Integrated Waste Management

San Benito County’s Integrated Waste Management (IWM) has three essential functions. First, IWM staff manage the San Benito County Integrated Waste Management Joint Powers Agreement and Cost Sharing Agreement to meet state recycling mandates, protect public health and increase sustainability for its Regional Agency members, which include the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista and the County. Second, IWM administers the Landfill Operating Agreement between the County and the Landfill Operator to ensure compliance with the agreement as well as state and regional requirements for the County owned landfill. Third, the County more recently created a County Solid Waste Fund to separate the specific expenses and revenues associated with San Benito County outside of the Regional Agency and Landfill functions. This third fund enables IWM to provide and administer solid waste, recycling, and illegal dumping and litter abatement programs, grants, and contracts that are specific to unincorporated San Bentio County.

County IWM (225) - Created to separate the specific expenses and revenues associated with San Benito County outside of the Regional Agency and Landfill.

Regional Agency (226) - The Integrated Waste Management Division administers programs, contracts, grants, and budget on behalf of the San Benito County Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency with the ultimate goal of reducing waste sent to landfill. IWM staffs and manages the Regional Agency's Joint Powers Agreement and Cost Sharing Agreement on behalf of the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista and the County. IWM's functions include, but are not limited to, state reporting, IWM Local Task Force coordination, contracts administration, grant management, school recycling technical assistance, green business coordination and household hazardous waste program coordination.

Landfill (301) - The John Smith Landfill is owned by the County and privately operated by Waste Solutions Group of San Benito County LLC, a subsidiary of Waste Connections Inc. Integrated Waste Management is responsible for managing compliance of the Landfill Operating Agreement and budget. The Landfill Operator charges the public for the disposal of refuse that is brought to the landfill and in turns pays the County a landfill depletion fee per ton accepted. IWM works with Waste Connections, Inc to achieve a balance with the goals of maintaining sustainable environmental standards, operating in an ethical manner with the public, adhering to all State, Federal and regional requirements, and maximizing revenues to the County,

The following budget unit information details the three sections found under Integrated Waste Management, a division of the Resource Management Agency. The three sections are divided between three separate enterprise funds outlined below:

• (225) - County IWM
• (226) - Regional Agency
• (301) - Landfill

• Ensure compliance with state waste reduction mandates through cost effective management of IWM programs and contracts for the Regional Agency members

• Continue efforts for Regional Agency compliance of new mandate of SB 1383 which requires significant organics diversion

• Continue to assist the County in CEQA document review for the John Smith Road Landfill expansion

• Improve illegal dumping and litter abatement programming for the Regional Agency

• Training and hiring of new staff

• Ensure compliance of all IWM contracts

• Leverage key community partnerships to increase waste reduction and diversion efforts and to reduce recycling contamination

• Improve compliance with CALGreen Construction and Demolition to ensure covered permit projects are meeting C&D recycling requirements

• Continue to improve the Non-Exclusive Franchise Agreement reporting process for the Regional Agency

• Continue to achieve revenue self-sufficiency for Fund 225 (County Solid Waste Fund) for the County‘s Cost Sharing portion of the IWM Regional Agency and for improving additional County-only solid waste programs.

• Completed all CalRecycle compliance reporting for the Regional Agency.

• Hired Recycling Coordinator (additional FY 22-23 position) to assist the Regional Agency members with illegal dumping and litter abatement coordination efforts and programming. The Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency is fully staffed as of April 2023.

• Successfully coordinated various storm debris management programs and events for proper and safe debris collection from flood impacted areas in San Benito County due to the January and March storms.

• Identified cleanup hot spots & executed contract for illegal dumping cleanup at Salinas Rd to begin in July 2023

• Continue to conduct feasibility around alternative uses for organic waste sent to the John Smith Road Landfill for SB 1383 compliance

• Senate Bill 1383 Compliance. The Regional Agency’s current exemption from several of the mandated requirements is anticipated to expire by 2027. Staff will be working with various City and County departments to comply with new requirements. Overall SB 1383 compliance imposes significant requirements to increase organics diversion and recover edible food.

• Reduction in Landfill Depletion Fee revenue due to suspension of out-of-County waste.

• Landfill has less than 15 years of disposal capacity for in-County use at this time.

• Expand programs and offerings to San Benito County residents and businesses to increase diversion from landfill for the Regional Agency members.

• Establish an Illegal Dumping and Litter Abatement Task Force in partnership with the Regional Agency members and local stakeholders with the ultimate goal of reducing litter and illegal dumping and enhancing beautification in San Benito County.

• Explore funding opportunities for additional recycling initiatives, programs and cleanup efforts specific to unincorporated County.

• Continue to track and improve compliance with CALGreen Construction and Demolition to ensure covered permit projects are meeting 65% C&D recycling requirements. Establish a fine process for non-compliance.

• Work with the Landfill Operator and Board of Supervisors to expand recycling programs at the Landfill.

• Work with Board of Supervisors on zero waste planning and policy to reduce waste sent to landfill.