Publication No. EPA530-N-11-001

TRIBAL WASTE Journal ISSUE 8 | JULY 2011

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

Innovations in Tribal 

Waste Management:

Open Dump Prevention

Featuring:

n Tribal Success Stories

n Key Elements to Success

n Funding Resources & More
1	 Open Dumping on Tribal Lands

2	 Preventing Open Dumping: An Overview of Transfer Stations, 

Collection Programs, and Landfills

4	 Open Dump Prevention on the Kickapoo Reservation through 

Community Cleanup Events

6	 Saginaw-Chippewa: Utilizing Casino Earnings to Eliminate 

Open Dumping

8	 Umatilla’s Waste Management Program: Finding an Alternative to 

Open Dumping

10	 Yurok Tribe Cleans its Legacy Dump Sites: Challenges & Opportunities

12	 Yakama Nation Streamlines the Cleanup of Large Open Dump Sites

14	 Funding Sources

16	 What is w/STARS?

17	 Resources

18	 Kids’ Page

21	 Alleviating Open Dumping on Tribal Lands: Key Elements of Success

ISSUE 8 | JULY 2011

To be placed on our mailing list or to 

submit future topics, please e-mail:

Kim Katonica-Mulé

U.S. EPA Tribal Solid Waste Program

katonica.kim@epamail.epa.gov

TRIBAL WASTE Journal
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 1

Open Dumping on Tribal Lands

On March 1, 2010, U.S. 

Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) Administrator, 

Lisa Jackson, reported to the 

National Congress of American 

Indians that open dump sites 

“...are a persistent challenge in 

tribal areas across the country. 

Hazardous waste sites and open 

dumps expose tribal residents to 

dangerous toxins and contamination of land and water. That 

presents a serious health and 

environmental hazard. But make 

no mistake; it is also a significant 

economic obstacle.” Working 

together to prevent open dumps 

on tribal lands is imperative to 

protecting the environment, 

economy, and social welfare of 

future generations.

Open dumping continues to 

be a problem on tribal lands due 

to many factors including the lack 

of access to convenient, affordable 

disposal sites for: bulky materials, 

electronic waste (e-waste), tires, 

vehicles, and household hazardous waste. Other challenges 

include complex open dump sites 

that are difficult to clean, close, 

and maintain, as well as lack of 

funding for solid waste management alternatives to open dumping. In this issue of the Tribal 

Waste Journal, you will hear from 

tribal waste managers responsible for initiating, maintaining, 

and fostering support for new 

programs that provide ways to 

prevent open dumping.

This issue aims to give a new 

perspective on open dumping 

by highlighting an assortment of 

successful environmental programs at various stages of development or implementation. We 

hope that your tribe can relate to 

one or more of these stories and 

get some new ideas to implement. To help make new solid 

waste connections, the tribal 

waste managers who have shared 

their stories have provided their 

contact information at the end of 

each article. Please contact that 

person if you would like to learn 

more about his or her program. 

In this issue, you will find 

information on the many different types of waste you may find 

in open dumps. These include 

bulky items, old appliances, and 

hazardous waste (such as old 

paint or batteries) which are 

not collected along with other 

household waste. In many of the 

featured stories, special programs 

were initiated to focus on the 

collection and disposal of these 

along with other waste streams.

It is important to have waste 

management programs in place 

before, or along with, efforts to 

clean up open dumps. Cleaning 

and closing open dumps may 

only solve part of the problem. 

If tribal members do not have 

another means of disposal, new 

open dumps may occur. To 

help you determine sustainable 

alternatives to open dumping, 

we have included information 

on different waste management 

strategies for your tribe. These 

include building a new transfer 

station or initiating a new collection service for tribal members.

Based on the stories enclosed 

in this issue, we developed a list 

of six key elements of success. 

These key elements include: collaboration, support, education, 

sustainability, perseverance, and 

respect. Keep an eye out for these 

elements as you read through the 

issue. 

“This issue aims 

to put a fresh 

perspective on 

open dumping 

by highlighting 

an assortment 

of successful 

environmental 

programs at 

various stages of 

development or 

implementation.”
2 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Many environmentally safe alternatives to open dumping exist. Some include transfer 

stations, collection programs 

and landfills. These types of 

alternatives may be managed by 

the tribe, a contractor, or via a 

partnership (tribe-to-tribe, tribeto-local government, etc.). The 

resources available to your tribe 

will help you identify the best 

ways to manage your solid and 

hazardous waste.

