The Moore County Public Works Department hosted a three-year update meeting required by the county's 10-year comprehensive solid waste management plan Thursday evening.
Ed Shuffler of Olver Inc., who presented the update, reported that Moore County saw a 3 percent decrease from the 1991-92 baseline-year figures.
"We were actually disposing of more waste per person per year (at one point)," he said. "We're hitting the goals now."
For the fiscal year 2004-05, the county disposed of 95,034 tons of waste for a population of 79,342 -- a 1.20 per capita rate. In 1991-92, the per capita rate was 1.23.
In the 2001-02 fiscal year, the per capita figure had fallen to 1.16 tons. The 2003 update revealed that 88,461 tons of waste had been disposed with a population of 76,358.
Shuffler said the plan makes allowances for tighter budgets that might have impacted initiatives to reduce waste, such as recycling programs.
The plan sets a goal of a 1 percent decrease in waste for 2005-06. The plan also calls for a 5 percent waste reduction for 2012-13 and an 8 percent reduction for 2015-16.
The four tenets of the plan are to increase recycling, reuse and reduction; decrease improper waste disposal; protect public health and the environment; and educate the community on proper solid waste management and available waste disposal options.
See Wednesday's Pilot for the full story.
