Thurston County has recently completed the final draft of its 2017 Solid Waste Management Plan.
W4.1 Residential composting
Expand residential programs for composting and recycling food waste.
W4.2 Commercial composting
Provide/expand programs for composting for commercial units.
W4.3 Demolition waste
Promote alternatives to traditional building demolition such as relocation, deconstruction, and salvage through construction outreach programs.
W4.4 Waste audits *
Provide waste audits for business owners and education on practices that decrease waste (ex. compost, recycling, reuse).
W4.5 Gleaning
Create systems to support food donations by hospitality industry and other institutional food producers. Support local business and encourage local food donations. Create additional incentives for farmers to encourage gleaning. Support distribution model that improves access of low income households to food throughout county.
W4.6 Commercial recycling
Establish/expand business recycling programs, including capturing corrugated cardboard.
W4.7 Reduce construction debris
Develop a building deconstruction ordinance, with requirements for deconstruction, reporting, inspections, and compliance tools.
W4.8 Fruit teams (See W4.5 Gleaning.)
Create neighborhood fruit teams.
W4.9 Organics collection (See W4.1 Residential composting)
Require food waste pickup at residential and commercial buildings to reduce landfill methane. Compliment with an ordinance that restricts compostables from going into the garbage and has a fining structure to enforce.
W4.10 Waste Less Food program *
Expand Thurston County’s “Waste Less Food” program.
W4.11 Regional recycling
Develop a regional recycling facility and build local markets for materials.