Transfer Stations

Transfer stations, or convenience 

centers, serve as a central collection site for waste from multiple 

sources (via personal vehicles, 

smaller trucks, etc.). The aggregated waste is transferred via 

large haul trucks to regulated 

disposal sites such as landfills 

or waste-to-energy facilities. 

According to “Waste Transfer 

Stations: A Manual for DecisionMaking,” available at www.epa.

gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/

pubs/r02002.pdf, “[t]ransfer 

stations serving rural or tribal 

areas tend to be small. They 

are optimally located within a 

reasonable driving time from the 

service area’s largest concentration of homes and businesses.” 

When planning a successful 

transfer station, it is important to 

consider the following: 

■ central location to collection 

routes; 

■ access to major transportation 

routes; 

■ site size requirements; 

■ sufficient space for onsite roadways, queuing, and parking; 

■ truck and traffic compatibility; 

■ ability for expansion; 

■ space for recycling, composting, and public education; 

■ buffer space; 

■ gently sloping topography; 

■ access to utilities; 

■ zoning designations and 

requirements.

Issue 2 of the Tribal Waste 

Journal focused on transfer stations tips, tools, resources, and 

success stories. It is available at 

www.epa.gov/waste/wycd/tribal/

pdftxt/twj-2.pdf.

Collection Programs

Collection programs may be in 

the form of a public collection, 

contract collection, or private 

collection. Based on the needs 

of your tribe and the availability 

of collection services, you may 

decide to pursue one or more of 

these types of programs. Some 

communities use a mixture of 

public and private collection 

services based on the size and 

distribution of residents, businesses, and industries on their 

reservation. Partnering with 

neighboring tribes, local governments, or commercial operations 

Preventing Open Dumping: 

An Overview of Transfer Stations, 

Collection Programs, and Landfills

What is a Pay-As-You-Throw Program?

Traditionally, fees for curb-side garbage pickup are the same for every 

household employing the service. Each household is charged via municipal tax base, or via fixed fee, regardless of the amount of garbage 

collected. For example, if you only generate one bag of trash, but your 

neighbor clears out their home generating 10 bags of trash, you both 

pay the same for the garbage pick-up service. The Pay-As-You-Throw 

(PAYT) program differs in that it charges each household based on 

the amount of garbage thrown away either per bag or by weight. The 

PAYT program, also known as “unit pricing” or “variable-rate pricing,” acts as a financial incentive to decrease the amount of garbage 

generated. Reduction is accomplished through recycling materials, 

composting organic waste, and reducing the amount of garbage generated to begin with through source reduction (purchasing products with 

less packaging, etc.). Many PAYT resources such as videos, tool kits, 

booklets, lessons learned, success stories, and fact sheets are available 

on EPA’s PAYT website at www.epa.gov/payt. To help determine whether PAYT is right for your community, visit EPA’s website on SMART 

BET (Saving Money and Reducing Trash Benefit Evaluation Tool) at 

www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/tools/payt/tools/smart-bet/index.htm.
Tribal Waste Journal 3

“When deciding among 

the three options, it is 

very important to first 

undergo a feasibility 

study to get the overall 

picture of the amount 

of waste generated from 

tribal members, nontribal residents, tribal 

government operations, 

businesses, schools, 

casinos, etc.”

JULY 2011

to combine resources may offer 

financial savings for all involved. 

Tribes may work out payment for collection programs in a 

variety of ways, including adding 

a fee to an existing utility bill, 

having tribal members reimburse the tribal government for 

services rendered, funding the 

program through fees collected 

from alternative sources such as a 

casino fee, or having tribal members work out a rate with the 

private hauler. Another option 

for paying for waste collection is 

a Pay-As-You-Throw program, 

which charges customers on a 

per-volume or per-weight basis. 

Landfills

Compared to open dumps – 

“areas where waste is disposed 

of without proper controls” – 

landfills follow prescribed laws 

and regulations aimed at protecting human health and the 

environment, including regular 

application of cover, controlled 

access to the sites, and other 

environmental controls. Under 

the Resource Conservation and 

Recovery Act (RCRA) (40 CFR 

258), the federal government regulates the operation of municipal 

solid waste landfills (MSWLF). 

EPA’s RCRA website, www.epa.

gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/

landfill/msw_regs.htm, provides 

detailed information on MSWLF 

regulations. More information 

on flexibility requests is available 

in the draft document, “SiteSpecific Flexibility Requests for 

Municipal Solid Waste Landfills 

in Indian Country,” located at: 

www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/landfill/indian/siteflex.

htm. 

Costing Tools for Transfer

Stations, Collection Services,

and Landfills

To assist tribes with determining the economic feasibility of 

tribally-operated waste management services, EPA Region 9 developed the “Tribal Solid Waste 

Program Costing Tool.” This tool 

focuses on potential planning, 

construction, operation, and 

maintenance costs associated 

with collection services, transfer 

stations, and/or landfills. When 

deciding among the three options, it is very important to first 

undergo a feasibility study to get 

the overall picture of the amount 

of waste generated from tribal 

members, non-tribal residents, 

tribal government operations, 

businesses, schools, casinos, etc. 

In addition, a feasibility study 

will help assess the costs of waste 

collection using different alternatives. The costing tool provides 

information on different types 

of funding, including the funding of start-up materials as well 

as determining a sustainable 

funding source such as user fees. 

The costing tool can be found 

at www.epa.gov/region9/waste/

tribal/resources.html. 

In 2000, EPA Region 5 

developed the “Illegal Dumping 

Economic Assessment (IDEA) 

Cost Estimating Model.” The 

model helps to determine the 

costs associated with open dumping and its economic impact on 

a community. The Microsoft 

Excel application is free and 

available for download from the 

EPA Region 5 Illegal Dumping 

Prevention Project website at 

www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/illegal_dumping/index.html.
4 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Through tribal leadership and 

community participation, 

a shift from open dumping to 

responsible waste management 

took place on the Kickapoo 

Reservation, Brown County, 

Kansas. This shift aligns with 

the tribe’s mission to “enhance 

the quality of life for the tribe, 

its members and its community, while preserving its culture and retaining its right to 

self-governance by protecting 

tribal sovereignty and its assets.” 

Responsible waste management 

helps preserve the tribe’s mission 

and creates a sustainable community for future generations. 

In 2000, 14 open dump 

sites scarred the 19,200-acre 

Kickapoo Reservation. These 

dumps consisted of a myriad 

of wastes; some of which dated 

back 40 years. Dumping had 

persisted on the reservation 

because of the lack of a viable 

disposal method for bulky and 

metal items such as used mattresses, broken refrigerators, and 

other appliances. Vehicle tires 

were also widely distributed 

across the open dump sites. 

To eliminate open dumping, 

Kickapoo Tribe’s Environmental 

Program, under the Natural and 

Cultural Resources Division, 

holds an annual “community 

cleanup” event on the reservation. The cleanup event works in 

two ways. First, several days are 

spent collecting trash scattered 

across the reservation that has 

accumulated in ditches, particularly along roadways. Secondly, 

Environmental Program staff 

drive around the reservation 

collecting bulky items and metal 

goods left curb-side by tribal 

Open Dump Prevention on the 

Kickapoo Reservation through 

Community Cleanup Events

Kickapoo Tribe’s 2009 e-waste collection event. Photo courtesy Luke Terry.

Recycling of e-waste includes used electronic goods such as 

televisions, computers, printers, phones, fax machines, etc. 

EPA encourages the re-use of electronics by first ensuring 

that it is in working order and donating it to an organization, 

school, or community. Recycling electronics enables manufacturers to strip precious metals, copper, and engineered 

plastics, all of which require considerable energy to process and manufacture, from your electronics 

for re-use. Additional information on e-Waste may be found at www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/

ecycling/basic.htm. 

Spotlight on: Electronic Waste (e-Waste)
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 5

members. Requests to assist 

tribal elders in moving heavy 

items from inside their home 

to the curb are encouraged and 

honored. To ensure participation 

in the events, the Environmental 

Program staff regularly updates 

the tribal website’s calendar 

of events, distributes flyers at 

community events, posts large 

informative signs at each housing 

cluster, and publishes information about the event in the tribal 

newsletter.

Tribal member support 

of the cleanup event over the 

past ten years has enabled the 

Kickapoo Tribal Government to 

provide an array of solid waste 

collection events through the 

Environmental Program. In 

2008, the annual cleanup event 

became a twice-a-year event. 

Continued success of the event 

provides momentum for the 

tribal government to support 

other waste management initiatives on the reservation, including a tire collection campaign, an 

electronic waste (e-waste) event, 

and a recycling program. From 

2008 to 2011, the Environmental 

Program has removed and 

recycled 3,015 tires from open 

dumps on the reservation. Once 

the tires were removed, the 

Environmental Program was 

able to fully clean and close half 

of the open dumps in only two 

weeks. In addition, e-waste collection events were held in 2009, 

2010, and 2011, each yielding 

six pallets worth of phones, fax 

machines, computer monitors, 

television sets, and copy machines that would have otherwise 

been dumped. Nearly two tons 

of recyclables were collected over 

the course of one year from tribal 

government offices and local 

businesses. The Environmental 

Program also started recycling 

services at the school and casino 

located on the reservation. The 

casino recycling effort started in 

August 2010 with tin and shredded paper. In April 2011, a cardboard baler was purchased by the 

Environmental Program for use 

at the casino. Thus far, 7,747.5 

pounds of tin, 8,772 pounds 

of shredded paper, and 15,400 

pounds of cardboard have been 

diverted from the waste stream 

and recycled.

