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File Number: 11 -333 Councilmember Cutter regarding San Leandro's vote at the Alameda County Waste Management Authority Board meeting on December 14, 2011. Staff supports the adoption of both ordinances, but may recommend to the Council to opt -out of Phase 2 of the Mandatory Recycling Ordinance before January 1, 2014. - 1e[s] Ififel Yell] 0I W7 The Alameda County Waste Management Authority ( ACWMA) and the Source Reduction and Recycling Board are known collectively as StopWaste.Org and function as one agency to provide waste management and program planning services in Alameda County. The ACWMA Board consists of elected officials from each of the seventeen member agencies. The City of San Leandro is currently represented by Councilmember Cutter. The ACWMA operates according to the terms of the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA) for the management of waste. According to the JPA the ACWMA has the power to enact countywide ordinances and is responsible for preparing planning documents to meet state requirements, implementing countywide diversion programs, and determining landfill disposal needs. In 2010, the ACWMA approved a Strategic Plan covering a 10 year time horizon to define programs and efforts conducted by StopWaste.Org. This Strategic Plan identified several goals to more effectively manage discards by the year 2020, including a goal of 90% diversion of readily recyclable and compostable materials. As part of the implementation of the Strategic Plan, StopWaste.Org is proposing that the ACWMA Board consider two laws on December 14, 2011, a Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance and a Mandatory Recycling Ordinance. Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance StopWaste.Org is proposing a Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance intended to reduce the amount of single use bags distributed in Alameda County and to reduce negative impacts to the environment caused by bag litter and landfill disposal. Studies estimate that 2 million single use bags are given away daily in Alameda County. Single use carryout bags, especially plastic bags, have been identified as a significant component of litter in the marine environment, damaging wildlife, and impacting sensitive habitat. In addition, single -use plastic bags are typically not recycled and create operational problems for transfer station and landfill operators. According to the ACWMA Waste Characterization Study of 2008, plastic bags represent 2.5% (440 tons) of the single - family waste stream. The proposed ordinance would ban single use carryout bags and impose a minimum 10 cent per bag fee for reusable and recycled content paper bags. Retailers would be entitled to keep the fee and are required to itemize bag charges on customers' receipts. WIC and welfare recipients would be exempt from the fee. Plastic bags used for raw meat or produce would also be exempt. If adopted by the ACWMA Board on December 14, the Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance would take effect on January 1, 2013, and apply to grocery and retail stores that sell packaged food items including corner stores, liquor stores, convenience markets, big box stores, and drug stores. StopWaste.Org staff would oversee enforcement of the Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance. Mandatory Recycling Ordinance StopWaste.Org has also proposed a Mandatory Recycling Ordinance. The ordinance would City of San Leandro Page 2 Printed on 11/15/2011