Zero Waste AVL initiative continues with information sessions

The city of Asheville has announced the completion of a survey about waste reduction strategies, part of it’s Zero Waste AVL initiative to reduce the waste stream generated by residents and businesses around Asheville, and plans to hold several informational sessions on the project in early October.

According to the city’s press release, approximately 1,100 citizens participated in the survey, which gauged residents’ preferences and opinions on how to reduce waste citywide.

The city will follow-up the survey with two informational meetings on Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. and Oct. 2 at 12 p.m. at the City public works building on South Charlotte Street. City staff will present the various options under consideration for reducing waste output in Asheville. In addition, a variety of stations will be set up for citizens to learn more about waste reduction goals, national attitudes and the changing methods of waste collection.

In 2014, Asheville City Council passed a resolution aiming to reduce waste by 50 percent by the year 2035.

For more information about the Zero Waste AVL initiative, the various options being considered to achieve that goal and how residents can participate, visit ashevillenc.gov or coablog.ashevillenc.gov or see the official press release below.

Press Release:

PRESS RELEASE: Zero Waste AVL initiative continues with information sessions

The City of Asheville’s Zero Waste AVL survey about waste reduction strategies has just concluded. Some 1,100 citizens participated, answering questions about their preferences going forward to reduce the waste stream Asheville’s citizens and businesses generate.
The initiative continues with two informational meetings coming up, where people can hear presentations about the options under consideration. Those meetings are set for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and noon Oct. 2 in the City’s Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St. The meetings will be held in the large conference rooms A-109 and A-111. The noon meeting Oct. 2 can be a kind of lunch-and-learn session if people want to bring their lunch.

These informational meetings will not only feature staff presentations but also have stations where people can learn more about the City’s waste reduction goals, national trends and attitudes and acceptance about changing methods of collection. Although citizens have already given input through the survey, some stations will include feedback cards where people can write down their comments.

In 2014, City Council passed Resolution 14-27, which states that we as a City will reduce our waste by 50 percent by 2035. Staff is working to implement that goal.

In February 2015, the City’s Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment (SACEE) sent a letter City Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee recommending the City approve a pay-as-you-throw model for residential solid waste management. So PAYT models were included in the waste reduction strategies citizen survey.

Another method that could be employed is municipal collection of organics, in other words compostable kitchen scraps.

Before any changes would be implemented in Asheville’s sanitation services, staff recommendations would go both to the City’s Planning & Economic Development Committee and Finance Committee. Based on their recommendations, changes could be enacted by a City Council vote.

Find out more about on the City’s Zero Waste AVL page, http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Portals/0/city-documents/communityrelations/progress/zerowaste/2015_08_10_ZeroWasteAVL_PAYT.pdf

Find an expanded version of this communication on Asheville City Source,http://coablog.ashevillenc.gov/2015/09/zero-waste-avl-initiative-continues-with-information-sessions/.