For more information on the 

Kickapoo Tribe’s activities, contact Luke Terry, Environmental 

Director, at 785-486-2601, 

Extension 1 or luke.terry@ktiknsn.gov. The Kickapoo Tribe 

website is located at http://ktiknsn.gov.

The Environmental Program 

has changed the behavior of 

tribal members from relying 

on open dumps to relying 

on the community cleanup 

events. New waste collection 

and management initiatives on the reservation have 

targeted problematic waste 

streams with great success. 

Many products that are found in homes contain potentially corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients. 

When discarded these products are called household hazardous wastes (HHW). Common HHW include 

paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides. If mixed and disposed together with regular household waste, 

these products may contaminate air, water, or soil depending on their final disposal method (landfill or incineration). Additionally, dumping toxics down drains or storm sewers creates a direct and immediate negative 

impact to your environment. Proper disposal is essential to protecting human health and the environment. 

EPA encourages HHW collection programs that may be facilitated by your local transfer station or tribal government. For more information, visit EPA’s HHW website www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/hhw.htm.

Spotlight on: Household Hazardous Waste

Kickapoo Tribe’s tire waste collection event. Photo courtesy Luke Terry.
6 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

I

n 2000, Tribal Council representatives for the Saginaw 

Chippewa Indian Tribe, located 

in Michigan, removed the recycling program from the Soaring 

Eagle Casino and Resort operating budget. Recycling activities 

were then seen as unnecessary 

and having little economic value 

to the tribe, especially given tight 

financial constraints. However, 

the tribe’s Recycling Coordinator, 

Mr. Craig Graveratte, thought 

that this might not have been the 

case. Mr. Graveratte presented 

the Tribal Council with an idea 

to perform a waste audit utilizing 

tribal and county resources. This 

audit would determine the actual 

costs of the previous recycling 

program which would help 

Tribal Council best decide how 

to budget for waste management 

at the casino. After the idea was 

approved, Mr. Graveratte began 

interviewing casino management and housekeeping staff, 

collecting data on the amount 

and type of waste disposed over 

a period of three months, and 

presented his findings to the 

Tribal Council. From this audit, 

he determined that the Tribal 

Council could save an estimated 

$140,000 annually by recycling 

just cardboard. Impressed with 

the findings, the Tribal Council 

immediately reinstated the recycling program at the casino. 

This audit and the subsequently positive financial gain 

through recycling sparked 

interest in providing more comprehensive waste management 

services to tribal members from 

the Bands of Ojibway, including the Saginaw, Black River, 

and Swan Creek living on the 

138,240-acre reservation. A gaming contract was drawn between 

the Soaring Eagle Casino and 

Resort and the members of the 

tribe. Currently, two percent of 

earnings are invested into tribal 

Saginaw Chippewa:

Utilizing Casino Earnings to 

Eliminate Open Dumping

Abandoned vehicles threaten the environment and health of a tribe by: attracting 

pests which may become disease vector breeding grounds, serving as a detriment 

to local businesses because of their unsightliness, producing leaking fluids that 

may seep into the soil, groundwater, and/or surface water, and by possibly containing lead-acid batteries and mercury switches that are especially toxic and must be 

properly disposed of prior to crushing. EPA’s publication, “Developing an Abandoned 

Vehicle Cleanup Program for Tribal Governments,” provides a step-by-step guidance 

for developing a vehicle cleanup program for your tribe. This publication is available 

on-line at http://epa.gov/region9/waste/tribal/pdf/Abandoned_Vehicle_Guide.pdf. 

Spotlight on: Abandoned Vehicles

“From this audit, 

he determined that 

the Tribal Council 

could save an 

estimated $140,000 

annually by recycling 

just cardboard. 

Impressed with the 

findings, the Tribal 

Council immediately 

reinstated the 

recycling program 

at the casino.”
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 7

government operations. This new 

revenue stream funds the tribal 

members’ curbside trash removal 

and recycling program. 

With the momentum of its 

recycling program success, the 

Tribal Utility Authority also began programs targeted at special 

waste streams. They collected 

used grease from grease pits, 

2,000 tires, and 2,300 pounds 

of household hazardous waste 

(HHW). The casino also initiated 

their own program to reduce 

the number of disposable cups 

being used by staff during breaks. 

By switching to reusable cups 

in 2005, the casino prevented 1 

million non-biodegradable cups 

from ending up in the landfill.

For the Saginaw Chippewa 

Indian Tribe, the successful 

waste management operation has 

improved the health, safety, and 

welfare of the community. Mr. 

Graveratte reported that initiating the curbside pick-up and 

recycling program eliminated the 

issue of open dumping on the 

reservation.

For more information on 

the Saginaw Chippewa Indian 

Tribe’s environmental activities, 

contact Rick Meyers at 989-772-

8810 or rmeyers@sagchip.org. 

Craig Graveratte may be reached 

at cgraveratte@sagchip.org. The 

Saginaw Chippewa’s website is 

www.sagchip.org. 

In 2007, the 

Saginaw Chippewa 

Indian Tribe won 

the Michigan 

Recycling Coalition’s 

Outstanding 

Recycling Program 

Award.

Organic materials including 

yard waste and food scraps 

comprise 25 percent of the 

entire amount of municipal 

solid waste (MSW) generated 

in the U.S. in 2008. These 

materials may easily be composted and reused in gardens 

or on agricultural fields. For 

more information on what 

can and cannot be composted and how to start your own 

composting program, visit 

www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/

rrr/composting/index.htm. 

The June 2005 Tribal Waste 

Journal features information 

and successful tribal composting success stories. This 

publication is available online at www.epa.gov/waste/

wycd/tribal/pdftxt/twj-4.pdf. 

Spotlight on: 

Compostable 

Material

The Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. Photo courtesy of Craig Graveratte. 
8 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

I

n the past, tribal members living on the Confederated Tribes 

of the Umatilla’s Reservation in 

Oregon disposed of their solid 

waste in open dumps located 

across the 172,000 acre reservation. The municipal solid waste 

landfill criteria implemented by 

EPA in the 1990’s (40 Code of 

Federal Regulations 257 and 258) 

provided insight into the potential harm that the open dumps 

may be causing to the environment and health of the tribal 

members. The Confederated 

Tribes quickly began to evaluate 

other solid waste management 

alternatives. Options included 

using rail to move waste to a 

regulated landfill, incineration or 

installing a new transfer station. 

They determined that a transfer 

station would be the best option 

for eliminating open dumping on 

the reservation. 

Construction of the transfer 

station took place from 1999 

to 2001 at a cost of $1.3 million It was financed, in part, by 

federal government funding. 

The 13,000 square foot transfer 

station was built by a triballyowned construction company. 

Waste is either collected curbside or hauled by residents to 

the transfer station seven days a 

week. The waste is then processed, and transported to an 

EPA-approved landfill located 

55 miles away. Recyclables and 

household hazardous waste are 

collected, sorted, and stockpiled 

on site and transferred to facilities off site. The minimum fee 

charged is $8.00 per bag to take 

out waste less than 200 pounds 

or $55 per ton, which remains 

competitive among other area 

transfer stations. Currently, 

the transfer station serves 900 

residents and 93 commercial 

customers throughout the 

Reservation. The transfer station 

is currently 1,500 tons short of 

reaching the optimum operation 

efficiency level of 6,000 tons. 

Ms. Bonnie Burke, 

Operations Manager for the 

Tribal Environmental Recovery 

Facility (TERF), launched an 

education and outreach campaign focused on the benefits of 

using the transfer station. The 

campaign educated people on 

the hazards of open dumping 

and the effects it has on both 

human health and the environment. The campaign also helped 

ease the transition to reducing 

solid waste by recycling. Targeted 

outreach and education to both 

tribal elders and children was a 

critical component of Ms. Burke’s 

campaign. Ms. Burke is conducting a survey of the participating 

tribal elders requesting feedback 

on the success of the curbside recycling program. Umatilla is also 

working with an intern to run an 

afterschool program to educate 

school children on recycling. 

Over a period of ten years, the 

amount of waste collected has increased by 4,000 tons due to the 

TERF staff ’s determination and 

outreach and education efforts. 

For more information on 

the Confederated Tribes of the 

Umatilla Reservation’s activities, 

contact Bonnie Burke at 541-

276-4040 or terfmngr@gmail.

com. The tribe’s website is www.

umatilla.nsn.us. 

