Waste Wi$e Kitsap

Kitsap County’s award-winning in-house program, Waste Wi$e Kitsap, emphasizes waste reduction in all departments and recycling as the preferred way to manage waste in all County operations. Other objectives include purchasing environmentally preferred products and holding annual trainings in each department. The program is overseen by the Waste Wi$e Kitsap Coordinator, who meets with departmental coordinators each year to identify goals and activities to help them meet these objectives.

At the beginning of each calendar year, the Guidelines for Reducing Waste are presented to the Board of County Commissioners with a resolution to adopt the departmental goals. The guidelines include a brief report from each department about their progress toward the previous year’s goals.

Key Components

• Waste Exchange
  The Waste Exchange (WX) is an office surplus exchange for departments to obtain or donate items to save money on purchasing and disposal. The WX is located on the County Intranet, and is available for viewing by all employees. Members, comprised of purchasers and Waste Wi$e Kitsap Coordinators, may post items, which include office supplies and furniture. The exchanges are tracked by an administrator.
• Employee Education
  Each department schedules an annual Waste Wi$e training to discuss waste reduction ideas and hear the latest on recycling and environmentally preferred products.
• Posters are available for every copy machine and break room, reminding employees to make double-sided copies and recycle food containers.
• Smart Tips appear in the weekly employee e-letter "In The Loop".
• The Waste Wi$e page on the County Intranet contains program information and announcements about upcoming coordinator workshops or changes in the program.
• Junk mail/Junk fax programs
  Departments may send unwanted junk mail to the Solid Waste Division where an administrator will send a postcard to the direct mailer to opt out. The Kitsap One customer service support team accepts stop junk mail requests for the Public Works Department.

Links
Develop a guiding document for your waste reduction program. Waste Wi$e Kitsap’s waste reduction ordinance is available for local governments or large businesses. Prevention of Waste in County Government Ordinance 233-1999

Design a program for your company, organization, or agency. Contact Kitsap County’s Waste Wi$e staff, Toni Fuller at 360-337-4472 or email  for a site visit and/or assistance in implementing a waste reduction program to fit your needs.

Become a Partner in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Wise program. This free, voluntary program provides a representative to help you determine what your company can do to reduce waste, and has an awards program for businesses and organizations of all types and sizes. Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/wastewise

Stop unwanted mail addressed to former employees by joining the Ecological Mail Coalition. There is no cost to add the names and business addresses of your former employees to this national database, which is used by direct mailers to clean up their mailing lists. Learn more at http://www.ecologicalmail.org

Learn how manufacturers are improving product design so the items you buy are easier to manage at the end of their useful life. Product Stewardship is an environmental management strategy that means whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes responsibility for minimizing the product's environmental impact throughout all stages of the products' life cycle. Learn more at the NW Product Stewardship Council website at http://www.productstewardship.net

Kitsap County Public Works
Solid Waste Division
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
solidwaste@co.kitsap.wa.us