanding operations. They are able to do so, but will need more acreage. He continued by stating that Edmonton has shut their landfill down and any material that gets landfilled, is hauled out to private landfills. Edmonton has a large complex, very similar to what we want to do here at the landfill with our Eco-Park project. Ms. Moon asked how long did it take them to build the facility. Mr. Smith replied that it took them eight years to build, as they learned and modified things as they went along. If they build again, the process would only take about two years. Ms. Moon asked how much land the facility sits on. Mr. Smith stated that the facility in Edmonton sits on about 15 acres. Ms. Moon replied asking if it is comparable in size to what we do here, is it noisy, and where do we get the 15 acres. Mr. Smith stated that the where to put this Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 3
type of facility is one of the biggest challenges. He went on to say that the facility is low on odor and not noisy. Mr. Chisholm stated that last time Mr. Smith was talking about a possible location somewhere down near the facility on Balls Ford Road. He asked if this was still an option. Mr. Smith answered that putting a waste conversion facility at the Balls Ford Road location is not an option, but there is a possibility that the facility could go out in that part of the County. However, when he spoke to Economic Development regarding this, they did not seem supportive of this location. Mr. Harry Glasgow asked if the facility had a lot of lights. Mr. Smith replied, yes it did. The Edmonton facility looked like a mini-refinery. Currently, the main issues we are facing are finding the right spot for such a facility and the cost. Ms. Moon asked if Mr. Smith has talked to Marty Nohe regarding the facility. Mr. Smith answered that the proposers staff talked to Marty Nohe before he did. Mr. Smith also has to brief Mr. Martino, the County Executive, on the issues as well. Mr. Smith stated that while up in Canada they discussed if they would be able to return in the spring and bring some of our elected officials along for the trip. Ms. Malo also suggested that when they decide on where they would like to place such a facility, that they should take someone from that area in the County along as well. A transfer station will likely have to be built if you put the facility somewhere else other than the landfill. Mr. Joe Chisholm asked if there is any land around the landfill that is available. Mr. Smith answered that they are looking and have even had talks with Mr. Garcia to see if he would be willing to have part of the facility on his property. Ms. Moon asked how Mike Garcia responded to Mr. Smith inquiries. Mr. Smith stated that he couldn t disclose too much information, but that Mr. Garcia is open to the idea. Mr. Chisholm asked if the junkyard was for sale. Mr. Smith replied that the County is considering buying that property for various uses, but currently it is not for sale. Mr. Smith continued by saying that they are looking at options for sites. Finding the correct site is an issue, as is the economics of the whole endeavor and whether the facility will be reliable and work long term. These facilities are not cheap, and will be a $200 to $400 million investment. Mr. Chisholm asked how many employees would a facility like this require. Mr. Smith stated that at one facility they have about 40 people working and it s a 24- hour operation. During construction, it will employ a lot more, and that is why Economic Development is interested. We will get more information as we move along in the process. Mr. Chisholm stated that if this facility is successful, it may have an impact on the plans for the development of Phase IV. Mr. Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 4
Smith replied that it has the potential to do that. Mr. Smith will continue to update the group as this project moves forward. ECO-PARK UPDATE: Mr. Smith would like to start a foundation in order to fundraise for the Eco-Park. He put out a call to the committee if they knew of any citizens or businesses that they could reach out to, to be a part of this foundation. He is looking for good people to be a part of this foundation, and who will email, call and reach out and solicit. Mr. Glasgow suggested Mr. Smith speak to the Economic Development team in the county. Ms. Malo suggested the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Smith stated that to fund the facility, several big corporate sponsors will be needed. These companies do not have to be local, but he would like to concentrate on companies and businesses that are in the region. Mr. Chisholm asked what the Eco-Park s ultimate purpose be, in terms of the building itself. Mr. Smith replied that it will house offices for Solid Waste staff, include a multipurpose room, meeting rooms, and classrooms for school use. There will even be a display/educational area so that County