Information for Jenny

[Baxter, Daniel A.]

 

Jenny,

 

Sorry for the late response to your information request… I hope that we may be able to help. We were finishing up an e-cycling collection here on Wednesday and are setting up another one for our municipal material.

 

In Virginia Beach (As Chairman of Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission) and as Business Recycling Coordinator for the City of Newport News, I have worked with several organizations and companies to conduct electronics recycling. As you noted in your email to the group, there are many challenges to doing this and doing it correctly.

 

We here in Hampton Roads have banded together several times to conduct regional events which have been very successful. Most recently VB Clean collaborated with VB Parks and Recreation and Synergy Recycling to conduct a collection event on the Anniversary Date for earth day on April 22… this group has been conducting these events for five years. Despite the steady rain and wind, we were able to get some very dedicated volunteers who came out for a 6 hour event where we were able to double stack load an entire 53 foot trailer.

 

We have also conducted several regional events through our Hampton Roads Group  www.askhrgreen.org  with collaboration with Cox Communications and all of our localities (Cities and Counties). These kind of events have attracted 200 to 500 plus participants over a 3 to 4 hour period.

 

In Newport News, we recently transitioned from holding quarterly events with the Arc of the Peninsula to a permanent drop off site. Our quarterly events were attracting anywhere from 500 to 1100 plus in a three hour period and were very popular with our residents. We decided to develop and HHW/E-cycling program with a site where material is staged in secure and covered locations (In compliance with EPA and security standards) then shipped to a facility where destruction or repurpose/use is directed or conducted.

 

First things first:

 

·         What is your goal? Sounds simple, but is more complex than it sounds. Diversion, reduction of hazardous material in landfills or both? Helps with messaging…

·         One time event, quarterly or more frequently?

·         Find partners in the business and civic communities (Mostly to gauge needs and find volunteers and equipment)

·         Storage? Where will the material be stored?

·         Packaging and transport? Will you be required to do this or will the contractor. I have seen contractors who will do everything but charge for every pallet, pounds removed and to load each item.

 

What you need to know:

 

·         Location? Are you going to use one site, or multiple drop off sites with a pick up?

·         Are the sites able to provide support for drop off activities? Business and School parking lots along RT 13 may be good choices for you…

·         Day of the week? Week day or weekend? Most residential interest will be on weekends while businesses will prefer during the week events… Some groups have done Friday-Saturday events to handle both sides.

·         Know these standards: EPA R-2, RIOS, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. There are companies out there that will be happy to take your material and broker it to someone else… Some of these companies are potential trouble because they do not have necessary training or permitting to do the job… With these companies the problem is that you may have no idea where it goes once it leaves your custody.

·         Ask about “Down Stream Vendors”… In other words: Where is the stuff going and what is being done with it? What you do not want is to be the subject of a “60 Minutes” expose on e-waste going to a burn pile in a third world nation or like some municipal computers from new jersey with personal data from a health department that found their way into the hands of High School students in Europe.

·         Charges? What are you being charged for and are you going to charge participants?

·         Packaging and transport: If you are collaborating with a company like Synergy, Creative or Waste Management E-cycling programs, they will normally bring or supply materials. If they have to bring staff to pack the material in boxes and load the transport vehicles, there may be a charge… Recommend that you make it clear with any contractor or provider who will be providing man power for removing material from vehicles and who will be packing the material.

 

How to set up the event or develop a program:

 

·         Organize a fact finding and research team.

·         Evaluate options available,       

o   Partnership with retailers

o   Regional partnership single event

o   Regional partnership organized quarterly event

o   Convenience center with pick up by contractor

·         Develop a plan (Location, type event, logistics, manpower & advertising)

·         Execute the plan

·         Evaluate event…

 

Hope this is helpful.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to call me. Because of your location, there are some challenges that are unique. I am sure we can provide some valuable information and support so that any E-Cycling event or project. We have a wealth of knowledge here in Hampton Roads and across the state through VRA.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dan

Daniel A. Baxter

Business Recycling Coordinator

Deputy Planner, NIMS

City of Newport News Public Works Department

513 Oyster Point Road,

Newport News, VA 23602

Office: 757.269.2873

Cell: 757.592.5387

Fax: 757.269.2725

 

 

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

 

[Jenny O'Neill]

Dear Daniel, 

Thank you so much for your extremely informative and helpful answer. I am in contact with Synergy and your questions will really help maximize the usefulness of her visit.  I really so appreciate your taking the time to be so in depth in your response. 

I may want to pick your brain on several subjects since your expertise and experience is vast. Perhaps some time when I go 'across the Bay' I could meet with you and tell you a bit more about Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore. We are  two years old and have accomplished a lot with a long long way to go in the area of promoting recycling and demoting litter. Our mission is to promote responsible disposal of waste on the Eastern Shore and it keeps us busy.

At any rate, thank you again. I will be in touch.

Jenny O'Neill 

President, Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore

757-787-7468

wastewatc...@gmail.com

--
Jenny O'Neill, President, Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore

PO Box 191 Onancock, VA 23417

757-787-7468

[Baxter, Daniel A.]

Jenny,

 

Thank you for the kind words… Our team is always ready willing and able to help.

 

Your challenge is great, but the people of the ES are also practical and very innovative. (I know, I spent my summers growing up on the Delmarva).

 

Call anytime.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dan

[Jenny O'Neill]

Dear Daniel, 

I wrote a friendly note to Vrginia Recycling Association to ask what they would have to offer for a small but passionate environmental group like Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore. This is now about 10 days with no reply. 

Any  suggestions for what my next steps should be? Do you know someone there I could call?

Hope this finds you well, 

Jenny.

On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 11:34 AM, Baxter, Daniel A. <dba...@nngov.com> wrote:

[Baxter, Daniel A.]

Jenny

 

Did your issue get resolved? Thought it might be by now.

 

Sent a note off to them…

 

Let me know either way

 

Sincerely,

 

Dan

 

 

Daniel A. Baxter

Business Recycling Coordinator

City of Newport News, Public Works Solid Waste DIvision

513 Oyster Point Road, Newport News, VA 23602

757.269.2873

757.592.5387

 

"Working for a sustainable future for businesses in Newport News"

 

 

 

P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

 

 

 

From: recyclen...@googlegroups.com [mailto:recyclen...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jenny O'Neill
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 3:17 PM
To: recyclen...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Information for Jenny

 

Dear Daniel, 

[Jenny O'Neill]

No, I guess I'll try again. 

On May 29, 2012, at 4:21 PM, Baxter, Daniel A. wrote:

Jenny

 

Did your issue get resolved? Thought it might be by now.

 

Sent a note off to them…

 

Let me know either way

 

Sincerely,

 

Dan

 

 

DANIEL A. BAXTER

Business Recycling Coordinator

City of Newport News, Public Works Solid Waste DIvision

513 Oyster Point Road, Newport News, VA 23602

757.269.2873

757.592.5387

 

"Working for a sustainable future for businesses in Newport News"

 

 

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P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

 

 

 

From: recyclen...@googlegroups.com [mailto:recyclen...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jenny O'Neill
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 3:17 PM
To: recyclen...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Information for Jenny

 

Dear Daniel, 

I wrote a friendly note to Vrginia Recycling Association to ask what they would have to offer for a small but passionate environmental group like Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore. This is now about 10 days with no reply. 

 

Any  suggestions for what my next steps should be? Do you know someone there I could call?

Hope this finds you well, 

Jenny.

On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 11:34 AM, Baxter, Daniel A. <dba...@nngov.com> wrote:

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Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail