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IAC 567 - Chapter 101
What is comprehensive planning?
Iowa law (Iowa Code 455B.302, 455B.306) requires cities and counties to develop a comprehensive solid waste reduction program in collaboration with the landfill(s) or other waste facility(s) that serves their area. These programs/strategies are detailed in a plan, which is referred to as a comprehensive plan or solid waste comprehensive plan. Cities and counties can develop plans individually, or they can group together with other cities and counties to prepare a comprehensive plan. A city or county or group of cities and counties preparing a plan is referred to as a planning area. Iowa law (455B.306) also requires comprehensive plans be submitted from specific industrial landfills and similar facilities.
Iowa's Administrative Code defines a comprehensive plan as: "a course of action developed and established cooperatively between cities, counties, and sanitary disposal projects regarding their chosen integrated solid waste management system, its participation, waste reduction strategies, and disposal methods."
Who writes comprehensive plans?
Any city, county, or private agency operating or planning to operate a sanitary disposal project must develop a comprehensive plan. The planning area can delegate the development of the plan to an individual or an organization. In some instances, private industries that have their own landfill are also required to submit a comprehensive plan detailing their solid waste management strategies. These plans must be developed in cooperation and consultation with the city or county responsible to provide for the establishment and operation of a sanitary disposal project. If you are not sure if your organization must complete a comprehensive plan, please contact the Energy & Waste Management Bureau for clarification.
Why have comprehensive plans?
A comprehensive plan is a tool for cities, counties and private sanitary disposal projects to chart their course toward waste reduction goals, while providing an opportunity to evaluate current waste management practices to employ technically and economically feasible solid waste management improvements. Comprehensive plans also offer a way to involve community residents, business and industry, and institutions in making decisions about how to best manage waste through improvements that will prevent or minimize adverse environmental impact. By law (455B.305(3)), a landfill or other sanitary disposal project's permit will not be renewed or reissued unless the permit applicant, in conjunction with all local governments using the sanitary disposal project, has an approved plan in place.
What's in a comprehensive plan?
A comprehensive plan must explain how a planning area will implement Iowa's waste management hierarchy: 1) waste reduction, 2) recycling and reuse, including composting, and 3) other approved technologies, including landfilling.
To accomplish this, comprehensive plans provide information about solid waste management programs that have been implemented including public education, composting, recycling, and waste collection. Plans must analyze the existing programs, as well as alternative disposal methods. The analysis is then used to provide input to what activities the planning area will implement in the future.
What happens if an area fails to achieve state volume reduction goals?
If it is determined that a planning areas has failed to meet the state's 25 percent waste volume reduction and recycling goal, the planning area must implement strategies to improve waste reduction and recycling efforts. Strategies include educational and promotional campaigns to inform residents and businesses of the manner and benefit of recycling, reusing, and purchasing products made of recycled content. Planning areas are also are required to charge residents for the amount of waste being disposed of, rather than just a flat rate fee. This approach is also often referred to as Unit-Based Pricing or Pay-As-You-Throw. Finally, a penalty of 50 cents per ton of waste landfilled must be paid to the state until the planning area can demonstrate that they have attained the 25 percent waste reduction and recycling goal. No more than once per fiscal year, planning areas may submit a written request the Department to have their goal progress determination calculated.
How often are comprehensive plans submitted?
Comprehensive plans are submitted to the Department every three years in concert with sanitary disposal project permit renewals. Plan due dates are staggered over a three-year period to avoid having all plans submitted simultaneously, and to provide Department staff with adequate time to complete through plan reviews.
What happens to the plans once they are submitted?
Within two weeks of plan receipt, Energy and Waste Management Bureau staff will review the plan to ensure compliance with standards outlined in Iowa law. Department staff will work with each planning area to request and obtain any additional information needed for clarification. All comprehensive plans must be formally approved by the state to be considered valid, and for landfill permits to be renewed.
Is there help available to communities in preparing comprehensive plans?
Yes. The Department has developed three detailed outlines (initial, industrial, and update) that provide step-by-step assistance in completing solid waste comprehensive plans. In addition, staff from the Energy and Waste Management Bureau are available to provide one-to-one assistance upon request.
DNR Contact
Mark Warren
(515) 281-4968
mark.warren@dnr.state.ia.us
Becky Jolly
(515) 281-8308
becky.jolly@dnr.iowa.gov
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