residents can come to learn and visit. The committee will reach out to those they think would be a good fit for the foundation and hopefully have contacts for Mr. Smith in January. NEW CELL UPDATE: Mr. Scott Kleinfeld informed the committee that we are two months into the new cell. The 10 fluff layer is now covering 90% of the liner. He hopes that in two weeks the liner will be completely covered by the fluff layer. Mr. Roberts asked if Mr. Kleinfeld could show him on the map where this activity is taking place. Mr. Kleinfeld happily agreed and showed the group on the map where staff are working. Mr. Smith stated that this is our last cell for this phase and we will build up and piggyback over Cell C, A and B. This allows for more capacity and this cell should last 3-4 years. Mr. Glasgow asked what the fluff layer is. Mr. Kleinfeld informed the group that the fluff layer is 10 of loose, non-compacted garbage, put directly on top of the liner. He went on to say that they do not compact for two reasons; to prevent puncturing the liner and to promote quicker water runoff. As soon as we get to the eleventh foot, Mr. Kleinfeld will tell staff to start compacting the garbage. Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 5
Ms. Moon said that two weeks ago on a Wednesday she witnessed many loose plastic bags flying around, almost as if it was snowing on the Citizen s Pad. Mr. Kleinfeld replied that on that day it was very windy, but all those bags were the recycling residue the landfill receives from American. The snowing effect was due to the wind. Mr. Smith stated that they have plans to put up golf fencing all along the road to prevent it from getting into the Citizen s area. Mr. Smith stated that the blowing plastic and bags are a constant issue and a whole crew is dedicated to picking up blowing litter. He went on to say that with this new cell, we are the closest we will ever be to the Citizen s Pad. Mr. Joe Chisholm asked if the leachate was pumped from this fluff layer. Mr. Smith answered that the leachate goes through the fluff layer and is pumped from just above the liner. He continued by stating that there will be some horizontal collectors installed in the fluff layer for the gas in the near future, and at a later date we will go in and install permanent gas wells. A project to cap a portion of the Cell A area is in design, with construction planned to begin in Spring 2018. Additional gas collection wells will be installed as part of the cap construction. We are also working on rerouting some piping to increase vacuum in an area where some odors are occurring. SOLAR PROJECT UPDATE: As for the solar project, Mr. Smith stated that our vendor has given us a better proposal for review. The main issue is economics, and we are meeting with our consultant next week to see if we can make it work. NOVEC s electric prices have gone down over the last few years, and the cost of solar panels has dropped too. We will try and get the vendor to lower their price, in order to make this project economically viable for the county. Ms. Malo asked if there are any guarantees that they will give you for putting the solar panels on the hill. Mr. Smith replied that the solar panels are weighted down with ballasts. If one of these were to slip and roll down the hill, it would be the vendor s responsibility to fix it. The company must also guarantee that the panels produce a certain amount of power. ORGANICS UPDATE: Mr. Smith informed the committee that the organics project will be under construction soon. The company is currently going through arrangements for financing to get the necessary funds. We currently have an agreement now where Freestate has a license to be on the property at Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 6
Balls Ford Road. However, to obtain financing, the equity partner has requested that Freestate Farms have a full lease on the property. This is a legal issue, and would require a modification of the Agreement with the Board. Once we develop a lease, this will also require a public hearing. This change in legal documents will be worked on this winter and plans for construction are set to start in the spring. WETLANDS UPDATE: Mr. Smith has his final walk in regards to the wetlands project this morning (12-7-17). There are a few areas that need to be reseeded, and a few trees that need to be replanted. A long-term maintenance plan is a requirement of the wetlands permits. Our consultant developed an annual report, which was just submitted to VDEQ for review. Overall, things look good. There has been significant damage due to deer activity. They are killing too many of our trees and we may have to take care of the problem. Ms. Moon stated that she is having inquiries from archers, and will be happy to refer people to Mr. Smith if that s how he chooses to go about the problem. Mr. Smith replied that he plans to contact the police department and the USDA to see if they have any