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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUtilities 2016-02-09 Item 1A - Presentation - 2015 Waste Management Annual ReportCity of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Public Works Department - Bob Giberson, Director INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Ekberg Utilities Committee FROM: Bob Giberson, Public Works Director -a BY: Frank Iriarte, Deputy Public Works Director DATE: February 05, 2016 SUBJECT: Waste Management 2015 Annual Report ISSUE Presentation of Waste Management's 2015 Annual Report. BACKGROUND On November 1, 2012, Waste Management was awarded a seven -year contract to provide comprehensive garbage, recycling, and compostables collection services for Tukwila residents and commercial customers. As part of the seven -year contract, Waste Management is required to prepare and provide an annual report to the City of Tukwila. Waste Management's presentation will highlight their significant accomplishments from January through December 2015. A copy of their annual report is attached. FINANCIAL IMPACT None. RECOMMENDATION Information only. attachment: Waste Management 2015 Annual Report W:SPW EngPROJECTS,Solid Waste'•Info Memo 2015 Waste Management Annual Report 02 -05 -16 gl.docx 1 7 WASTE MANAGEMENT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITY OF TUKWILA A PARTNERSHIP FOR TUKWILA'S SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Public Sector Team 3 Letter from Mary Evans Area Director, Public Sector Solutions 4 City of Tukwila Community Partnership Report 6 City of Tukwila Year End Reporting Document 10 Waste Management Pacific Northwest Regional Public Education and Outreach Summary 12 Spotlight on Interns 14 Anatomy of a Waste Management Zero Waste Event 16 Waste Management Pacific Northwest 2015 Strategic Investments Update 18 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT WASTE MANAGEMENT PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLIC SECTOR AREA DIRECTOR Mary Evans Area Director Public Sector Solutions 425 - 814 -7844 mevans4 @wm.com DISTRICT MANAGER Lewis Carver Senior District Manager Seattle Hauling 253- 255 -3885 (carver @wm.com WASTE MANAGEMENT PUBLIC SECTOR TEAM Cory Caldwell Contract Compliance Administrator 425 - 825 -0069 corycaldwell @wm.com John L. Chelminiak Senior Manager Public Sector 425 - 814 -7838 jchelmin @wm.com Tim Crosby Municipal Development Manager 425 - 825 -3454 tcrosby @wm.com David Della Public Sector Manager 425 - 825 -2016 ddella @wm.com Robin Freedman Senior Manager Communications 425 - 825 -2033 rfreedma @wm.com William Ibershof Public Sector Manager 425 - 825 -0032 wibersho @wm.com Jackie Lang Debra McEwan Gaya Rachim Senior Manager Contract Compliance Contract Administrator Communications Coordinator 425 - 825 -2007 503 - 493 -7848 425 - 825 -2023 grachim @wm.com jjlang @wm.com dmcewan @wm.com Vaughn Roadruck Alex Limongelli Michelle Metzler Recycling Education Public Sector Manager Public Education and Representative 604 - 520 -7865 Outreach Manager 509 - 309 -5561 alimonge @wm.com 425 - 825 -2010 vroadruc @wm.com mmetzler @wm.com Kimberly Kaminski Mindy Rostami Senior Manager Diana Meeks Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs Recycling Education Contract Compliance 425 - 814 -7841 Representative 425 - 825 -2034 kshanle1@wm.com 425 - 417 -2862 mrostami @wm.com dmeeks2 @wm.com Dean Kampfer Sarah Vaira Public Sector Manager Dominique Miciano Recycling Education 503 - 493 -7831 Collateral Specialist Representative dkampfer @wm.com 425 - 814 -7867 425 - 825 -0044 cmiciano @wm.com svaira @wm.com Christine Kim Contract Compliance Laura Moser Tami Yager Administrator Public Sector Manager Public Sector Manager 425 - 825 -2020 253 - 804 -5730 509 - 944 -3121 ckim @wm.com Imoser @wm.com tyager @wm.com Joel Kohlstedt Dawn Prewett Recycling Education Contract Compliance Representative Administrator 425 - 652 -0862 425 - 814 -7839 jkohlste @wm.com dprewett @wm.com 2.015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT 4 Thank you for the privilege of serving your community this past year. The year has flown by and I marvel at how much we have accomplished together this year. A few years ago, I wrote about the impact of China's Operation Green Fence on our business and our industry. Operation Green Fence was an effort to more vigorously inspect and reject what Chinese officials deemed nonrecyclable, contaminated or low value materials. As the recycling industry struggled, we shared this information with you through our first multi - municipality "town hall" meeting. Just a few years later, the topic of recycling remains at the forefront. Who knew there could be so many perspectives on something we consider ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest! We have been at this "green" lifestyle since before it became a hot marketing