Guest Opinion: Waste Solution Ignores Public Input

By George Post

Have we all gone mad or is it just the County Council?

They are poised to force Lopez and San Juan islands to accept roadside garbage and recycling pick up at the same time a survey they are funding indicates that to be the least favored public  option.  Why would a representative government do the opposite of its citizens will?

For over 20 years, this Council and its predecessors have insisted on a business plan that depends on waste for its funding, even though its official Solid Waste Management Plan calls for aggressive waste reduction as its goal. This policy contradiction is known to be inadequate and many recommendations to rectify it have been offered over the years by the citizens advisory committee (SWAC ) and county staff, all ignored because they required some form of public  funding support, a political issue the Council was unwilling to address.

Chronically lacking funds, our waste system finances and infrastructure continued to deteriorate  resulting in the crisis at the leased San Juan transfer station and the breakdown of cooperation with the Town of Friday Harbor. This situation was also a result of ignoring the site selection recommendations of SWAC and staff  that warned against that site and included the public’s preference for self hauling.

With the Town now hauling its waste to the mainland and the recession further reducing our waste volume (income) the Council seems ready to abandon waste reduction as a goal, to close the Lopez and San Juan transfer stations and severely stress the Orcas transfer station. This “solution” completely ignores years of public input. It makes a mockery of  the concepts of  reuse, conservation, sustainability, local self reliance and, worst of all, democracy. It is based on the  belief that the citizens of San Juan County will not fund a disposal infrastructure  that reflects their values. So they, the Council, will not even offer that option. Except for tipping fees, San Juan County citizens have never been asked to fund their solid waste system. The time has come for each of us to pay something for a system we want or we will get one that may leave us no future options and no facilities.

A community waste facility is an essential public service, especially on an island. Once our transfer stations are gone what will we do with things like construction materials, old carpets, appliances, tires and useful things that don’t fit in or belong in a garbage can?

I strongly urge everyone to pay attention, seriously consider the options before us and to share your thoughts with your fellow citizens and Councilperson.

George Post lives in Olga, has served as a member on the County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and as President of the non-profit Orcas  Recycling Services,  which operates the Exchange.