Fairfax Candidate Survey: Solid Waste

Part 4 of our series on the City of Fairfax Citizens for Smarter Growth Survey to council and mayoral candidates highlights the Waste Management questions.

Candidates were provided with the following statements:

The City of Fairfax has an established recycling program and citizens are able to recycle many products at the Fairfax County facilities.  There is an economic and environmental value in improving our rate of recycling and expanding our capability, and a parallel imperative to reduce the amount of garbage produced annually.

Plastic bags have become a very large pollution problem worldwide. Local creek cleanup groups can attest to the quantity of plastic bags in our streams alone, not to mention the downstream impact on the Potomac and Bay.  Very few bags make it into recycling programs, and the reality is the type of plastic used is in low demand by manufacturers.  Many jurisdictions have reduced the environmental impact of plastic bags by instituting programs that incentivize the use of reusable bags. The City of Fairfax could be a leader among Virginia municipalities by creating a reusable bag program. 

Here are their waste management questions and responses:

Council Candidates:

Catherine Read

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

I think DC was smart to start the nickel tax on plastic bags.  I would also encourage retailers to use more paper, which can be recycled.  People will get into the habit of using reusable bags, but they have to make that switch and actually make it a habit.  I believe most people want to be more environmentally conscious, they just haven’t changed their habits.

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

This is another instance where education of the public makes a big impact.  One of the most successful anti-littering campaigns of all time was “Don’t Mess with Texas.”  It was a campaign that resonated with people and still does to this day.  It’s not that money and resources have to be poured into making people more environmentally conscious.  They need to be motivated and it needs to be clear specifically what they are being asked to do.

Years ago, kids used to collect empty bottles for the nickel deposit in returning them.  Same with collecting and selling aluminum cans.  There was an incentive in recycling even back in the ‘60s when I grew up.

We need to start campaigns around what we want people to do: what to recycle, how to recycle, where to recycle and then provide a motivation and/or incentive.  We are really just trying to help people to be more conscious and deliberate consumers and help them to develop habits that are beneficial to themselves as well as the community.  Composting falls into that category too.  As well as other forms of individual conservation.

Ellie Schmidt

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

It is important to focus on green initiatives.  The daily use of reusable bags should be encouraged among residents of the City of Fairfax.  The City is fortunate to have a broad base of active citizens and businesses who could work together on a reusable bag program.  I would encourage the Environmental Sustainability Committee and the Community Appearance Committee in concert with City service organizations and businesses to organize a program.  Service organizations, civic associations, and businesses could come together to encourage the use of reusable bags and other green initiatives.

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

Promoting the benefits of recycling and increasing awareness can help to reduce the annual tonnage of waste.  In addition to convenient collection points for plastic bags, I would support recycling containers in public places and at city events to collect glass, cans, paper and plastic water bottles.  I would also support eliminating the plastic water bottles provided at meetings such as City Council meetings in favor of pitchers of water with glasses for drinking water.  Utilizing city boards, commissions and service organizations would be useful.  The best way to change behavior is with education and awareness.

Steven Stombres

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

The City of Fairfax is a green city and we continue to look for ways to improve our environmental stewardship.  The city can encourage the use of reusable bags by highlighting their benefits on its website, in the City Scene, and through public advocacy by the Environmental Sustainability Committee.  In addition, information on reusable resources, including shopping bags, can be included in the city’s recycling guide posted on the website and distributed to neighborhoods.

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

Increasing our recycling rate has been a priority of mine since I was first elected to the City Council.  Recycling is one of the best things that we can do to protect our environment, conserve energy, and save money.  While public awareness of the benefits of recycling has increased, the average person still throws away 4 pounds of garbage every day.  As a result we are quickly filling up our landfills with “waste” materials that are still incredibly useful.

Accordingly, I was pleased to lead the effort to initiate a three part, citywide plan to increase commercial and residential recycling in the City of Fairfax. We set a goal for the city to achieve the highest recycling rate of any jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, asked our neighborhoods to appoint community recycling coordinators, and modernized our commercial recycling requirements.

In addition, the City Council created the Environmental Sustainability Committee to advise the council on how we can increase recycling, become more energy efficient, and enhance public awareness of environmental issues.  As a result of our efforts, the recycling rate has improved from 39.5% in 2007 to 52% in 2010. 

We are all pleased by this improvement, but we still have more work to do.  I am supportive of continued efforts to increase public awareness of the benefits of recycling and meeting the recycling goals set by the City Council.  I also support the collection and safe disposal of hazardous waste materials in the city and believe we should institute a program for electronic waste, or e-waste, which can be very dangerous if not disposed of properly.

Michael DeMarco

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

We could do what some other jurisdictions have done, which is charge a fee for plastic bags as a disincentive for their use. I also know that the fee does not always have the intended impact. As a result, the income generated from the bags should be targeted to fund a city-wide reusable bag program and/or be added to supporting a broader recycling program.

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

Similar response as in Question #5 above. A plastic bag fee could be used to fund a city-wide reusable bag program and/or be added to supporting a broader recycling program. We could also fund periodic communications on the benefits of recycling and try to make it easier for families to recycle. Communication should not be limited to recycling only but also the benefits of using water filtration in the home instead of plastic water bottles. Look for corporate community outreach programs with companies like Brita.

Daniel Drummond

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

Virginia limits localities in its ability to regulate such as things the use of plastic bags (i.e., imposing a fee/tax such as what Washington, D.C. does). However, I would certainly be supportive of any sort of public-private partnerships with local businesses to encourage the use of reusable bags.

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

We have seen recycling rates steadily increase since the Council in 2008 put an emphasis on increasing our recycling efforts among businesses and residents alike, with a stated goal of having the highest recycling rates in the Commonwealth. I was proud to support this initiative and will continue to support ongoing attempts at reducing the amount of garbage we produce while simultaneously increasing recyclables. One such way we can do this is by looking to provide residents and businesses larger capacity recycling bins, which may encourage people to put more items into recycling.

Jeffrey Greenfield

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

The Commonwealth of Virginia is a Dillon Rule state.  Dillon's Rule construes grants of power to localities very narrowly. The bottom line is that if there is a question about a local government's power or authority, then the local government does not receive the benefit of the doubt. Under Dillon's rule, one must assume that the local government does not have the power in question. 

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

Promote, promote, promote.  The City has a wonderful residential and commercial recycling program, but we need to make people aware of it.  Providing recycle bins for new residents and encouraging new businesses to support recycling initiatives will only improve the City’s overall recycling rate.

Mayoral Candidate:

Scott Silverthorne

How would you encourage the use of reusable bags?

Many states allow localities to regulate the use of plastic bags, but this is highly unlikely in Virginia.    I would support including such regulation in our legislative package to the General Assembly.    I would also encourage a local public service campaign to encourage a reusable bag use in the community and ensure that we are including bags to our recycling efforts in the City.   

How will you improve recycling in the City? In what ways can the City reduce its annual tonnage of waste?

I was proud to be on the council that initiated our recycling program in the city of Fairfax in 1991.    This program has been greatly enhanced by requiring businesses to also recycle and we are well on our way to our stated goal of having the highest recycling rate in the Commonwealth of Virginia.    I will consistently look for ways to improve this program.  

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