concept. It's in our DNA; it's who we are. But, do we really know what it takes to keep recycling sustainable? Rather than dismiss the national dialog, perhaps we need to wade in, consider the implications of changing trends, and maybe re -tool our programs to fit the current realities. There are three elements of sustainable recycling programs: collection, processing and end markets. Like a stool, it takes a balance of all three to create a successful program. First, can we collect the materials efficiently? With curbside, cart - based single stream recycling programs, customers experience the ultimate convenience of placing all recyclables in one cart at the curb ... and their participation rates prove the popularity. We even take it one - step further with automated cart collection. Here there is less visibility into the cart contents because the driver remains in the cab while a mechanical arm empties the cart contents into the truck — great for driver safety, very cost efficient, but we forego having a close look at the quality of the materials prior to collection. This makes customer education very important to minimize contamination. Recycling program efficacy rises and falls based on contamination levels. 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT Next, can we process the materials efficiently? Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs, for short) are reverse manufacturing plants. Commingled single stream recyclables come into the facilities, and MRFs separate the commodities into saleable commodities (paper, cans, plastic milk jugs, etc.). These plants cost tens of millions of dollars to design and build. They are fascinating, complicated, and not without physical limitations. If an item intended to be recycled is too small, it will slip through the various sorting screens and end up in the garbage. If an item looks or behaves like something it's not (say, a flat plastic pouch that appears two dimensional like paper), it will end up with the wrong material, creating contaminated commodity bales. Sustainable recycling programs depend upon successful MRF sorting. Finally, can we market the materials effectively? Recycling doesn't happen until commodities can be sold to an end market. These markets rely upon an adequate volume of appropriately valuable materials to generate steady buyers. In our experience, the markets must be in place prior to adding materials into the recycling stream. Simply adding a material to the laundry list of single stream commodities does not create a market. And, without an end market, there is no recycling. So what does all of this mean? We think the time is ripe for deepening our partnerships with municipal customers to ensure the viability of the region's recycling programs. Harmonization of materials? It's a worthy goal! Standardizing a regional materials list will go a long way to ending customer confusion (and keeping recyclables free of contamination). How about revisiting contract terms with an eye toward contemplating shared risk and reward? Or, mechanisms to address prolonged, profound changes in end markets? Let's talk about the avoided cost of disposal versus the cost of processing /marketing to ensure transparent policy development. The bottom line? Let's talk about these challenges in the coming year. Together, we'll find the solutions appropriate for each community. 6 Is Waste Management committed to recycling? Absolutely! Our CEO David Steiner said it best, "Waste Management is going to recycle forever." You can count on us for sustainable environmental solutions. A tangible way in which our company is increasing recycling and improving the quality of materials is through our public education campaign called Recycle Often. Recycle Right. SM ( RORR).This outreach campaign promotes the basics of recycling by simplifying guidelines and empowering everyone to become Recycling Ambassadors. We use the tenets of this campaign in our local education and outreach programs, including our award winning collegiate intern program. In 201 5, our WM Recycle Corps program received national recognition by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). SWANA named Waste Management's Pacific Northwest Area the winner of the Gold Excellence Award in the Education Program category and the newly created Innovator Award. SWANA's Excellence Awards Program recognizes outstanding solid waste programs that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management. It was so exciting to be recognized by our industry leaders! These awards are a reflection of our work together in your community. Thank you for teaming up with our Public Education & Outreach group to create incredible learning opportunities for our collegiate interns. Together, we are creating the next generation of environmental leaders. On behalf of our Public Sector team, thank you for your partnership and collaboration in 2015. We hope you enjoy this annual community report and all that we achieved together this past year. The report summarizes our work in your community, including the materials we collected and processed, as well as our public education, outreach and community activities. Your feedback is very important; please let me know how we are doing. On behalf of the women and men who serve your community, thank you for your business. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2016. Mary S. Evans f∎itidtd Area Director, Public Sector Solutions mevans4 @wm.com Office: 425 - 814 -7844 7 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP REPORT jimilir474 The City of Tukwila is home to a dive multifamily and commercial customers. Th Public Education and Outreach team in 2015 ommunity,of residential, al of Waste Management's to reach as many Tukwila customers as possible and to IV positive behavior change by encouraging waste reduction and reducingcontamination. These goals were met through a variety of strategic and targeted outreach tactics including dynamic tabling at events, direct outreach to businesses and, mailing guidelines and other information to customers. , To ensure positive and productive behavior change occurred, WIVI's Public Education and Outreach team worked with City of Tklkwila staff to coordinate events, outreach and education materials. Enhancing Single Family Recycling Events Waste Management participated in several City of Tukwila events in 2015. At the Tukwila Kids Festival, Tukwila Heritage and Culture Celebration, Tukwila Touch a Truck Safety and Emergency Preparedness Fair, and Backyard Wildlife Festival, WM's outreach staff engaged attendees through our signature WM Recycling Information Station. The station hosted a multitude of resources on recycling, including interactive displays that serve as a module for teaching recycling in a fun way, informative and comprehensive handouts that clearly display and educate on the nuances of recycling and token giveaways made from recycled materials to bolster the messaging of reduce and reuse. At the education booth, WM outreach staff encouraged Tukwila residents and business owners to ask hot topic recycling questions and provided information on how to recycle items that are not accepted at the curb, like block foam. A Waste Management Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) recycling truck also made an appearance at the Tukwila Touch a Truck event over the summer. At the event, our CNG truck was stationed near the Recycling Information Station where children and their families safely explored the truck and learned details about its operation. 8 6 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP REPORT Community Contributions Through sponsorships and service, Waste Management provided ongoing support for many events and organizations that are important to the Tukwila community. • City of Tukwila Minkler Shop General Cleanup • Fall & Spring Clean Up Events • Touch a Truck Safety & Emergency Preparedness Fair • Tukwila Annual Backyard Wildlife Festival • Tukwila Annual Clean Up • Tukwila Heritage & Culture Festival • Tukwila Kids Festival Tukwila Parks and Recreation, Family 4th at the Fort Engaging the Community Throughout 2015, Waste Management supported Tukwila schools and organizations with extracurricular activities. In March, K -12 students at the Academy School received a good dose of recycling education. Waste Management's outreach staff simplified recycling for the students by highlighting the basics of recycling. The students were educated on what they can do daily to help the environment through recycling, and why recycling is so important. In coordination with City of Tukwila staff, WM outreach staff had the opportunity to train the Fire Department on use of their new onsite composting program. WM outreach staff hosted three different training sessions, to ensure all shifts received the comprehensive training. Very quickly, the experts dispelled several myths about composting, which led to a very productive discussion about solutions. The city provided a larger container for composting in the kitchen, which enabled the firefighters to compost their kitchen paper towels. Together, the firefighters agreed on a schedule frequency for emptying the interior compost container to the service container located outside of the building. If this initial phase is successful, the Fire Department will look at how to collect a pure stream of paper towels from the bathroom. Waste Management was pleased to see how passionate residents of Tukwila are about recycling during our Tukwila Earth Day Every Day Recycling Challenge. The City of Tukwila and WM set a goal of obtaining 600 Recycle Right and Recycle Often pledges from city residents. Tukwila residents far exceeded that goal by completing 728 recycling pledges! After