Section 455J.3. Environmental management system designation requirements.

  To qualify for designation as an environmental management system pursuant to section 455J.7, a solid waste planning area shall actively pursue all of the following:

  1.  Yard waste management.  Provide for the operation of a yard waste management program or contract with another party to do so.

  2.  Hazardous household waste collection.  Provide for the proper management and disposal of hazardous household waste by operating a regional collection center or participating in a regional collection center network. The regional collection center shall provide for the collection and disposal of hazardous household wastes, including but not limited to paint, pesticides, batteries, automotive products, sharps, needles and syringes, and pool chemicals. The regional collection center shall encourage the reuse of any materials for which reuse is possible and may educate households on the use of safer alternatives through efforts designed to increase public participation and to increase the participation of local government entities not currently in a network. Regional collection centers may also provide for the assessment of current educational programs by examining changes in consumer behavior.

  3.  Water quality improvement.  Provide for a water quality improvement program within the system’s planning area. Such a program may include offering educational programs, sponsoring awareness initiatives, providing for cleanup activities such as the cleanup of illegal dumping areas, and otherwise promoting responsible environmental behavior.

  4.  Greenhouse gas reduction.  Implement a greenhouse gas reduction program designed to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Such a program may include but is not limited to the following activities:

  a.  Generating electricity or producing other fuels through the collection of landfill gas, such as a methane gas recovery or minimization system.

  b.  Collecting and managing food and other organic waste from households and from industrial and commercial establishments, or attempting to recover energy from the reuse of biomass.

  c.  Implementing programs that encourage the efficient use of energy and promote the use of renewable fuels.

  d.  Discouraging the uncontrolled burning of solid waste and yard waste.

  e.  Setting recycling goals to measure energy savings and quantify the level of success of greenhouse gas mitigation efforts.

  f.  Collection and recycling services targeted at waste generated by industrial and commercial facilities such as cardboard, paper, construction, and demolition waste.

  5.  Recycling services.

  a.  Offer recycling services for paper, glass, metal, and plastics within the communities served. In addition to offering recycling of paper, metal, glass, and plastics, a solid waste planning area may also offer recycling services for electronic waste, white goods, and tires.

  b.  Recycling services may also be targeted at waste generated by industrial and commercial facilities such as cardboard, paper, construction, and demolition waste.

  c.  Recycling services offered in an effort to meet the goals of this subsection may be provided through drop-off sites or through curbside recycling programs operated in conjunction with solid waste collection.

  6.  Environmental education.  Plan and implement programs educating the public on environmental stewardship. These programs may include components designed to prevent illegal dumping, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve water quality, reduce waste generation, increase recycling and reuse, or any other environmental objective that furthers the purpose and goals of this chapter.

2008 Acts, ch 1109, §6