Department of Public Works 1500 Scribner NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 Phone: (616) 632-7920 Fax: (616) 632-7925

Mission

The Kent County Board and Department of Public Works acquires, improves, enlarges, operates, and maintains sewage disposal systems, and refuse systems to promote and protect the health and welfare of its residents and the environment.

Overview

The Department of Public Works acting through the Board of Public Works is an enterprise fund established by the Board of Commissioners to provide solid waste management services. The Department is divided into two divisions: Administration and Solid Waste Operations. The Solid Waste division has four components: Recycling and Resource Recovery, Waste-to-Energy, Landfill and Transfer Station, and Closed Landfill Remediation and Environmental Compliance.

Strategic Goals • Create a 20 x ’20 and 90 x ’30 sustainable materials management master plan to achieve a 20 percent landfill reduction for Kent County discards by 2020 and a 90 percent reduction by 2030 including a sustainable business park master plan for South Kent Landfill southern expansion property for zero waste to landfill Initiatives including composting of yard and food waste and other organic materials and construction and demolition debris processing. (Efficient Use of Resources, Proactive and Innovative Government, High Quality of Life). • Develop strategic partnerships to attract investment in sustainable materials management collection and processing infrastructure. (Efficient Use of Resources, Proactive and Innovative Government, High Quality of Life).

Kent County Recycling and Education Center

Significant Accomplishments

• Updated mission, vision and value statements to align department business practices. • Completed an Efficiency Review of the Kent County Integrated Solid Waste Management System to identify opportunities for improvement with the existing infrastructure and services and identify strategies for broader changes for higher levels of diversion and waste management sustainability can be achieved in Kent County. • Developed new logo and branding including the SafeHome, SafeMeds and SafeSharps programs. Created a new community relations position to enhance internal and public communications. • Provided input on energy and solid waste policy to the White House Director of Energy and Climate Change, USEPA and to State Senate and House committees. Participated on the MDEQ Solid Waste and Sustainability Advisory Panel and subcommittees representing the Michigan Association of Counties. • Facilitated the recommendation and approval of the Solid Waste Management Ordinance with the Solid Waste Planning Committee, Board of Public Works and Board of Commissioners.

• Develop Imagine Trash© campaign to reach Kent County residents and businesses with zero waste to landfill messaging. (Efficient Use of Resources, Citizen Participation, Proactive and Innovative Government, High Quality of Life). • Expand the commercial sector waste diversion technical assistance to reach 200 commercial businesses during its first year. (Citizen Participation, Proactive and Innovative Government, High Quality of Life). • Develop education curriculum for an urban and rural school district to expand K-12 residential recycling education in partnership with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council. (Efficient Use of Resources, Citizen Participation, High Quality of Life).

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Significant Accomplishments Continued • As part of facility renovations, repaired, repainted and placed new signs on all recycling drop off containers for Kentwood, North Kent Transfer and the Recycling and Education Center and completed repaving projects for South Kent Landfill and North Kent Transfer Station. • South Kent Landfill construction of Cell 55 for WTE ash and substantially completed Cell 37 for refuse a year in advnce to meet disposal needs for Kent County refuse. • Developed waste hauler licensing program in preparation of implementing the Solid Waste Management Ordinance in 2016. • Implemented new scalehouse software at the four facilities in the DPW fleet, replacing aging software and coordinate with the scheduled implementation of the new financial management system. • Produced 20.2 MW of renewable electrical generation at the Waste to Energy and South Kent Landfill Gas to Energy facilities producing enough electricity for 15,000 homes. • Completed a five year-review at the Recycling and Education Center to verify facility performance efficiency against original design criteria, baling capacity, quality of recovered materials, labor and other operating costs, equipment maintenance and refurbishment to determine service fees needed to sustain operations. • Participation in the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum Economic Impact Potential and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Michigan study which determined that $32M worth of materials going to landfill every year. • Completed three projects at the closed Kentwood Landfill required by USEPA 5-year review including installation of a gas collection/ flare system to prevent migration of methane to City of Kentwood facilities, installation of additional leachate collection piping to capture leachate on the southern extension and a leachate collection pumping optimization study to help identify system improvements to improve leachate removal. • In partnership with manufacturers in West Michigan, completed a Review of Opportunities for Zero Waste to Landfill for Industries study to quantify volumes and types of industrial wood waste and methods and technologies used to divert this material from landfilling. • In partnership with Goodwill Industries, fully implemented the Transitional Work Force program to staff the process line at the Recycling and Education Center.

Strategic Goals Cont’d

• Expand promotion of DPW programs to minority and under reached communities by providing new bilingual materials and partnering with the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. (High Quality of Life). • Partner with two municipalities to offer public space recycling pilot programs for parks and/ or large-scale community events. (High Quality of Life). • Increase single stream recycling volumes for the Recycling and Education Center and process 40,000 tons of material. (Efficient Use of Resources). • Partner with 5 neighboring counties, the City of Grand Rapids and waste and recycling service providers to develop consistent residential curbside recycling messaging to improve quality. (Efficient Use of Resources, High Quality of Life). • Maximize commodity revenues with market rate service fees to sustain Recycling and Education Center operations. (Stable Revenues). • Complete concept of design study for Recycling & Education Center property for suitability of a SafeHome Service Center for household hazardous waste, small quantity generator business waste, electronics recycling and community reuse programming. (Efficient Use of Resources, Safe Community). • Increase South Kent Landfill disposal air space within the existing permitted footprint through a facility redesign and use of mechanically stabilized earth wall technology to increase air disposal capacity by 1 million cubic yards. (Efficient Use of Resources). • Improve Waste to Energy facility efficiency by 4%, lower HHV by 5%, and increase plant availability to 95 percent by optimizing operations and maintenance practices, diverting recyclable materials, and continuing plant refurbishment capital expenditures. Ensure long term power purchase arrangements are in place with Consumers Energy beyond 2022. (Stable Revenues, Efficient Use of Resources). • Continue the long term stewardship and management of closed landfill facilities including cap integrity, leachate collection and gas management systems evaluation for the North Kent Landfill and improve leachate pumping capabilities at the Kentwood Landfill in 2016. (Efficient Use of Resources).

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DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS Department Mission Statement: The Kent County Board and Department of Public Works acquires, improves, enlarges, operates and maintains sewage disposal systems, and refuse systems to promote and protect the health and welfare of its residents and the environment.

Service Area: Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and Household Hazardous Waste(HHW)

Service Area Mission Statement: Provide Kent County residents and waste hauling businesses processing and outlets for recovered recyclable materials and household hazardous waste. Goals ● Accept increased curbside recycling volumes at the Recycling and Education Center and process 40,000 tons. ● Expand participation in the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program through a comprehensive educational and advertising outreach program and open hours.

Objectives ● Process and sell at 90% of incoming recycle tonnage - MRF ● Increase the number of households served by 10% - HHW ● Increase the pounds of Household Hazardous Waste material by 5% - HHW

Indicators Outcomes Percent of tons sold/tons processed (MRF) Percent increase in number of households served (HHW) Percent increase in the pounds of Household Hazardous Waste material collected (HHW)

Indicators Efficiencies Net cost per ton processed (MRF) Cost per pound collected (HHW) (less than goal is good)

2013 Actual 90.00% 4.20% 5.90%

2013 Actual 101.00 1.28

2014 Expected/ Actual

2015 Expected/ Actual

2016 Expected/

5.00%/ 25.90%