completing the pledge goal and as part of the program itself, Waste Management donated $5,000 to the Tukwila Pantry, an emergency food bank that supports local families in need. W . ! Earth Day Every Day RECYCLING CHALLENGE April 1 - April 30, 2015 During the month of April, Tukwila residents who take the Recycle Often. Recycle Right." recycling pledge will help the City of Tukwila earn a $5,000 grant for the Tukwila Pantry. Each recycling pledge counts as a point toward the grant. The pledges will be counted live on the campaign website in a running tally. Your pledge supports Tukwila's recycling goals and helps build community connections in Tuwkila through recycling, composting and waste prevention. Don't delay — take the pledge today! STEP 1: Visit "ftenrecycleright.com /tukwila STEP 2: Take the Tukwila recycling pledge STEP 3: Recruit friends and neighbors to take the pledge! CS 3015 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, L L C. Cp17tuk3015 C Printed on 10096 post- consumer recycled paper 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT N COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP REPORT Special Collection Recycling extends beyond the traditional curbside recycling program. To encourage proper disposal of hard to recycle items, WM continues to offer special collection events in the City of Tukwila. mumlIDEmlunelw,4A fFaillaffaff.p*faCStrit Iildif..5WPeeNBeer Foods and Satbd*IfittdherdLUXF®er 9foGaenitn5w.3 P.T. �ro 5 ib+t5w Iwtat ll IliNtLUVOtasst.rmsamfftilyei 5[ik:9Ff vddvA✓e9mANai4&ildnFlyn.rulm Rr wB1 ACCEPTED ITEMS - YES ELECTRONICS SCRAP METALtt ss m: LARGE ttzPR th ?merest es., tok doors oR011 000 es FURNITURE MISCELLANEOUS` ^n censer w9) ure urr.necommare Mopmnmmwmecce. W NOT ACCEPTED - NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AUTOMOTIVE WASTE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIAL wnd noon. HOUSEHOLD RECYCLABLES HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PRODUCTS CONTAINING MERCURY HOT TUBS FURNACES WOOD N®mN For these T, atdoidean or .11206-977-94M Drivers reserve the right to refuse items that are net fisted, or Items that are contaminated or too large to handle: QUESTIONS? wmnorthwest.com /tukwila 1- 855 - TUKWILA During the city's annual June clean -up, residents placed bulky items, such as furniture, appliances and mattresses, at the curb for collection. At the City of Tukwila's Fall Collection Event, residents delivered their bulky items to our convenient drop off locations at the Tukwila Community Center and Saars Super Saver Foods. Residents disposed of bulky items, yard waste, cardboard, scrap metal, e -waste and appliances. Connecting With Our Customers Each year we strive to improve the Tukwila recycling guidelines, and 2015 was no different. Key updates were made in 2015 to highlight the city's special collection programs, ensuring all residents were aware of the important resources and events. The guide was streamlined so that information was presented in a clear, succinct and user - friendly manner. The guide also included information on holiday tree collection, to help residents take advantage of the special holiday pick -up. The Tukwila recycling guide and collection calendar were mailed to all single famil residents, in addition to the Fall Cleanup Event postcard and the Earth Day Every Day Recycling Challenge postcard. • Tukwila Residential Customers 2015 -2016 Collection Schedule o 'ri YOUR NEW 2015 -16 TUKWILA Recycling Guide for Single Family Homes Visit our website w m n orthwest. coin /t u k w i l a for more tips on how to Think Green. Please save and post for easy reference. Waste Management is pleased to provide these guidelines to help make it easier for you to use our services. WASTE MANAGEMENT 10 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT NNUAL REPORT Increasing Commercial Education & Participation YOUR TUKWILA Recycling Guide for Businesses Please save and post for easy reference. Waste Management is pleased to provide these guidelines to help make it easier for you to use our services. Visit our website wmnort hwest. com /tuk wila for more tips on how to Think Green. WASTE 1VMMAGEIVIENT In 2015, WM's Public Education and Outreach team conducted commercial outreach in order to educate and support Tukwila's diverse business community. Our Public Education and Outreach team placed telephone calls to 771 commercial customers in the City of Tukwila. WM's outreach staff worked to support each business in creating effective recycling programs and to divert more waste from the landfill. Outreach staff offered free educational resources and information, such as recycling flyers, service level audits and employee trainings. As a result of this outreach, WM's outreach staff performed follow -up requests, including mailing out or emailing educational services flyers and recycling guides, conducting site