Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing with Recycling Partnership, Inc. for a Smart Camera Project for Recycling Education
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement between the City of Olympia and Recycling Partnership, Inc. for a Smart Camera Project for recycling education.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement between the City of Olympia and Recycling Partnership, Inc. for a Smart Camera Project for recycling education.
Staff Contact:
Ron Jones, Program and Planning Supervisor, Public Works Waste ReSources, 360.753.8509
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia was selected by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) and The Recycling Partnership (Partnership) to participate in a short-term recycle contamination reduction project using Smart Camera technology, and a follow-up cart tagging component. Olympia is one of a handful of communities selected to participate in the project.
The system uses truck-mounted smart cameras with visual recognition and GPS technology to scan collected materials, identify non-recyclables, take photos of contaminants, and generate educational materials sent to residents.
The project is fully funded by the Partnership, which received a solid waste assistance grant from Ecology. The estimated value of in-kind materials and services is $53,968 dollars. The City is dedicating a portion of the Utility’s residential outreach staff time to manage the project. The work is in line with the role of the position.
Smart Camera technology can identify materials that do not belong in the recycle cart and that information can be used to inform Waste ReSources Utility customers through informational post cards using images of the actual materials. Recycle contamination has been a growing concern ever since the City began with fully automated collection in 2003.
The Smart Camera portion of the project will go live in May and run until the end of June over four recycle collection weeks. The project will only cover two of the five recycle routes during the project period. If the project is determined successful, the utility will evaluate whether to scale it to cover the entire residential program.
Climate Analysis:
The net benefit to greenhouse gas emissions is not known and would be difficult to quantify on such a small-scale project. It is unlikely to create or reduce climate impacts.
Equity Analysis:
The project will focus on reducing contamination in recycling through educational means using actual images of materials identified. Collection routes cover small geographic areas of the city, so they are as well-balanced as possible when factoring stops and distance. There is no known reliable way to identify demographic or burdened community data within collection routes.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
This project will help Waste ReSources customers better understand what is and is not accepted for recycling.
The agreement is subject to public disclosure as required by Washington’s Public Records Act, RCW 42.56. Data is owned and controlled by the City of Olympia and remains in the United States. Smart cameras on trucks automatically blur faces/license plates that may be visible in a photo, thereby protecting individual privacy. All images used on educational post cards only highlight the specific contamination associated with that home. Smart Camera technology effectively collects the same data that would be captured if performing a manual lid lift and cart tagging for contamination, or what a driver might do manually.
Financial Impact:
No fiscal impact to the City’s utility. All costs are covered by The Recycling Partnership by way of Washington State Department of Ecology grant which they were awarded.
Options:
1. Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an Agreement between the City of Olympia and Recycling Partnership, Inc. for a Smart Camera Project for recycling education.
2. Do not approve the Resolution.
3. Take other action.
Attachments:
Resolution
Agreement