by Theresa Ryan, Sonoma Group Executive Committee
On May 14, Compost Coalition meeting members chaired by Dan Noble, director of the California Association of Compost Producers, discussed responses to the main speakers at the May 10 Zero Waste Symposium, which drew more than 140 professionals and educators from the North Bay.
All the members of the Compost Coalition attended the symposium and were impressed with Captain Jack Moore’s keynote presentation on the extent of plastics in the world’s oceans. Moore’s talk and power point highlighted the five ocean gyres or garbage patches —the North Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, the North Pacific Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre, and the Indian Ocean Gyre—that have a significant impact on the oceans. The plastic filling the patches is very small micro beads and other small plastics that have washed out to sea in our laundry and showers and are working their way up the marine food chain. Read more
“If plastic is the new God,” says Moore, “we haven’t been treating it with the fear and the respect that it’s due. We’ve been treating it as throw away—as trash. But we’re going to have to learn to fear plastic, because it’s extremely dangerous, both to our health and to the health of the ecosystem that we live in.”
The solution: reduce use and close the loop.
The Compost Coalition also discussed the presentations focused on the Chinese or National Sword and how it is having a negative impact on California recycling markets. The National Sword instituted by the Chinese in July 2017 “limits the import of contaminated recyclable commodities and increases inspections of recyclables from the U.S.” It has resulted in more material being stockpiled at solid waste facilities and recycling centers or disposed of in landfills. In addition, changes in China's policies may have significant impacts on California's economy, as recyclable materials exported from California had a total vessel value of $5.2 billion in 2017, and on California's broader environmental goals. (Calrecycle.ca.gov/Markets/National Sword.)
One of the presenters, Sara Bixby, executive director of Solid Waste Association of North America, talked about dual stream versus single stream recycling. Dual stream, a system whereby cans, glass and cardboard are separated at the curb in appropriate bins is the system instituted by the City of Windsor’s hauler. It cuts down on contamination with other products and increases the value of those three commodities. Once you mix cans, bottles, paper, and plastic containers all in one stream they often become contaminated and are unable to be recycled.
Dual stream is consequently more effective than the traditional three-bin system in place now, and if you do not have a hauler that does it you might consider going back to the old way of collecting your own bottles and cans and cardboard and bringing them to a recycling center for cash. There are currently seven recycling centers in Sonoma County. Learn more
Will Bakx, also a compost coalition member, gave an excellent talk at the symposium on soils and the consequences of the fire to soil health as well as what types of vegetation and conditions of soils kept the fire at bay in some areas.
If you missed the symposium and this brief summary sparks your interest the presentations will be posted at http://zerowastesonoma.org/ soon so keep checking.
The rest of the coalition meeting was taken with Tom Conlon, a Sierra Club executive committee member who focused on the Regional Climate Protection Plan’s green house gas analytics as they relate to solid waste and organics.
The Press Democrat May 29 article “California Wages War on Plastic” is also an excellent summary of the problem of plastics and legislation around plastic bottles and caps to address the manufacturing part of plastic pollution. It is heartening and informative.
One last note, Sonoma County Waste Management Agency has changed its name to Zero Waste Sonoma. It reflects the evolving shift in management of solid waste to recognize its inclusion in the GHG picture and gathering local and regional energy behind reorganizing recycling both organics and other materials.
The Compost Coalition meets the second Monday of each month. The California Natural Resource Conservation Committee zero waste group meets by phone every third Thursday. Contact ruthabbe@gmail.com to find out how to join us. Also Portia Sinnott is training Sierra Club members in how to do education and outreach related to zero waste. Email her at portiasinnott@zerowasteusa.org