visits, and presenting to businesses and their staff on implementing a recycling program or how to make their current program even more effective. WM also mailed commercial customers the Tukwila Business Recycling Guide, which provides businesses the information they need to recycle and compost correctly. Included in the guide are recycling, compost and garbage guidelines, as maim well as additional recycling resources for businesses. its COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP REPORT Increasing Multifamily Education & Participation Throughout 2015, WM' Public Education and Outreach team visited 104 multifamily properties. Outreach staff updated property managers on the free recycling education services available, including door -to -door delivery of educational resources and City of Tukwila recycling tote bags for tenants. We were pleased to hear from many property managers that they were already aware of many educational resources due to previous site visits. WM distributed over 2,297 recycling bags and fliers, and conducted door -to -door outreach for 1,783 individual units, reaching property managers and tenants alike. WM also provided 859 translated flyers to limited proficiency English speakers, including languages such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Somalian. WM also mailed Tukwila property managers a recycling guide that displays what goes in the garbage, compost and recycle containers, with a continued focus on contamination reduction. The guides also serve as a great communication tool for property managers to connect with their residents about items that should not be placed in recycling bins. 015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT CITY OF TUKWILA 2015 YEAR END REPORTING Stream Residential cling anics/ d Was 4 (Tons) Yard Waste (Tons) e (Tons) • 932 691 lh 1,841 Multifamily ® 414 38 3,857 Commercial 4 ‘6104).% ''" '4411111 Residential Participation Organics /Yard Waste Average Set -out % 10 I • WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT CITY OF TUKWILA 2015 YEAR END REPORTING Diversion Average percent for 2015 Residential Multifamily Commercial 10.5% 18.0% 1 46.8% Disposal Site Tons Solid Waste Bow Lake Transfer Station 25,767 Recycling Cascade Recycling Center 5,455 Organics /Yard Waste Cedar Grove 1,033 Other Recyclables CFL Bulbs (Bags Collected) 24 Used Motor Oil (Gallons Recycled) 183 Used Cooking Oil (Gallons Recycled) 51 Cascade Recycling Center Composition* Fibers: 73.2% Metals: 2.4% Glass: 17.7% Plastics: 2.9% Residue: 3.9% *The Ca of all re ng Center Composition reflects the breakdown ght to the Cascade Recycling Center. 2015 Average Commodity Market Prices Per Ton Commodity Average Market Price Newspaper 6 $79.59 Mixed I (mixed paper) $70.68 Mixed II (Cardboard) $115.50 Aluminum $1,253.18 Glass $(53.34) PET $192.88 HDPE - Natural $596.56 HDPE - Colored $460.17 # 3 - 7 Plastic $48.58 Scrap Metal $54.25 Tin Cans $96.39 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT WASTE MANAGEMENT PACIFIC NORTHWEST 2015 REGIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Waste Management's work with King and Snohomish Counties provides valuable insights for the entire region. In 2015, our public education strategies and tactics provided a variety of programs and projects to promote sustainability and engage customers in waste diversion behaviors. Educating Our Next Generation Of Recyclers Since 2012, we have been offering waste reduction and recycling programs to elementary schools throughout Snohomish County. The intent of the program is to increase recycling awareness and to reduce waste. The program teaches students, staff and families, the importance of waste reduction and recycling, how to properly recycle, and assists schools in setting up recycling, compost and other waste reduction programs. Through these efforts, we have been able to educate over 100,000 students and their families in the county. ® 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT Diverting Food Waste From The Landfill During 2015, Waste Management and its regional stakeholders committed to outline collaborative strategies and tactics that would improve the quality of curbside compost, decrease contamination and raise awareness about the local home to garbage compost loop. Because of our collaborative planning, WM engaged in several engaging campaigns and events. Compost Days In the spring of 2015, Waste Management participated in the sixth annual Compost Days, a recurring seasonal promotion designed to thank King and Snohomish County residents for diverting 350,000 tons of food and yard waste from landfills and educate them on the value of composting. For the second year in a row, the campaign included the Big Garden Give. For every bag of compost purchased, a bag of compost was donated to a local community garden, growing food for low income residents. This