Ramona Simpson

摘要

RAMONA SIMPSON IS proud of Queen Creek, Arizona's 8% recycling contamination rate. "We try to keep contamination rates down before the materials go to the MRF," she says. Education is key to success, something of which Simpson is keenly aware as the director of SWANA's Communication, Education & Marketing Technical Division. She also serves as Queen Creek's Environmental Programs Manager. Her duties not only include directing solid waste, recycling, and hazardous waste programs, but she also oversees stormwater management, reclaimed water, and air quality-tasks which are essentially interconnected. A successful solid waste and recycling program entails clear communication that involves not only what to put into a cart, but what not to put into a cart-and options of disposal for those materials, Simpson notes. Even how to put materials in a cart is important, notes Simpson, adding that overfilling it creates the "snow cone" effect, enabling birds to peck open the plastic bags, creating litter on the street. Queen Creek's bulk collection centers around the 3 Bs: bundled, boxed, or bagged. Auditing, education outreach, inspection, and enforcement are the program's foundation. Inspection programs offer opportunities to place educational materials on a cart regarding overfilling and proper material disposal. Contamination can be dangerous, Simpson points out. "We had someone put the plastic bucket for their chlorine tablets in the recycling cart with aluminum cans. We had a hot load-a fire that happens within the confines of the recycling truck," says Simpson. "I don't think people are trying to contaminate. They want to do the right thing. They're doing 'wishful recycling.'" Queen Creek has take-back events throughout the year for harder-to-recycle materials. "Our community is only 50,000 residents and 13,000 homes with trash recycling services," says Simpson. "We're pretty small, but all of our events are highly attended." The city also has an intergovernmental agreement with a bordering community to use its household hazardous waste facility. While some communities are closing neighborhood recycling centers, Queen Creek is "doubling down," Simpson says.