Umatilla’s Waste Management Program: 

Finding an Alternative to Open Dumping

Based on the total amount of trash generated on an annual basis, 

EPA estimates that a single individual living in the U.S. generates 4.34 pounds of garbage on a daily basis. Of the 4.34 pounds 

of garbage, only 1.5 pounds of it is estimated to be recycled. 

Recycling reduces air and water pollution associated with making 

new products from raw materials. It also reduces the amount of 

greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to global climate 

change. For more information on how recycling reduces GHG 

emissions, visit EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) website at 

www.epa.gov/warm. More information on municipal solid waste in 

the U.S. may be found at www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/

msw99.htm. 

Spotlight on: Recycling
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 9

Method Investment of Time/Labor Monetary Cost Effectiveness

Signage Low. Develop message for sign 

and set up at sites.

Low-Medium. Dependent on the 

quality of the signs (i.e., temporary versus permanent).

Low-Medium. Tribal members 

will have to read and respond 

to signs.

Inserts/

Flyers/

Articles

Low. Develop message for flyer 

and distribute.

Low. Paper, printing/photocopying, labor.Low-Medium. Message must be 

compelling to tribal members 

so they read and remember it.

Doorto-Door 

Campaigns

Medium-High. Canvassers must 

dedicate afternoons/evenings 

over a set period of time to 

promote message.

Low-Medium. If volunteers 

agree to canvass, costs will stay 

down.

Medium-High. Talk to residents 

one-on-one to address their 

concerns. 

Outreach to 

Schools

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of event(s) and activities 

planned.

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of event(s), activities 

planned and materials needed.

High. Potentially large audience; reaches children and 

their families; fun events can 

help residents find favor with 

your message.

Meetings 

and 

Community 

Events

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of event(s) and activities 

planned.

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of event(s), activities 

planned and materials needed.

High. Potentially large/diverse 

audience; fun or memorable 

activities can draw residents to 

your message.

Workshops/

Training

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of workshop and training 

activities planned.

Medium-High. Dependent on 

size of workshop or training 

activities planned and materials 

needed.

High. Provide specific training to audience, address 

their questions and concerns. 

Helpful when introducing new 

programs.

Adapted from the Tribal Decision Maker’s Guide

Table 1. Comparing Tribal Outreach Methods

For more information, Chapter 6 of the “Tribal Decision Maker’s Guide” provides additional 

information on Public Education and Community Outreach and includes tribal examples. This 

document may be found at: www.epa.gov/waste/wycd/tribal/index.htm. 

EPA Region 9’s Tribal Solid Waste Outreach website, www.epa.gov/region9/waste/tribal/outreach.html, provides outreach documents such as brochures, fact sheets, and suggested school curricula focusing on waste management. 

Community members are more 

likely to support and participate 

in new waste management programs when they are involved in 

the planning process from the 

very beginning. When developing alternatives to open dumping on your reservation, consider 

creating an outreach plan to 

ensure all tribal members are 

well-informed and engaged in 

all of the various aspects of the 

process. Key elements in an 

outreach plan include: 

■ Target audience, including 

children and tribal elders;

■ Outreach goals;

■ Targeted message tailored for 

each audience; and

■ Appropriate outreach 

method(s) (see Table 1 for 

ideas which can be used individually or combined).

Once you begin outreach, 

ensure that you are responsive 

to community feedback and 

continually modify methods and 

the message to address community concerns and changing 

program goals.

The Importance of Outreach and Education in Open Dump Prevention
10 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

The Yurok Tribe is located across 63,035 acres in 

California. A nine-member tribal 

council represents 5,000 enrolled 

members and oversees 200 tribal 

government employees.

Under an $800,000 grant 

sponsored by the California 

Integrated Waste Management 

Board in August 2008, the Yurok 

Tribe cleaned and closed the 

three largest legacy open dump 

sites on the reservation: Roaches 

Creek, Johnson’s Road, and 

Tully Creek. Each site presented 

unique challenges such as the 

Roaches Creek site’s hill-side location that required a helicopter 

to assist the cleanup. Johnson’s 

Road was the largest and least 

accessible of all three sites and 

required more than half of the 

grant money for the cleanup. 

Hazardous waste accumulation 

– car batteries, paint cans, fuel 

cans, etc. – at both the Johnson’s 

Road and Tully Creek sites posed 

a threat to the health of the community and the environment. 

Fortunately, none of the sites 

had yet experienced surface soil 

contamination from the hazardous waste.

Eighteen tribal members received the 40-hour 

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration Hazardous Waste 

Operations and Emergency 

Response Standard training to 

prepare for for cleaning the hazardous waste found at the open 

dump sites. Funding for this 

training was supported by Indian 

Health Services.