year, 120 gardens participated in the campaign through community partners. The campaign donated 1,119 yards of compost (equal to 45 pickup trucks) to area gardens. New to the 2015 event, Compost Days worked to identify schools in King and Snohomish counties with gardens interested in participating in the Keep Compost Clean produce sticker card competition, to teach kids proper composting practices and to remind them that stickers do not belong in the compost. For every card turned in, one bag of compost was donated to their school garden. Collaborating with 11 area schools and reaching more than 3,500 students, teachers and their families, more than 1,200 full cards were turned in, earning 45 truckloads of free compost for school gardens. 14 WASTE MANAGEMENT PACIFIC NORTHWEST 2015 REGIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH I'm a Foodcycler Campaign Waste Management has continued the successful "I'm a Foodcycler" campaign in King and Snohomish counties with the following activities: • An email survey was distributed in July 2015 to Foodcyclers in King and Snohomish Counties to learn more about attitudes and barriers to composting. Nearly one - thousand customers responded to the survey! Results showed that residents continue to use free kitchen food scrap container distributed by WM, and that many of them have moved into the advocacy stage, sharing composting tips and information with their friends and families. • Monthly e -blast communications were sent to Foodcyclers offering composting education, tips and invitations to special events. The e- blasts consistently exceed a 40% open rate (twice the industry average). HELP A CONTAINER OUT! HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO GET A FREE ONE -MONTH SUPPLY OFCOMPOSTABLEBAGSf rokeyour orFo r R m. re:.lanm or yin uvww. the {oiodcycling. com•i• Multifamily Outreach Toolkits In 2014, WM launched the Recycling All Stars Program, conducting detailed focus groups with Snohomish County multifamily property managers to identify methods, resources, incentives and tools to engage with managers on improved recycling programs on their properties. In 2015, WM created and disseminated over 600 recycling toolkits to Snohomish County property managers. Harmonization Of Curbside Recycling Throughout 2015, Waste Management worked with King and Snohomish Counties to improve regional harmonization of curbside recycling programs. As part of this work, WM conducted an Annual Recycling Guide Usability Study. To gain a better understanding of how customers are using the annual recycling guide and calendar, a series of in -depth interviews were conducted. The study yielded important feedback that informed modifications to our 2015 Annual Recycling Guide. YOUR IS SNOHOMISH COUNTY Residential Recycling Guide A The study gave valuable insights into: • Effectiveness of the current WM recycling guide • Behavior around and usage of the schedule and current guide • Preferences for potential recycling guide (graphics, content, format) • Where participants get their information regarding recycling • Relevant terminology and descriptors • Alternative formats for the recycling guide Spanish- Language Cultural Events Outreach In 2015, Waste Management conducted outreach to Spanish speaking customers at cultural events in King County. Cultural community festivals and events provide a unique opportunity for multicultural and multilingual customers to ask questions directly of trained in- language staff, as well as gather the latest tools and resources for increasing recycling and composting at home. Waste Management created a Juego de reciclaje (Recycling Game) that challenged people to sort and place different products into the correct carts. Booth visitors and game participants were encouraged to take a pledge to use WM- provided Spanish guidelines and tote bags to recycle more at home. 15 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT m SPOTLIGHT ON INTERNS 14 Tesla Stem High School Internship In 2015, Waste Management worked with Tesla STEM High School on a 10- week internship program. Seven students with a passion for the environment and a willingness to learn more about systems thinking signed up for this unique opportunity. STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is based on teaching students how to learn for themselves. It is about challenging students to think critically and problem solve, by applying their learning to real -world examples. The WM Public Education and Outreach team devised a curriculum to immerse students in topics of waste management, recycling education and behavior change. The students learned about the study of garbology and toured the WM Cascade Recycling Center to experience what happens to recyclables after collection at the curb. The students also had the opportunity to experience recycling beyond the curb when they toured Interconnection, an electronics recycling facility in Seattle. Once students had an understanding of the variety of waste systems, WM introduced Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) to identify the barriers and motivators that can lead to behavior change. CBSM is based on research of the social sciences and strives to create sustainable behavior change. Studies have demonstrated that behavior change requires more than solely providing information. Selecting behaviors to address, identifying the barriers and benefits for those behaviors, developing a strategy to address barriers and benefits, piloting a program and broadly implementing a successful pilot program are all foundations of CBSM. 