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Approved Minutes - 2024-06-17City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 1 of 6 CITY OF LAKE OSWEGO Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Approved Call to Order / Roll Call Jay Hamachek called the June 2024 meeting of the Sustainability Advisory Board to order at 6:34 pm. Members Present: Buzz Chandler, Jay Hamachek, Kara Orvieto, Robin Palao, Matt Schaeffer, Whitney Street, Nathan Chen, Margaux McCloskey Members Excused/Absent: Mark Puhlman Staff: Councilor Trudy Corrigan, Amanda Watson Public: Ryan Metzger, Travis Comfort Approval of Minutes Buzz made a motion to approve the May 2024 meeting minutes, Kara seconded, minutes approved. Public Comment All members of the public were attending to provide comment on the expanded recycling services agenda item; co-chairs decided to hold comment until after that agenda item. Regular Business A. Expanded Recycling Services Ryan Metzger, CEO of Ridwell, gave a presentation about what Ridwell does. • Started in 2018, with Ryan and his son finding places where they could take items not accepted in their curbside program in Seattle to be recycled. As interest in the community grew, decided to turn it into a business. • Ridwell service focused on making it easy for the consumer: provides bags for in-home sorting and storage; have an app, text and web-based ways to request pickups; collection bin on porch. • Residents choose Ridwell for different reasons: some because regular pickups more convenient than drop off, people like the app and like to see their impact. • On the operations side, they are not doing what Republic does but focused on what are the things that fall through the cracks, that don’t work in traditional hauling; they are supplementary to that system. Routing software plans efficient routes on one day per week, smaller vans and app that collects data on what people are putting out so Ridwell can share that data with cities or with customers to show impact. • Warehouse is not a MRF; material comes in pre-sorted and is prepared for reuse and recycling partners. • Ridwell is transparent on where things go, customers like that; for each item they identify their market and report on how much contamination there was. • Customer service team, partnership team to identify markets and non-profit partners, technology team that supports app and provides data. City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 2 of 6 • Over 100,000 household members in over 200 jurisdictions in 8 states; in Portland, over 25,000 Ridwell members in Portland Metro area including over 800 households in Lake Oswego; 35+ local nonprofit partners and over 50 local jobs created. • Have a featured category for pickup every 2 weeks and identify local partners that can use those items, e.g. pet supplies, art supplies, backpacks, books. These are in-kind donations. • Driving innovation: at urging of customers Ridwell introduced clamshell recycling options and that expanded it for everyone, now there are drop off locations in the Portland Metro area that weren’t there before; continue to add new materials like multi-layer plastic, plastic lids, light tubes—over 50 items since Ridwell started, some available at every pickup and others not • Ridwell as a complement to the RMA (extended producer responsibility legislation Oregon passed a couple of years ago). RMA is creating a standard list of curbside recyclables. If there is something that this program adds to curbside, Ridwell will take that away from their service and find something to replace it. RMA also creates more dropoff options and can help raise awareness of those and make it more convenient, help people who have difficulty getting there to use those drop offs. Ridwell collects items not addressed by RMA. • Lake Oswego Ridwell customers: high usage, 82% of members use every bi-weekly pickup opportunity; 6 lbs average saved from landfill every pickup; 216,588 pounds of materials diverted from landfill from Lake Oswego customers • Ridwell compared their service to Recycle+: 55+ categories for collection compared with 4 for Recycle+, $18/month compared with $21/mo for equivalent service, scheduling up to the night before on app or website rather than 2 days in advance by phone. • Ridwell wants people to have the choice to decide what they want to do, for these supplemental services. Jay asked if Ridwell’s recycling warehouse is local; Ryan confirmed that it is. Jay noted that expanded service (Recycle+) is available in Tualatin. Does Ridwell directly compete with that? Ryan answered that Ridwell originally had batteries as part of Lake Oswego service, but took batteries out when Republic began curbside battery collection in LO. Where there is a supplemental service, Ridwell worked with Tualatin and other communities to operate alongside. They don’t compete on the free curbside collection services. Travis Comfort, Municipal Contract Administrator with Republic Services, gave a presentation on Republic’s Recycle+ program. • Tote is a 20 gallon plastic tote with a lid, majority reclaimed material, standardized color. • Basic service components are a monthly fee (optional and opt-in service, not subscription based, residents can pick it up or drop service at any time), two pick-up opportunities monthly, union drivers do the hauling and are paid a living wage, materials are taken to Far West Recycling and now two other MRFs who are now taking the material: EFI and Pioneer Recycling • Currently Republic Services offers the service in Tualatin, Wilsonville, unincorporated Clackamas and Washington Counties • Materials covered: stretchy plastic film/bags, clear #1 plastic clamshells, textiles, compact fluorescent light bulbs (Republic has an existing mail-in program for recycling long fluorescent tubes). The program also collects seasonal items (e.g. string lights in January) and does reuse collection drives quarterly. Reuse drives for kitchen items go to Community Warehouse, who are filling about 65 homes per week and are always looking for donations. • Travis shared the final Uniform Statewide Collection List for the RMA, which will be the new curbside list starting next year, and the PRO acceptance list. City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 3 of 6 • Recycle+ rates are a base monthly rate of $2.50 and $9.25 per pickup. Options for non-curbside pickup have an additional charge based on the walk-up rates for other services in Lake Oswego and other cities. Republic has seen that once customers get rid of textiles and lightbulbs in their first couple pickups, it’s mostly clamshells after that and they are seeing fewer pickups per month. • Piloting multifamily service (working through logistical challenges with pickup and containers), more on that coming soon; they are looking to go live with that before the end of the year. • Why offer Recycle+: optional service, only if it meets customers’ needs and budget, provides opportunities while avoiding significant impacts to service costs across all LO customers; environmental benefits of diverting waste from the landfill; Recycle+ service can begin in Lake Oswego immediately • Recycle+ truck is a retrofitted flatbed truck, not a typical garbage truck, but Republic does have clean fleet goals for their overall fleet; they have retrofitted their site in Wilsonville to add charging stations and electric trucks will be coming soon to the area Robin asked Travis to clarify the pricing mechanism. So the minimum subscription rate is $2.50 without any pickups, and two pickups per month is a total of $21/month? Yes. They do have customers who will go a month or two to collect their clamshells before putting them out. Jay asked a clarification question about the RMA list, and what Recycle+ would add. Travis clarified which items were included on the USCL for curbside collection. The PRO is in talks with Metro about trying to meet their convenience standard for PRO items with a potential curbside option rather than depots, whether Recycle+ could shift to meet that standard. 13 members of the public provided comment on this agenda item. All were Ridwell subscribers and provided comments in support of Ridwell service remaining available in Lake Oswego. • Michelle Deburr – when Ridwell came around, she was most excited about the multilayer plastic recycling. • Another commenter (did not provide name) asked Republic Services why they had a problem with having another service operate that takes items they won’t take. Travis responded that there are many layers to that, but the franchise system is part of it; Republic Services is a regulated hauler of materials, the issue is about transparency, and that what is offered to one part of the city isn’t offered to everyone. • Suzanna Yahya Nadler – drawn to Ridwell because she gets to see where their stuff goes, customers have an involvement that is different from a big corporation • Robert O’Connell – Ridwell is very easy, convenient • John Tremay – Doesn’t see Ridwell as competing with Republic Services because they don’t have the service available; whether or not he uses Ridwell doesn’t impact Republic Services’ base service. When is Recycle+ going to be available to Lake Oswego? Travis clarified that it will only be available if City Council chooses to adopt it; they only operate in jurisdictions where they have permission to do so. • Another commenter (did not provide name) shared that their entire reason for getting Ridwell was that they take multi-layer plastic. Recycle+ and Ridwell are not comparable services so it shouldn’t be just one or the other. • Jim Newcomer – Has had some experience with markets for recycled plastics. Ridwell freed up their dependence on recycling markets, because customers pay them to recycle they can give materials away or take a loss on materials and still stay in business. • Sabrina Trembley – Ridwell also takes bread tags, dog collars and leashes. It’s a very wide- spectrum service. City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 4 of 6 • Lesha Bart – Would prefer to have the option, even if there is competition, to use Ridwell because it feels like he is dealing with a company that he is closer to, he knows he can reach out to and ask a question or make a comment. Recommends keeping both options. • One commenter works for Ridwell; she appreciates everything Republic is doing and thinks it should be both options, to supplement each other. Travis noted that this seems to be the goal of Ridwell to encourage that kind of thing; Recycle+ wouldn’t be here without Ridwell creating enough demand by regulators to see that option available to everybody. • Michael Harrison – His family values Ridwell a lot to be able to not put more into the trash. Please keep it in our community and allow us to spend our money where we choose to. • Marianne Miller – Plastic is the problem, we should actively pursue any possible remedies for it. She wants both too, wants everyone to succeed. We need to keep the momentum on minimizing our use of plastic and recycle it in a way that is energy efficient. • Another commenter (did not provide name) just signed up for the Styrofoam recycling with Ridwell because the place in Tigard just shut down, Ridwell is the only one they know of that takes Styrofoam. Kara asked if there are any plans to expand into