City Council

Agenda Item

Memo

TO:      Commissioner Dan Saltzman

THROUGH:  Susan Anderson, Director OSD

FROM:    Robin Hawley (x37037)

DATE:    March 20, 2003

Requested Placement Date: April 09, 2003.

RECOMMENDATION

Recommend passage of the ordinance.

BACKGROUND

The City passed an ordinance to recycle 50% of the waste stream by 2000, which we achieved, and 60% by 2005. Additionally, the City requires businesses to recycle 50% of their waste.

The Department of Environmental Quality offers grants to local jurisdictions to encourage recycling and waste prevention. This grant will allow Portland State University to increase their recycling rate so they will be in compliance with our recycling ordinance and to increase diversion that will positively affect our overall recycling goals.

The grant will be used to purchase recycling equipment for handling recyclable material and to install public recycling depots for students and staff to utilize. It will also be used to staff a part time recycling position.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The ordinance will allow us to pass through to Portland State University $20,000 of the Department of Environmental Quality monies to finance the project.

LEGAL ISSUES

There are no legal issues.

CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

There are no controversial issues.

LINK TO CURRENT CITY POLICIES

The City has recycling goals the City must achieve and recycling requirements businesses must comply with.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

This project will allow students and staff the opportunity to recycle at Portland State University.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

This project will allow students and staff the opportunity to recycle at Portland State University.

OTHER GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION

The Department of Environmental Quality is issuing grants to local governments.