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT After CBSM training, it was time for the students to apply what they had experienced and learned throughout the training. The students conducted a waste sort at Alcott Elementary School, to identify opportunities for recycling and composting. Students also conducted a site walk of the school, and interviewed several teachers to identify current attitudes towards recycling and composting, as well as opportunities to make positive and life -long impactful changes. At the conclusion of the school's evaluation, the students developed recommendations and delivered a presentation to the school's principal, with defined and specific steps for implementation of a robust recycling and composting program at the elementary school. The ten -week training and real world application of learning allowed the students to experience first -hand the waste and recycling system and its various parts. The students learned and devised elements of behavior change, and provided recommendations to create that change. The resounding feedback from the students was very positive - that the experience was incredibly valuable, leading them to the realization that there was much room for improvement within the very school they once attended as elementary students! 16 SPOTLIGHT ON INTERNS WM's Recycle Corps Now in its fourth year running, Waste Management's Recycle Corps collegiate intern program served as a valuable education resource for communities throughout Puget Sound in 2015. The Recycle Corps program is an intensive 11 -week hands -on job training internship that teaches college students the latest strategies in effectively engaging the public and businesses in waste reduction and recycling behavior change. Between June and August, ten college interns, representing universities across the country, joined Waste Management's Public Education and Outreach team to teach communities about recycling. Their experience commenced with 40 -hours of professional training from WM staff covering everything from the intricacies of recycling, composting and waste prevention, to how to implement effective customer engagement campaigns. The WM's Recycle Corps team met with our municipal partners to better understand what makes each municipality unique. They learned the nuances and key messages to accurately represent local recycling programs and to provide appropriate educational support. Following their training, they set out to educate and inspire Puget Sound businesses and residents to increase their recycling and composting and reduce their waste. During their 11 -week tenure, WM's Recycle Corps engaged over 18,000 customers in conversations about recycling and waste reduction! WM's Recycle Corps internship program is not only a valuable tool for the communities we serve, but it's also an award - winning program, having recently won the Solid Waste Association of North America's (SWANA) Gold Excellence Award in the Education Program category and a SWANA Innovation Award for best exemplifying a unique and creative approach to a communication, education or marketing challenge. The WM's Recycle Corps program has served as a launching pad for the recycling industry, with 17 of the 36 Recycle Corps team alumni now working as professionals in the industry for private companies, the public sector and consulting firms. Over the course of four years, the WM's Recycle Corps team has conducted more than 66,000 customer conversations, which has resulted in an increase of 3,500 tons of recycling. 