Solid‑waste staff updated Buncombe County meeting attendees on efforts to increase construction and demolition (C&D) recycling, advance a pilot composting facility for food scraps and strengthen enforcement of the county’s mixed‑load ordinance.

Kristine (representing the county solid‑waste department) said staff completed several preparatory steps since last year, including hiring an inspector, reducing daily C&D acceptance at the transfer station to encourage diversion to the landfill recycling side, and increasing tip fees for undesirable mixed loads. She said the county will run a three‑day on‑site visual waste characterization at the C&D landfill, then sample the municipal solid waste (MSW) side and the transfer station to identify materials arriving as mixed loads and to inform future program focus.

Staff presented current diversion figures and benchmarks from New Hanover County’s C&D recycling facility, which opened with capital costs reported by staff at about $1.8 million and achieves higher recovery rates through a hand‑sort conveyor. Kristine said the county’s current average diversion rate is roughly 12–13% under present programs, and that C&D side phase 8 is the last horizontal expansion — with an estimated 4–5 years of remaining capacity on the C&D side from the planned expansion and roughly 17–19 years of capacity countywide on the MSW side, per the department’s annual capacity estimate.

On composting, staff reported a pilot, aerated static‑pile system is in place; it is sized to accept local food‑scrap collection from libraries and other collection points on a regulatory‑limited, pilot scale. The department said the initial feedstock will be the county’s separate food‑scrap collections and that compost product would be used on site, primarily as a soil amendment for landfill slopes; staff said a full‑scale facility would require additional capital and market development.

Materials staff singled out as opportunities for market development included clean lumber, cardboard, metal and yard waste; shingles and sheetrock currently lack reliable local markets and would require external outlets or new facilities. Staff said a future C&D recycling facility or sorting process could be considered but would require capital investment and market commitments.

Staff also led an extended discussion on bear‑resistant carts after commissioners and members raised neighborhood concerns. County staff outlined the local bear‑resistant cart program and the vendor pricing and lease options currently available through the collection contractor (FCC). Staff said bear‑resistant carts cost roughly $235–$320 per unit depending on purchase/lease options and noted significant manufacturer lead times; they cautioned that no cart is completely “bear proof” and stressed the importance of timed setouts and public education to reduce attractants. Staff and commissioners discussed targeted education, heat‑mapping complaint locations, and whether a countywide ordinance would be appropriate; staff said some jurisdictions implement targeted requirements only in areas with persistent bear activity.

Appointments and administrative items: The committee moved and seconded a motion to reappoint two people to the committee; the motion carried on an oral vote (ayes, no recorded opposing votes). Staff said the appointments will advance to the full board for formal approval.

Ending — follow-up tasks: Staff listed near‑term action items: run the C&D waste audit and analyze the data, evaluate potential laydown areas or outlets for recovered materials, continue mixed‑load enforcement, and return with options and cost estimates for compost expansion and any sorting/capital proposals. Staff also committed to working with partners on targeted outreach and heat‑map data for bear activity before the county’s October presentation from FCC.