suggestions. Ms. Moon suggested a product called liquid fence, which you spray to deter deer from a certain area. Mr. Roberts suggested speaking with the county arborist as well. Mr. Smith stated that other than the deer being a nuisance, and maintenance, the wetlands project is complete. COMMITTEE CONCERNS/ ISSUES Ms. Moon stated that she has noticed an abundance of trash along 234 stretching from here to the City of Manassas. Mr. Smith replied that he will check with the police to see if they can do some extra checks in the area and he will speak to our litter crew. He will speak to Jeremy Crowley to see if he will increase the litter crew s presence in this part of the county. Ms. Moon also asked that Mr. Kleinfeld make sure that the employees out back cover the garbage for the day. During the SWCAG picnic in September, the trash was not covered for the night and it did not make a good impression. Mr. Kleinfeld replied that he was aware of this and that people were reprimanded immediately. This is something that is not acceptable any day, let alone on a picnic day. Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 7
Ms. Moon also commented on the guard stations that are now on the Citizen s Pad. She feels they are a great improvement and allows workers a better way to get in out of the cold and heat. Mr. Smith then asked the committee if they had any concerns or issues that they would like to work on for next year. We want to work together to improve the landfill. He asked if the Solid Waste Division is covering the right topics and if there is anything the group would like to learn about or more in depth in the coming year. Mr. Markman asked if Mr. Smith received any feedback on the shredding operation last month. Mr. Smith stated that he did and that the event was extremely busy in the morning. Mr. Smith suggested that for next year, we might move the location; as where it currently is, we are very tight on space. Mr. Markman agreed as everyone was snaked around and it was difficult for people to exit the facility once their papers were shredded. He also suggested that they start the event earlier and increase the number of shredding trucks. Mr. Chisholm asked if cardboard recycling has increased now that there is better signage in the Citizen s area. Ms. Moon stated that she has seen a decrease in the amount of cardboard in the dumpsters and is very pleased. She also suggested that maybe it s time to pick another item, such as plastics, and make a sign to encourage more people to recycle plastics correctly. Mr. Smith stated that this is a good idea and in this upcoming year, they will have a big push to try and get yard waste out of plastic bags. Mr. Roberts suggested that the trash haulers offer large paper bags to the residents for their yard waste. If they had them on the truck, they could just drop them off. Mr. Smith stated that this is something we are working on with our code changes. We are trying to make it unacceptable for people to put their yard waste in plastic trash bags. Mr. Roberts suggested that maybe the committee could spend this upcoming year looking at ways to build a chain of communication. Between the government, schools, trash haulers, etc. He suggested a campaign titled, chain of understanding in which people learn how and what to recycle. This could be a project for Boy Scouts, or kids in STEM programs and we can reach out to Colgan High School to spearhead the project. He also mentioned reaching out to Ruth Anderson and her large pool of volunteer groups and originations. Mr. Roberts is also involved with the website, nextdoor.com. He stated that the website consists of eight different HOA s as well as being the President of his HOA. He is more than happy to send out a little blurb once a month to promote recycling and sustainability in the county. Ms. Nikki Rattray Baldwin suggested contacting military bases, and spousal associations in the area. Mr. Smith agreed that all of these are great ideas and suggestions. He agreed that we need to start a themed campaign Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 8
this upcoming year to promote recycling, and especially this new code update. Mr. Smith stated that in this upcoming year, they would focus on outreach and education. Mr. Roberts asked Mr. Smith if there was anything the committee could do to make things better for him and his staff. Mr. Smith replied that he was not prepared for that question, but that he may get the committee more involved in some of the economic matters. With some of these new projects we have going, he would like to get the committee more involved; especially if there is a new facility built, as there will likely be an increase in fees. ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Tom Smith then adjourned the meeting at 8:45pm. The next SWCAG meeting will be held at 7:30 pm on January18, 2018 at the HHW building conference room of the landfill complex. Final December 7, 2017 meeting/sk 9