The Los Angeles City Council voted 9 to 3 last week to direct staff to pursue an exclusive waste shed. A motion by Councilman Tom LaBonge calls for exempting hospitals.This motion, along with a dozen others, was referred to the Energy and Environment Committee and the Ad-Hoc Committee for discussion. The Board of Public Works has also expressed a willingness to HASC to continue discussions by establishing a hospital workgroup to examine ongoing concerns. This workgroup will be open to direct hospital participation and include staff from the Bureau of Sanitation.

HASC recently urged hospitals in the city of Los Angeles to contact their local City Council representative to request that hospitals be granted a full exemption under the Bureau of Sanitation’s exclusive waste shed plan.

Under the Bureau’s plan, hospitals in Los Angeles will be required to contract their solid waste and recycling to a hauler designated by the Bureau. The Bureau would also assume responsibility for mediating disputes or performance issues associated with the assigned hauler.

HASC previously voiced concern during the Bureau of Sanitation’s stakeholder input period over the adverse implication this policy would have for hospitals, given the array of federal and state regulations that oversee hospital waste streams. HASC comments resulted in the Bureau’s report recommending that hospitals be provided with partial exemptions.

Contact: Jaime Garcia
(213) 538-0702, jgarcia@hasc.org