We are excited to announce “Trash Talk”, a series of monthly tours, workshops, and speakers. Our first event is - Dump 101: Everything you ever wanted to know about your local dump! February 16th 10:30 - 11:30am Lopez Solid Waste 2419 Fisherman Bay Rd Lopez Island, WA 98261 Join us for an exciting tour of our local dump! Learn how to best use the site and the fascinating behind-the-scenes story of trash, recycling, and reuse on Lopez Island. Find out why we do things the way we do at Lopez Solid Waste and what makes us so special.

The LSWDD Board has been working hard on producing a planning document to guide development and use of District resources to best meet the future needs of the Lopez community. The text of the document is listed below: Lopez Solid Waste Strategic Planning Outline Q4 2022 Mission of the LSWDD The Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD) provides a convenient local facility for solid waste collection with reuse and recycle options, operated in a fiscally, socially, and environmentally responsible manner with a goal to educate and inspire the community to reduce waste. The Outline The LSWDD Strategic Planning Outline describes the current state of the utility and lays out a vision for the future. The outline is a living document that contemplates the challenges and opportunities the District may face over a five-year time horizon period, defines the actions required to prepare for these trends and events, and sets priorities based upon available resources. The outline development process is managed by the Strategic Planning Committee and is updated annually by the LWSDD Board. LWSDD Challenges and Opportunities Challenges 1) Increased demand for waste management services due to population growth, increased tourism, and residential and commercial development 2) Fiscal pressure from increased waste disposal fees, increased operating and transportation costs, inflation, and disruption of supply and waste management lines 3) Service demand spikes in the summer season 4) Burden and unpredictability of annual campaign to pass operating levy Opportunities 1) High level of community involvement and support for waste reduction 2) Large customer base and support for “the Dump”, which is seen as a community asset 3) Highly experienced and dedicated operational team and staff 4) San Juan County Solid Waste management support 5) Availability of state, county and local resources working to reduce waste 2027 LWSDD Vision An operation that: ● has expanded its footprint to include the former Public Works facility to the south ● is structured to ensure financial viability for the foreseeable future ● has added services of value or supports other organizations’ efforts to further reduce waste ● has reduced the waste generated per resident ● continues to be strongly supportive of and supported by the Lopez community 2022 Goals in Support of Vision 1) Fortify solid waste operations in service of community a) Complete annual review of emergency preparedness b) Complete baler shed expansion c) Purchase box truck d) Develop site plan for expansion in partnership with San Juan County and site consultant e) Create and execute plan for increasing volunteer hours to support operations 2) Strengthen fiscal health of the District a) Forecast 2023 expenses / revenues and long term capital requirements. b) Review plan for sustained fiscal management c) Research potential external funding sources/partnerships 3) Continue and expand environmentally and socially responsible operations a) Develop organics reduction initiative b) Initiate planning to reduce LSWDD carbon emissions c) Ensure equal opportunity access to TIOLI goods by all community members 4) Educate and inspire community to reduce waste a) Create and execute community education plan with topics toward waste reduction (refuse, reuse, repurpose, recycle) b) Identify metrics to display and construct on-site “scoreboard” for Lopez waste amounts c) Create and distribute educational articles regarding the value of LSWDD to Lopez d) Encourage volunteer participation and expand opportunities e) Investigate an update to the LSWDD website to expand and simplify access to community waste & recycling information f) Develop and strengthen partnerships with other Lopez organizations with similar goals to impact waste in the community 5) Reduce waste thru the following efforts a) Continue organics reduction and home composting initiative b) Coordinate with the Lopez School to decrease waste and increase school recycling rates c) Research viability of local glass crusher recycling options d) Join efforts to institute Washington State Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation

Join your fellow islanders for the 2022 Fall Great Islands Clean-up on Saturday, September 24 between 10 a.m – 2 p.m. During this event, participants of all ages can sign-up to collect trash on a designated beach or road, and then bring their collected trash to the central meeting spot to be counted. On Lopez Island, meet at 10 a.m. at the Lopez Village Park to pick up trash collection equipment and receive beach and roadway assignments. Coffee and goodies will be provided to fuel your efforts (bring your own coffee cup, please)! Participants on the South End can pick up vests and grabbers at the Southend Store. Bring your collected trash to Lopez Solid Waste (aka The Dump) and follow the signs for the GICU drop off area. If you’d like to be assigned a location ahead of time, contact Larissa at larissam@lopezsolidwaste.org.

