The Dublin City Council has been working with Amador Valley Industries and City Staff to create an action plan to improve recycling efforts within Dublin by diverting recyclable materials away from local landfills. The City Council approved this action plan on February 3, 2009 by a unanimous vote of 4 – 0. The scope of the proposed action plan is broad – encompassing businesses, multi-family dwellings, and the local partners like the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD).
Of the proposed 24 action items and strategies, the two most notable were to:
- Provide the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) with ongoing funding and one-time grants to promote recycling programs (such as food-scrapping).
- Recognize local businesses that divert 75% of their waste away from landfills.
Councilmember Hildenbrand was very strong in her skepticism of the proposed partnership between the City of Dublin and the DUSD noting that, “There are 100 reasons why it is difficult to do.” Councilmember Hart countered that the DUSD’s behavior and reluctance to participate in the recycling efforts could be modified given the proper financial incentives.
A representative of Amador Valley Industries was also present to note that there are challenges with the proposed recycling program given that the value of recyclable materials has dropped significantly over the past year based on a precipitous drop in demand from countries like China and India. This in turn has led to unforeseen losses for Amador Valley Industries as they try to sell the recycled materials. Based on this, Amador Valley Industries requested that the City “provide fluidity” and remain flexible with respect to contract terms as market demand changes for recycled goods – seemingly leaving the door open for increased charges down the road.
