Everyone should be excited by the goals leading off the recently published request for proposals and qualifications from consultants to the next revision of the municipal waste management plan for Delaware County.
Here are some of the specifics about the program to revise the plan and what the plan should contain:
- It’s a 10-year plan, required by the state.
- It is intended to be a guide to the county’s transition to sustainable methods of materials management using Zero Waste practices and following the Zero Waste Hierarchy.
- It will review the effectiveness of county’s recycling programs, and examine market development for recyclables and the feasibility of collecting organics and compostable materials for inclusion in our recycling program.
- It will focus on resource conservation and protecting the public health, safety, and welfare for both the short and long-term, especially in relation to transportation, processing, treatment, storage, and disposal of municipal waste.
- It will evaluate how Zero Waste solutions can help meet other county goals for cost savings and other efficiencies across programs.
- And finally, development of the plan is intended to engage with stakeholders in the county.
There is no precise timeline, and we don’t know who the experts will be to conduct this plan investigation. There is considerable detail provided in the published document that seeks evaluation of a number of different elements to our future plan, but clearly the county has made a statement about where they see waste management going in the future.
It certainly appears that a Zero Waste philosophy is building strength in Delaware County. Let’s all get ready to be involved!
Do you have a perspective that should be part of the next municipal waste management plan? If so, please comment here or through our many media channels. Spread the word!
Zero Waste Delco 