Health & safety concerns in our community: Where do you stand on these?
Following is an open letter to elected officials and those running for office in my immediate area, Prescott Arizona.
Dear Elected Official or Candidate:
I am a long time Prescott resident. While I actually reside in the county (Forbing Park area), I also own property within the Prescott city limits. As such, I cannot vote in city elections, but still have an interest in who serves in those positions.
I have two specific health and safety concerns on which I would like to know your views.
Recycling and or Disposal of Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs:
Currently, there are no local safe disposal options for spent compact fluorescents. With the green movement in high gear, and the fact that they are widely available for sale at such local retailers as Costco, I anticipate a huge increase in consumer use of these items. In fact APS and SRP endorse them and promote switching from incandescents. With the mercury content contained in these bulbs, increased use without planning for their disposal could result in a big health and safety problem.
Although the bulbs are packaged with instructions and warnings about safe disposal, the city of Prescott’s sanitation department recommends disposing of these items in with regular household trash. Private sanitation companies Waste Management and Patriot offer the same recommendation, although the latter does suggest wrapping them in a couple of layers of plastic before tossing in one’s dumpster.
Communities around the country have begun to address this issue. In reviewing disposal options available in other parts of Arizona, I have found the following resources:
- http://www.srpnet.com/electric/home/lightbulbs.aspx (specifies they should NOT be discarded with regular trash)
- http://earth911.org/search-recycle?what=Fluorescent+Bulbs&where=Phoenix%2C+AZ&max_distance=100&goRecycle=
Whether or not their mercury content does pose a public health hazard may be open for debate. Larger cities have wrestled with this matter and some, but not all, have arrived at solutions. Since they last for years, we won’t have a problem, for awhile.
I would like to see our region take proactive measures by 1) getting informed on this issue now; 2) educating consumers on appropriate disposal options AND 3) arranging for a safe way to discard them locally.
Brush Disposal:
Public awareness campaigns about forest fire prevention have been a huge success here in Prescott. With all the “firewise” and “create defensible space” programs which have taken hold, I am amazed that a resident would have to drive to Mayer, Skull Valley, or other outlying areas in order to dispose of brush and branches.
Yavapai County’s Solid Waste Department tells me that this material may be dropped off, for a fee, at the Sun Dog Ranch landfill, but this doesn’t feel like the right solution.
I think it’s time that we create a permanent center where this material can be chipped for use by citizens. If neither the city or the county feels they have the resources to manage that kind of project, which might also include a community composting center, I suggest it be put put to private bid. Perhaps applying for a grant from ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) would be a solution.
Many other Arizona communities have dealt with this in constructive ways. For example:
- http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=561
- http://www.tempe.gov/recycling/
- http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/recycle/brushguidelines.asp
- http://www.ci.gilbert.az.us/pw/compost.cfm
Recognizing their are many competing health and safety issues for someone in an elected position to reckon with, I will appreciate a response of any length.
And if you have recommendations on what I, as a citizen can do to help implement reasonable solutions to these challenges, please do let me know.
As such, I have sent this letter directly to elected officials and candidates. I invite you to reply here via comment or you may contact me by email at ktcosmos@LooseEnds.net.
Thank you for your time and best wishes,
Katie Baird
What’s related:
Making Your Home Office EcoFriendly
Comment // August 22nd, 2007 // 8:15 pm
I worry less about the compact fluorescent bulbs than some; it’s those long skinny guys that I have a problem with! As for chipping brush, it seems to me that someone could make a living travelling the neighborhoods with a chipper so that we could return the material to the soil from which it came.
Comment // August 23rd, 2007 // 10:03 am
GJ, I’m with you on the traveling chipper idea. Maybe if we talk loud and long about it, some entrepreneurial individual(s) will jump in there and start just such a business.
Comment // August 27th, 2007 // 1:37 pm
Had an email from Jack Wilson, who is running for Mayor here in Prescott in our 2007 election. Jack said I could post his response to this post, so here that is
“Katie,
The City of Prescott has been sponsoring a Hazardous Waste disposal day
once a year at the Sundog site. However, it is now scheduled to every
two years (when I asked Bob Luzius). Given the volume of hazardous wastes,
including the ones you mentioned, I think we should do this on an annual
basis so people can plan for it.”
I replied to Jack:
“Dear Jack,
Thank you for your response.
I agree that every other year is insufficient. I would “hazard” a guess (sorry, bad pun) that the once/year event may not have been taken advantage of by many folks for this reason: Even if they know better, I suppose that many citizens prefer to toss their hazardous items in with their regular trash rather than holding onto those items for a once a year or every-other-year disposal opportunity.
Sounds like a need for greater public awareness.
Thank you again and good luck.”
Comment // August 29th, 2007 // 10:10 am
Having to transport hazardous waste along with glass bottles and plastic out to Sundog Road just isn’t a practictal solution for many residents of Prescott and the surrounding area. Many people are elderly. Some don’t drive.
While bins for glass disposal were available to Prescott area residents, many people sorted out glass and dutifully dropped it into the bins. Now, the only way those of us who live in or near the City of Prescott can conscientiously dispose of glass to make the trek out to Sundog Ranch Road.
The City of Prescott seems to take the lead in demonstrating indifference to the environmental heritage of our children and grandchildren.
Comment // August 29th, 2007 // 10:47 am
Linda, you make a great point concerning the lack of conveniently located disposal centers.
What do you think we can do beyond talking about this? Or, is spreading the word about this topic of discussion, hoping others will weigh in, a good route to take?
Comment // August 31st, 2007 // 10:59 am
Writing good old fashioned letters is effective!
In sending my letter to my area elected officials (and candidates), I have had intriguing responses from two candidates (mayoral candidate Jack Wilson and city council candidate Alan Dubiel) as well as some phone tag with Councilman Luzius and a referral by Councilman Bob Bell to Chad McDowell, Field Operations Manager at Prescott’s solid waste facility.
I had a terrific conversation with Chad, in which he referenced many of the city’s goals regarding hazardous waste and brush management. Chad suggests that we keep the cards and letters flowing to the city officials, since he says they are incredibly customer responsive.
He would like to see the county partner with the city on solutions for these issues, but it sounds like whether or not Yavapai County does get involved, or any of the other area municipalities, for that matter, Prescott is actively looking for solutions and seeking grant sources to make them happen.
Chad said, as well, that anyone with questions about how to safely dispose of hazardous waste is welcome to contact his department at 928-777-1116 or 928-777-1126, or feel free to email: chad.mcdowell@cityofprescott.net.
Finally, Chad says he’s looking around for viable city-wide composting operations in regions having similar tree and brush species as are found here. He says that some of what grows here creates problems in composting and even in use of the chips generated from chipping of these particular trees and shrubs. Please contact him if you have knowledge of programs that work in other cities.
Comment // September 3rd, 2007 // 6:50 pm
To make recycling easy for the Prescott resident, the City would have to contract with a sanitation company that is willing to do that job. The City made their decision when they contracted with a company that doesn’t recycle. It would probably take a great deal of public pressure to change the current situation.