Update:

Environmental Waste
Services Programs
 Discussion Topics
 Status: R.W. Beck, Inc., Solid Waste Operations Study
- Landfill Operations Recommendations

 Landfill Operations Initiatives

 Commercial Route Optimization Project

 Status: R.W. Beck, Inc., Solid Waste Operations Study

– Commercial Refuse Collection Recommendations

 Status: R.W. Beck, Inc., Solid Waste Operations Study

– Commercial Recycling Collection Recommendations

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends upgrading the service

window area on the inbound scale closest to the
scale house to allow transactions to occur without
the driver exiting the vehicle. Also, the City should
consider an option that allows charge customers
on the outlying scale to receive a load ticket
without exiting their vehicle.
_____________________________________________

Staff believes that the number of transactions per

day does not justify the cost of improvements
recommended at this time.

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends the Disposal Operations

Manager communicate directly with the Heavy
Equipment Crew Leader and outline the day’s
intended operation. It is the Crew Leader’s
responsibility to assign equipment, coordinate
operations, and see that the plan is implemented.
________________________________________

Disposal Manager position is vacant.

However, a Heavy Equipment Crew Leader
assigns equipment and coordinates daily
operations.
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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends a thorough pre-trip/post-trip

inspection and maintenance routine be implemented.
Ongoing “refresher” courses on pre-trip/post-trip
maintenance procedures and proper equipment
operation should be conducted.
______________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Pre-Trip/Post-Trip program is functioning.
Employees receive periodic updates regarding
maintenance and equipment operations procedures.

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends that each employee be

required to wear hard soled boots and use gloves
and safety glasses when performing maintenance
operations and waste observing or handling
operations.
________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented.

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

The City could possibly reduce the operation by

one track loader and one equipment operator.
Also, the City may wish to consider using a rubber
tired loader for that operation rather than a track
type loader to minimize the surrounding ground
disturbance, especially when the operation is
moved to the newly constructed pad to the north
of the present operation.
________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Reduced by one track loader and one compactor
 Reduced staffing by two equipment operators

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

The City should closely monitor the use of mulch

on the slopes to ensure that an overly thick layer
is not applied.
________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Mulch is no longer used on the slopes.

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends the City work to flatten the

slope of the face to bring it more in line with a four
horizontal to one vertical slope (4H:1V).
__________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented.

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations
The lift thickness should be maintained between 10
to 15 feet thick. The landfill crew should attempt to
remove a substantial portion of the previously
placed daily or intermediate cover prior to placing a
new layer of waste material.
_________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Reuse of cover material was introduced
 Soil usage was reduced to industry standard of
6” compacted
 Hydro Mulch is currently being used
 Changes resulted in significant airspace savings

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 Landfill Operations
Recommendations
Under normal conditions, one on-site mechanic should be
sufficient to assist with morning start-up, manage the
servicing of equipment and handle minor equipment
problems. Fleet Services could provide an additional
mechanic on an on-call or as-needed basis to assist with
major equipment repairs or assist the primary mechanic
during periods when more than one critical piece of
equipment is down for repairs. Shifts could continue to be
rotated to allow for a mechanic to be on duty during
Saturday operations. This would be a good time to perform
routine servicing as the daily intake of waste is relatively
low compared to the weekdays.
_______________________________________________

Mechanic staff strength has increased to three in addition

to out-sourcing repairs to outside vendors. This continues
to escalate fleet costs.

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Landfill Operations
Initiatives

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 Landfill Operations Initiatives

 The department revised the calculation method of

incoming waste reported to TCEQ by using cubic
yards or tonnage where appropriate.

 A savings of approximately $9,000 was realized the

first reporting quarter this method was used and
approximately $5,820 for the second reporting
quarter.

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 Wood Waste

 Participation in the TCEQ Composting Refund

Program allows the City to recoup 15% of the cost of
disposal for solid waste. This is approximately
$73,000 based on last Fiscal Year’s disposal cost.

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 Staffing
 The department was able to increase salary savings
by not filling two operator positions and keeping
overtime to a minimum.

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 Equipment

 Currently, Fleet operations were reduced to two(2)

compactors.

 The department is reassessing the cost of continued

maintenance of equipment that is rarely used.

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 Reduction in Employee OverTime
 FY2007-2008

 FY2008-2009

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Commercial Route
Optimization Project

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Commercial Refuse Collection

Presented by: Abhishek Kala

 Commercial Waste Services
• EWS Dept. provides professional solid
waste collection for residents &
businesses.

• Accomplishes this at significantly &

consistently lower cost than private haulers.

• Have special Front load & Roll off container

trucks for providing services throughout
Garland & adjacent cities.

• Have different sized containers (2,3,4,6 & 8

cubic yards) for meeting varied customer
demands.
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21
 COMMERCIAL COLLECTION REFUSE ROUTES

Monday 5

Tuesday 4

Wednesday 5

Thursday 4

Friday 4

Saturday 1

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24
AREAS OF CONCERN

IME
ONNAGE

RAVEL

RIPS

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ROUTES

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• 5 routes

• Comparatively busy
day

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• 4 routes

• Unevenly distributed
geographically

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• 5 routes

• Route 4 too
narrow
(redesigning
route)

• Route 5 – very
few stops

• Route 2 & 5 to be
merged
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4 routes

Unevenly
distributed
sites
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• 4 Routes

• Unproportionate
division of routes

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Only 55 stops & 64
containers

Collection sites spread

throughout

Extra labor cost apart

from drivers

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TONNAGE

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Tonnage Per Trip

Wednesday Jan 28th 2009 34

Wednesday Jan 21st 2009 35
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QUESTIONS

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Status: R.W. Beck, Inc., Solid
Waste Operations Study

Commercial Refuse Collection

Recommendations

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 Commercial Refuse Collection
Recommendations

The City should continue to monitor and minimize the

time spent by the Field Supervisor serving as a back-
up Equipment Operator.
__________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Field Supervisor is not serving as a back-up
equipment operator.

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 Commercial Refuse Collection
Recommendations
The ratio of frontline vehicles to back-up vehicles is
appropriate if all vehicles are properly maintained,
but vehicle downtime, and its impact on operations
should be closely monitored going forward.
__________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented:

 Vehicle downtime is not impacting operations.

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 Commercial Refuse Collection
Recommendations

R. W. Beck recommends the City develop a specific

marketing plan for apartments and other large
accounts.
__________________________________________

Currently reviewing a proposal from a firm to

develop a commercial services marketing plan.

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 Commercial Refuse Collection
Recommendations
R. W. Beck recommends the City conduct an initial
commercial front-load route evaluation to determine
the service level for each commercial front-load
customer and reconcile the information with the
information contained in the City’s utility billing
system. If significant discrepancies exist, conduct
periodic route audits and develop a more unified data
management system to help minimize such problems
in the future.
__________________________________________

In progress – Developing an action plan to address

recommendation.

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 Commercial Refuse Collection
Recommendations

The Equipment Operators should be provided more

user-friendly route sheets.
__________________________________________

In progress – Developing an action plan to address

recommendation.

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 Status: R.W. Beck, Inc., Solid
Waste Operations Study

Commercial Recycling Collection

Recommendations

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Commercial Recycling Collection
Recommendations

The City should seek to proactively increase the

number of private accounts.
__________________________________________

Pending

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Commercial Recycling Collection
Recommendations

The City should work with GISD to reduce

contamination.
__________________________________________

Recommendation has been implemented.

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Questions???

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