Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sedgwick County outlines solid waste programs; pilot mattress-coupon plan proposed to curb illegal dumping
Summary
County solid waste staff reviewed programs required by KDHE and run from the household hazardous waste facility to remote collection, e-waste and tire events; proposed a fall pilot of 3,000 mattress coupons to reduce roadside dumping. Staff provided usage and cost figures and said most program revenue comes from a dedicated solid waste fee.
Susan (last name not specified) reviewed Sedgwick County's solid waste programs for commissioners, describing the household hazardous waste facility, remote collection events, Christmas tree recycling, MedSafe drug drop boxes, tire and electronic-waste events, bulky-waste coupons and a proposed pilot mattress coupon program.
Why the county runs these programs
Susan said KDHE requires a solid waste plan and a solid waste committee (with specific positions and board appointments). The county’s functions include plan maintenance, facility inspection, public education and operation of a household hazardous waste facility that accepts many consumer hazardous materials for free. She told commissioners these programs reduce landfill space, keep hazardous materials out of waterways and reduce illegal dumping.
Key program numbers and examples
- Christmas tree recycling: The county operates 22 drop sites (10 within Wichita). "From 02/2001 when we started this through January of this year, we have received over 28,000 trees," Susan said. Trees are mulched and much of the mulch is used by residents and parks.
- Household hazardous waste: In 2024, the facility served more than 15,000 people and accepted over 1,000,000 pounds of material. Since 02/2002 the facility has collected over 24,000,000 pounds of chemicals and household hazardous waste.
- Remote collection and e-waste: The county has run 99 remote collection events since 02/2005, serving more than 20,000 vehicles and collecting roughly 2,800,000 pounds at those events. E‑waste collection has recovered metals and materials that would otherwise require new mining and can contain hazardous elements such as lead and mercury.
- Tires and illegal dumping: The county reported collecting the equivalent of roughly 1,336,000 passenger-tire units (by weight) through tire programs; Susan described public-safety and mosquito risks from dumped tires and reminded commissioners that whole tires are banned from Kansas landfills.
- Swap-and-shop and revenue: The swap-and-shop reclaimed inventory saved an estimated $47,000 in contractor disposal costs last year. Susan said 94.7% of the solid waste program budget is funded by a dedicated solid waste fee; the remainder (5.3%) comes from the general fund.
Mattress coupon pilot and other initiatives
Susan said the Solid Waste Committee recommended a pilot mattress coupon program for the coming fall: the county plans to offer 3,000 coupons valid for disposal of up to two items (mattress or box springs) each at Brooks Construction and Demolition Landfill; she estimated the maximum potential cost if all coupons were used would be about $120,000. The program is a pilot to test demand and impacts on illegal dumping.
Commissioner questions and staff follow-up
Commissioners asked whether coupon programs encourage use by people who can already pay disposal costs, whether coupons would reduce roadside dumping, and whether year-round drop-off options (for tree limbs, tires, bulky furniture) are preferable to periodic events. Susan said the plan is a pilot and that township partnerships, remote events and collaboration with cities have been used in the past. She offered to provide additional township-collected mattress/tire numbers and answer questions about past events and participation rates.
No vote or ordinance change was taken at this meeting; commissioners were scheduled to receive related fee and plan information at the next meeting.
