16851_Authority_Aug_2023

32 The Authority | AUGUST 2023 York County Solid Waste Authority Community Outreach: Let’s Talk Trash! By Jennifer Cristofoletti, Community Services Division Manager, York County Solid Waste Authority Whether you are a small business or a major industry, the community in which you are based is your neighbor. It is vital to maintain a positive rela- tionship with each other via respect, ethical business practices, and good stewardship towards the community. The York County Solid Waste Authority (YCSWA), established in 1971 fortified its foundation of good community stewardship in 1989 with the start-up of the York County Resource Recovery Center (YCRRC), an environmentally regulated waste-to-energy facility that uses trash as an alternative fuel to generate electricity. YCSWA recog- nized the need for and created the Community Services Division (CSD), a component of YCSWA specifically geared towards community outreach and education. Before the advent of the internet, community outreach conducted by the CSD involved going door to door in housing developments surround- ing the physical footprint of the plant, greeting folks with a hand- shake, and delivering pamphlets de- tailing the who, what, how and why’s of the YCRRC and its establishment in the community. CSD staff attended township meetings and proffered a human touch to an otherwise new and unfamiliar industry. It truly was a “boots on the ground” approach to dispel any misconceptions or allay community concerns. The YCSWA’s initial, and current success cannot be fully appreciated without recognizing its current oper- ating partner, Covanta. YCSWA owns the YCRRC and contracts with Covanta to operate the facility, demonstrating an excellent example of public and pri- vate entities working together for the common good. Like YCSWA, Covanta recognizes the importance of positive community stewardship. Covanta embraces transparency with York County residents, readily partners with YCSWA for community members to visit the plant and, when possible, personally answers questions. As waste-to-energy technology and solid waste management evolved over the decades, so did the CSD’s methodology and outreach. The CSD is comprised of three full-time staff who proudly share YCSWA’s mission of facilitating responsible waste manage- ment. The CSD has created multiple social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. They maintain an extensive email marketing tool that notifies community members with biannual newsletters and generates a Teacher Newsletter geared specifically towards York County schools and educators. While the internet has its advantages, nothing can compare with hands-on, face-to-face interaction between our staff and the public. To create an op- portunity for face-to-face interaction with the public, the YCSWA developed the Education Center, a brick-and- mortar location for the public to visit, learn and appreciate the benefits of responsible solid waste management for York County. YCSWA offers free tours year-round of the YCRRC. These tours are comprised of a brief pres- entation of the waste-to-energy pro- cess followed by a walking tour of the plant. Highlights of the tour include visiting the Tipping Floor where waste trucks unload, the Turbine Generator room, and a Control Room. YCSWA also extends free use of the Education Continued on page 43.