After these sites were 

cleaned, the Yurok Tribe took 

preventive measures to discourage residents from dumping at 

the closed sites by posting signs 

with logistical information on 

the City of Humboldt’s household hazardous waste collection 

program. Restrictive barriers 

including gates, rails, and fences 

Yurok Tribe Cleans their Legacy Dump 

Sites: Challenges & Opportunities

Vehicle Roundup and Disposal in 

the Klamath River Watershed

The Yurok Tribe collaborated with the Hoopa and Karuk tribes 

to collect 400 vehicles from the Klamath River Watershed using 

funding leveraged from IGAP and state grants. The project began 

with a door-to-door education and outreach campaign to 200 tribal members. They were provided with information regarding the 

human health and environmental hazards of abandoned vehicles. 

The most costly aspect of the collection was towing the vehicles 

to a central location and crushing them using an on-site mobile 

crusher. The vehicles were then transported to a recycling center. 

Due to low market demand, the tribes were unable to receive 

payment for the recycled scrap metal; however, no charges were 

incurred for vehicle removal. Mr. Henderson plans to monitor the 

scrap metal market for opportunities to make future collection 

events profitable for the tribe.

Cleanup of the Tully Creek open dump site. Photo courtesy Ken Henderson.
“In August 2008, the Yurok 

Tribe cleaned and closed 

the three largest legacy 

open dump sites on the 

reservation.”

were also installed. Mr. Ken 

Henderson, Assistant Director, 

Pollution Prevention Division, 

keeps the community up-to-date 

with site cleanup and closure activities during quarterly District 

meetings held in the seven tribal 

districts across the reservation. 

Five new open dump sites 

have been identified and are 

targeted for the next round of 

cleanup and closure. An EPA 

Indian General Assistance Gap 

grant will be utilized during the 

upcoming fiscal year to offset the 

costs of cleanup.

For more information on the 

Yurok Tribe’s activities, contact 

Ken Henderson at 707-482-1822, 

Extension 1007 or khenderson@yuroktribe.nsn.us. The 

Yurok Tribe’s website is www.

yuroktribe.org. 

The Yurok Tribal Ordinance 

(Ordinance No. YTC – 1-08) was 

developed to establish Tribal law 

prohibiting the “open disposal, 

dumping, depositing, burying 

or unpermitted burning of any 

waste materials whatsoever on 

any lands or in any waters of 

the Yurok Reservation...”. The 

Ordinance is separated into nine 

sections including: 

1. Authority

2. Purpose

3. Definitions

4. Effect of Ordinance

5. Application

6. Enforcement

7. Penalties

8. Sovereign Immunity

9. Effective Date and 

Amendments

The ordinance includes enforcement by warning, citation, 

and prosecution depending 

on the offense. It also includes fines up to $1,500 

plus the cost of cleanup and 

time dedicated to community 

service. For more information 

on developing an ordinance for 

your tribe, visit EPA Region 9’s 

website on developing solid 

waste codes and ordinances 

at www.epa.gov/region9/waste/

tribal/solidwastecode.html. 

Focus on Ordinances:

Prohibiting Illegal Dumping on

the Yurok Reservation

JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 11

Cleanup of the Johnson Creek open dump site. Photo courtesy Ken Henderson.

Watching crew work down 

slope. Photo courtesy Ken 

Henderson.
12 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Located on 1.4 million acres in the mid-Columbia River 

Basin of the Pacific Northwest, 

the Yakama Nation is home to 

10,000 enrolled members. Three 

full time and two part time staff 

members comprises the Yakima 

Nation Solid Waste Program for 

the one million-acre reservation. 

In 2006, the Solid Waste Program

began overhauling their 1977 

Solid Waste Management Plan. 

They focused on creating a new 

mission statement and goals for 

the program. The Yakama Nation 

wove together the concepts of 

sustainability – economics, environment, and equity – to create a 

program that is economical, environmentally safe, and one that 

incorporates ancestral ecological 

knowledge into its practices. They 

determined that capacity building, outreach and education, and 

empowering tribal members are 

key components to adapting and 

managing a successful solid waste 

management program. 

To further understand 

the current state of their waste 

management program, the Solid 

Waste Program office decided to 

conduct a waste stream analysis. Through the analysis, they 

determined that the Yakama 

Nation produces 30,000 tons of 

solid waste annually. This equates 

to five pounds of waste per person 

per day. They also determined that 

open dumps impose a financial 

burden of $720 per ton to remove 

the waste. However, if the trash 

were disposed of properly (i.e., at 

a landfill) it would only cost $32 

per ton to dispose. In addition, a 

1995 study from the University of 

California at Davis identified more 

than 130 open dump sites located 

across the entire reservation. 

