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County seeks $15,000 MDE reimbursement for electronics recycling as vendor costs rise
Summary
DPW&T presented an MDE interagency agreement application for about $15,000 to offset electronics recycling costs and outlined a broader vendor‑cost problem that may prompt rebidding and operational changes to avoid disrupting user habits.
The Department of Public Works and Transportation asked the commissioners to approve an interagency agreement application with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that would allow the county to be reimbursed for roughly $15,000 in electronic‑waste collection costs in FY2017.
Director George Erickson told commissioners MDE made $15,000 available through a reimbursable interagency agreement and that the county expects to add that amount to MetCom/FY2017 revenues as an offset. Erickson said the county plans to apply for the grant and is confident it will be awarded; the last similar award in 2014 was larger but not annually available.
Erickson used the item to warn commissioners that the market for electronics recyclables has deteriorated and that vendor charges have risen sharply. “The current arrangement with our vendor is, to me, not sustainable,” Erickson said, noting that per‑ton costs have climbed and some neighboring jurisdictions are no longer accepting TVs and monitors. He described options the county is pursuing: maintain convenient drop‑off locations for users, make destinations transparent on the backend to keep user habits intact, and rebid contracts this fall when the current vendor contract expires.
Erickson said staff have worked with the existing vendor to hold current contract prices in place while the county transitions toward a new procurement approach; he recommended the commissioners approve the interagency agreement application and accept the reimbursable revenue.
The commissioners approved the interagency agreement by voice vote.
Ending: Erickson said the county will pursue the $15,000 reimbursement and continue work to control program costs and preserve user habits at convenience centers.
