COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

July 12, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 24, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Brian Zamora, Director, Public Health and Environmental Protection Division

SUBJECT:

Amendment to the Agreement with PSC Environmental Services

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Amendment to the Agreement with PSC Environmental Services (PSC) to process and dispose of hazardous waste, increasing the maximum obligation by $550,000 for a new maximum collective amount of $2,156,000 with no change to the term of December 1, 2005 through November 30, 2008.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

Performance Measure:

Measure

FY 2005-06
Actual

FY 2006-07
Estimated

FY 2007-08
Projected

Pounds of hazardous waste collected/ Percentage reused and recycled*

1,050,000 lbs./

80%

1,100,000 lbs./

80%

1,100,000 lbs./

80%

*The type of waste collected determines whether it is reusable or recyclable. The percentage reused and recycled is estimated to remain constant despite the increase in volume.

BACKGROUND:

The Public Health and Environmental Protection Division (Division) operates a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program to collect HHW from residents. The Division contracts with PSC to process and dispose of the waste collected. During the past two years, the number of homes served has increased from 1,000 per month to over 1,100 and the annual amount of hazardous waste collected has grown from 500 tons to more than 550.

On January 31, 2006, your Board approved Resolution 67795 which authorized an Agreement with PSC for the term of December 1, 2005 through November 30, 2008 and an Amendment to the Agreement with General Environmental Management, Inc. (GEM) for the term of December 2, 2003 through December 1, 2006. Both Agreements were to process and dispose of household hazardous waste. The collective amount of the two Agreements was $1,606,000.

DISCUSSION:

The proposed Amendment to the PSC Agreement increases the collective amount by $550,000 to allow for increased collection activities. In an effort to promote and increase proper disposal, the Division has doubled the number of HHW weekend collection events and opened the County’s first permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. The State Department of Toxic Substances Control continues to add new items that are required to be managed as hazardous waste, thereby increasing the Division’s handling, processing and disposal costs. An example is the recent change classifying batteries and fluorescent light tubes as hazardous waste.

The Amendment to the Agreement has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel and Risk Management. The contractor has assured compliance with the County's Contractor Employee Jury Service Ordinance, as well as all other contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including but not limited to insurance, hold harmless, non-discrimination and equal benefits.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of the Agreement with PSC remains December 1, 2005 through November 30, 2008. All other terms and conditions remain the same. The maximum amount of the Agreement is being increased by $550,000 for a new collective amount of $2,156,000. The total obligation for FY 2006-07 is increased by $225,000 to $701,550. The increase will be covered through anticipated year-end savings. The appropriation for FY 2007-08 is $725,380, and the amount for the remaining five months of the contract in FY 2008-09 is $275,210. These amounts have been included in the tentatively Adopted FY 2007-08 and FY 2008-09 Budgets. The balance of the amount authorized under the original Resolution was included in the Adopted FY 2005-06 Budget. The HHW Program is funded through the Solid Waste and General Funds. There is no Net County Cost impact as a result of this action.