multifamily dwelling units. Ryan answered that Ridwell is already serving many multifamily units. Michael Harrison asked about the next steps in the process and how they can continue to advocate for these services in their community. Jay explained that SAB is an advisory board to City Council, there will be an opportunity for community members to provide public comment to City Council too. Amanda shared that there is a tentative date for the City Council meeting at the end of July; when that is confirmed it will be on the City’s website. The SAB will make a recommendation to City Council, then City Council will have a study session on the topic. This topic is coming on the agenda because the City has an exclusive franchise agreement with Republic Services, and companies like Ridwell collecting solid waste are operating out of compliance with the exclusive franchise agreement. Other factors include the Recycling Modernization Act coming up and with Republic Services and other haulers implementing Recycle+ in other jurisdictions, including Clackamas County. Cindy with Republic Services commented that it’s not the case that Republic Services is trying to take anything away from Ridwell, wants to make sure it’s not seen as an us-versus-them situation. Republic operates within the franchise system, and part of that is that they pay a fee to do business in the city. Robin asked a clarification question about pricing for Ridwell service. Ryan explained that the $18/month option was their most popular. The $14/month includes one less item, and there is also a larger option. The rates are for pickups every 2 weeks, so 2 pickups in most month and 3 in some. If items don’t fit in the box, there is no extra charge for the main categories but there is a per bag charge for larger items. B. City Council Update Councilor Corrigan gave an update on City Council meetings in the past month, including: • Since the SAB last meet in May, Council declared Pride Month, National Public Works Week, and National Historic Preservation Week • Approved guaranteed maximum price for backup power at the Lake Oswego-Tigard Water Partnership Facilities Project • Had a study session on the Library facilities condition report and seismic evaluation • Had a study session on the Urban and Community Forestry Plan City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 5 of 6 • Decided to send a letter to Clackamas County Commissioners regarding the proposed intersection improvements at Stafford and Childs roads currently on hold because of issue with Chapter 10, asked if they would consider holding off so Council can refer it to the voters • In June, declared National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Juneteenth • Approved IGA with Metro to take care of disaster debris • Adopted the City of Lake Oswego Emergency Operations Plan • Held a study session on amendments to the stormwater management code, bringing them into compliance with statewide stormwater permit • Held a study session on the EV charging strategy. City Council appreciates all the time and effort SAB put in and would like to pursue all of the ideas that they have. Jay asked for more information about the updates to the stormwater code. Trudy clarified that the requirements simply bring the City Code into compliance with our permit, we are not doing anything differently than we are doing currently. C. Youth Member Updates Nathan graduated from Catlin Gabel and will be attending UIUC in Illinois in the fall. Margaux learned a lot from participating on the Board and will pursue another opportunity with the City going forward. D. Farewell to Outgoing Members Amanda acknowledged the outgoing SAB members and alternates—Matt Schaeffer, Margaux McCloskey, Nathan Chen, and Jeannie Enders—for their contributions to the Board, and presented them with Distinguished Service Awards, cards, and LO logo blankets. E. Staff & Board Updates • Buzz gave a brief presentation on a DEQ webinar he attended for Oregon’s packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation, focused on food service products that will be covered by the legislation (“Oregon Packaging EPR: Food Serviceware” on June 11 2024). EPR laws are increasing in the US. One of the common problems is that everyone wants to recycle and feel good about doing it, but people have to make money for it to work. EPR laws are helping to address economic challenges in recycling since international market disruptions in 2017-2018. Packaging producers will be paying into the system in a shared responsibility model. The webinar reviewed covered materials lists and where food serviceware fits in. DEQ will have additional webinars on other types of covered materials from July through September; Amanda will share those links by email. • Board members noted other aspects of the Recycling Modernization Act, including how the Producer Responsibility Organization will be expanding a network of depots to drop off PRO list materials for recycling, and how the EPR legislation is intended to incentivize packaging producers to improve the recyclability of their materials. • Amanda gave a brief update on the EV Charging study session with City Council. She will be going back to City Council to provide additional requested information on the economic impacts to development of the two potential regulatory strategies. Council was supportive of expanding EV charging at City facilities. • Amanda reminded members about the upcoming Mayor’s Roundtable on June 27. Meeting adjourned at 8:18 pm. Respectfully submitted, City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes June 17, 2024 Page 6 of 6 Amanda Watson Sustainability Program Manager