2015 Excellence Award Winner Educational Program 17 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT III ANATOMY OF A WASTE MANAGEMENT ZERO WASTE EVENT 16 Coordinating a Zero Waste event is no easy under - taking. Much thought, preparation and a deliberate intention of event coordinators and attendees alike, to walk away with very little impact on our environment are all essential components of a Zero Waste event. With an increasing desire from the communities we serve to create and host sustainable events, WM's Public Education and Outreach team has responded to the call and risen to the occasion. The goal is always simple - to reduce waste and increase recycling. However, achieving the goal requires expertise, experience and a dedication to waste reduction. Collaboration with event organizers to discuss logistics, such as event purpose and theme, number of expected attendees and capacity planning, kicks off the planning process. At most events, the decorations and food service are the biggest source of waste. In coordination with event organizers, Waste Management helps to plan the event decor; to use decorations that can be reused and repurposed at future events, or decorations that can be recycled. In planning for food service, Waste Management works with food vendors to ensure the use of durable or compostable service ware, buffet style meals, bulk condiments and compost collection service. At the event, we rely heavily on engaged event attendees to help us sort their recyclable and compostable materials. Not only do these events bring the community together, they can serve as a platform for community education and highlight the importance of waste reduction. 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT Snoqualmie Fire Department Pancake Feed The Snoqualmie Fire Department's Annual Pancake Breakfast raises funds for the nonprofit Snoqualmie Firefighters Association. In August 2015, the event also raised awareness of environmentally sustainable waste decisions. WM's Public Education and Outreach team helped organize and develop a Zero Waste event, to include use of compostable plates, utensils, coffee cups and place mats. Reusable decorations, including centerpieces made of firefighters' boots were on the main display. During the well - attended breakfast, WM staff and Recycle Corps interns educated diners about recycling and composting and directed them to proper placement of materials in the appropriate disposal containers. The effort was a huge success, diverting 96% of waste from the landfill, including 401 pounds of recyclable and compostable materials. Nearly three - quarters of the materials — 66% — were composted, with another 30% recycled. Only 4% of the total collected materials ended up as garbage bound for the landfill. The event drew nearly 800 attendees and its success was due in large part to a great audience and a great message - that people can make greener choices and strive for zero waste with a little planning and creativity. 18 ANATOMY OF A WASTE MANAGEMENT ZERO WASTE EVENT Lake Washington Schools Foundation Zero Waste Luncheon For the 10th Anniversary of the Legacy for Learning luncheon, Juanita High School, located in the City of Kirkland, once again served as the host for a fantastic and engaging Zero Waste event. Waste Management was honored to be involved as a Future Ready sponsor, in addition to helping create the Foundation's second consecutive Zero Waste event. This event required coordination between the Luncheon planning committee, catering and janitorial staff, to ensure the event produced a minimal amount of waste. Waste Management trained student volunteers on recyclable and compostable materials and how to properly sort everything after the event, placing material into the correct disposal bins with no contamination. As in previous years, the Luncheon was a huge success with 94% of all materials from the event diverted from the landfill. Nearly 600 attendees produced less than 60 pounds of total garbage! 19 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT WASTE MANAGEMENT PACIFIC NORTHWEST 2015 STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS UPDATE Waste Management is pleased to continue our support of Hopelink, Lake Washington Schools Foundation and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. hopelink 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT Lake Washington E _, -. Schools Foundation ENRICH ENGAGE EMPOWER MOUNTAINS TO•SOUND GREEN WAY 20 WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WM EMPLOYEES 2,253 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Truck Count 508 Collection Districts 25 Recycling Centers 11 Landfills 9 Wildlife Habitat Certified Locations 2 Recycling & Waste Collection WM CUSTOMERS Residential 756,000 Commercial and Multifamily 80,000 Hands -on Recycling Education for Communities Waste Audits for Businesses eCycling Made Easy Food & Yard Waste Collection for Composting Healthcare Solutions 1.1 M households are powered by our landfill - gas -to- energy plants Hillsboro Landfill includes 120 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat. Green Building Services Renewable Energy Hazardous and Special Waste Management THINK GREEN From Home for Safe Disposal of CFLs & medical needles Wenatchee Landfill includes 100 acres of wetlands and wildlife habitat. ZERO Waste Solutions Solar Compactors Landfill Management LampTracker recycling for fluorescent bulbs, dry cell batteries and lighting ballasts 19 WASTE MANAGEMENT 22