Your Help is Needed to Create Commercial Composting for Island Residents and Businesses! San Juan County is exploring how to best implement commercial composting for residents and businesses in the Islands, and we need your help! The County’s Solid Waste Program has created a survey to gauge community interest in such a program. The survey is available now through August 30 at https://bit.ly/3OTj5R4. Commercial composting is the large-scale decomposition of organic waste such as food and yard waste. A commercial composting facility in San Juan County will collect organic waste from restaurants, grocery stores, other businesses, and individual residents. It is designed to handle large amounts of waste and creates compost that can be used at farms, nurseries, local municipalities, or at individual residences. Commercial composting improves soil quality, reduces waste, and saves money. According to the EPA approximately 30% of landfill waste could be composted and turned into fertilizer that could be used to benefit the local community. “We want to hear from all residents on San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Shaw, and the outer islands to get input on their interest in participating in commercial composting and to help us ensure that an organics recycling program can be successful,” said Katie Fleming, Solid Waste Coordinator in San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship. For more information, contact Katie Fleming at katief@sanjuanco.com or 360-762-5821.

Previously posted in The Exchange (Orcas Recycling Center Newsletter) On June 11 a group of ORS/Exchange board and staff members traveled to Lopez island and spent the day checking out the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District’s facilities on Fisherman bay Road. They visited with the director Dave Zapalac, and several LSWDD board members. Besides running the “Take It Or Leave It” (the Lopez version of The Exchange), the ORS team was blown away by the Lopez recycling system. Lopez Island does the best job of recycling of any island hands down. With an incredible full-time staff of volunteers to help folks with separating their recyclables, they do it right. They even successfully separate different types of plastics. In fact, Lopez no longer accepts co-mingled recycling at all. Later in the day the ORS team visited the only real commercial composting operation in San Juan County, at Midnight’s Farm. A visit to David Bill’s facility reminded us that composting on a large scale is never easy. Still, composting is certainly in Orcas Island’s future. A visit to Lopez is always inspirational. Next time you are over there be sure to stop in and say hello! Original article: https://exchangeorcas.org/lopez-island-a-model-for-the-future/

Have you ever wondered where that disposable plastic cup, old band aid, or chicken bone ends up after you chuck it in the garbage can? Sure, you haul it, along with the rest of your garbage to the dump. But then what, where does it go after that? Well, it gets hauled off the island by truck to the Skagit Transfer Station. And as the name suggests, it gets transferred, this time to a rail car. Then it takes a train trip across the state to its final destination, a massive landfill in Roosevelt, Washington. That's a pretty extravagant journey for garbage! Let's save the travel for something more fun by refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling!

We don't want you to miss out on all the fun so we will be closed on Monday, July 4th.

The hazardous waste roundup collection event is our once-yearly opportunity to legally and responsibly dispose of poisonous, flammable, corrosive or other hazardous chemicals. Proper disposal protects your health and the health of the workers that handle your waste. Proper disposal also keeps chemicals out of our drinking water and out of the environment. What can I bring? Pesticides, fungicides and other poisons, gasoline and other used fuels, wood preservatives, solvents and thinners, pool and photo chemicals, resins, corrosives, degreasers, cleaning products, mercury, rechargeable batteries, propane cylinders, and aerosols. What not to bring? The following are not accepted at the roundup: · Flares, explosives, or ammunition – deliver these to the Sheriff's Office. · Antifreeze, motor oil (unless the oil is mixed with water or other fuels), and vehicle batteries – recycle at the dump during regular business hours. · Spent fluorescent light tubes and bulbs – recycle at the dump during regular business hours. · Children or pets. These are not hazardous waste and we want to keep them safe! · We encourage you to take your latex and oil-based paints and stains to the nearest PaintCare recycling site outside of these events to leave enough room for other products – recycle at the dump every Sunday during business hours. How much will it cost? There is NO CHARGE at this year's roundup for HOUSEHOLDS disposing of 25 gallons or less of hazardous waste. Your disposal costs are being paid by the San Juan County Solid Waste Program and Washington Department of Ecology. BUSINESSES will be charged for their disposal costs and must pre-register 10 days before the event (call or email Katie at 360-762-5821 or katief@sanjuanco.com to register).