Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Heather Forshey, Director, Environmental Health Services
Subject: Application and Acceptance of Household Hazardous Waste Program Funds from the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing County Health, on behalf of the County of San Mateo, to apply for and accept all available Household Hazardous Waste Program Funds from the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery for the term of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
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BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) awards grants that provide Environmental Health Services (EHS) with funding to provide important education and environmental protection programs for the public.
The County of San Mateo serves as the lead for all the incorporated cities in the County for the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program, which is funded by CalRecycle grants. EHS manages this program on the County’s behalf and ensures that HHW does not pose a threat to public health or the environment.
EHS has received or participated in six CalRecycle HHW grants in the last 15 years to: create and expand the County’s fluorescent light take-back program; complete capital improvements to EHS’s HHW facility; improve local elected officials’ capacity to take informed positions on extended producer responsibility; increase the County’s internal capacity to use Environmentally Preferable Purchasing; pilot a program to educate the public to purchase the appropriate amount of material to prevent waste; and pilot a marine flare collection event at two harbors. This item is being brought to the Board for approval because CalRecycle requires a Board resolution to authorize the County’s annual grant applications. Previously, the Board has approved three consecutive five-year resolutions authorizing the Chief of San Mateo County Health to apply for and accept these funds.
DISCUSSION:
The County operates various HHW events, performs outreach to residents and small businesses, and facilitates strategic partnerships through the County, diverting over an average of 680,000 pounds of hazardous waste from landfill disposal annually, over the past five years. EHS’s HHW program is vital in ensuring the public’s health and safety, as well as upholding strict standards for collection, handling, storage and disposal of HHW.
Grantees are generally allowed a three-week turnaround to execute a grant agreement. Authorization is therefore being requested to allow the Chief of San Mateo County Health, or designee on behalf of the County, to approve all necessary applications, contracts, payment requests, agreements, amendments and all documents necessary for the purposes of securing grant funds; implement approved grant projects; and carry out the purposes specified in the grant applications beginning July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
The resolution has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
It is anticipated that 9,000 households will be served by the HHW program in the next fiscal year.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2018-19 Actual |
FY 2019-20 Estimated |
|
Number of households served by the HHW program |
8,600 households |
9,000 households |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The resolution will authorize the Chief of San Mateo County Health, on behalf of the County, to apply for and accept all available CalRecycle grant funds for the HHW program beginning July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025. The appropriations and revenue are included in Environmental Health Services’ FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget. Similar arrangements will be made in future budget years. There is no Net County Cost associated with this resolution.