Beyond the financial burden, 

open dumps create an unhealthy 

environment with adverse health 

and environmental effects for 

both people and animals. Once 

the Yakama Nation Solid Waste 

Program understood the enormity 

of the problem, they quickly began 

efforts to build capacity within 

their department. Ms. Loretta 

Zammarchi, the Solid Waste 

Program Coordinator, indicated 

that training staff to identify and 

assess illegal dump sites was their 

first priority. Due to the complexity of the illegal dumping problem, 

training focused on the following 

key skills:

■ Reading and interpreting maps;

■ Distinguishing between recyclable materials and garbage; 

■ Performing daily logs and site 

assessment reports; 

■ Identifying cleanup costs;

■ Estimating site volume;

■ Bidding out projects;

■ Digital photo collection;

■ GIS training; and

■ Creating cleanup work plans 

and reports.

With trained staff, the 

Yakama Nation began the process of identifying and cleaning 

up the illegal dump sites on the 

reservation. Digital imagery was 

used to identify property owners because of the “checkerboard 

pattern” of county and tribal 

lands. None of this would have 

been possible without the training the staff received.

Using Indian Environmental 

General Assistance Program 

(IGAP) funds, the tribe purchased heavy machinery including a mini-excavator to assist in 

the remediation process. This 

investment has saved time and 

money by increasing the efficiency of cleanups. 

The Yakama Nation understood that the cleanup of the open 

dumps would not be sustainable 

without a mindset change within 

the community, so they solicited 

feedback from the reservation’s 

residents to help them determine 

the most popular methods for 

preventing future open dumping. 

Of the 1,400 surveys mailed, the 

Solid Waste Program received 

responses from 170 residents. The 

Yakama Nation Streamlines the 

Cleanup of Large Open Dump Sites

Tire Pile Cleanup 

Yakama Nation received 

an opportunity through the 

Washington Department of 

Ecology to clean up a tire pile 

on the reservation. The remediation process on the pile, 

which consisted of 350,000 

tons of tires, took 18 months 

at a cost of $600,000.

For more information, visit 

Washington State Department 

of Ecology’s Waste Tire Pile 

Cleanup website at www.ecy.

wa.gov/programs/swfa/tires/

cleanup.html.
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 13

majority of the responses suggested that the Yakama Nation 

tribal government impose a fine 

for those caught dumping trash 

illegally. It was determined from 

the survey results that a fine may 

deter individuals from driving 35 

miles out of their way to dump 

their garbage on the reservation 

because they consider it to be 

“free” when in fact it serves as 

both a financial and time burden on the tribal government’s 

resources and staff. 

After seeing the results of 

the survey and witnessing illegal 

dumping from people off the reservation, the Solid Waste Program 

decided that in order to make the 

program sustainable, they would 

need to update their tribal codes. 

After much research, sifting 

through old laws and codes, and 

using tribal legal resources, the 

Solid Waste Program developed 

new tribal codes. The codes were 

adopted by the tribal council 

within five months. Adopting the 

codes will help the tribe reach 

its ultimate goal to “protect the 

rights, land, and resources of the 

Yakama Nation.”

To date, the Solid Waste 

Program has closed 148 open 

dump sites and removed more 

than 4,000 tons of illegally 

dumped garbage. They continue to monitor those sites to 

make sure that illegal dumps 

do not return and are evaluating the impact of the post-site 

cleanup preventive measures, 

such as installing site barricades 

and posting signs. They are also 

continuing outreach and education to the community on the 

multiple options available to 

the residents for trash removal. 

These options include a transfer 

station, personally hauling your 

waste to the county landfill and 

curb-side pickup.

The Yakama Nation Solid 

Waste Program serves as an 

example of how a small group of 

dedicated individuals can create 

a successful tribal solid waste 

management program. 

For more information on the 

Yakama Tribe’s activities, contact 

Loretta Zammarchi at 509-865-

5121, Extension 6453 or loretta@

yakama.com.

Case Study: White Swan Open Dump Site

The open dump site located in the small rural community of White 

Swan on the Yakama Nation tribal lands was a challenge for the 

tribe. The dump site was costing $45,000 per year, including daily cleanup efforts, for the tribe. To combat open dumping, signs 

were posted at the site and tribal police was contacted to patrol 

the site. However, the key to reducing the amount of open dumping was developing a positive relationship with the tribal members 

living in the White Swan community. Through cooperation and 

collaboration, the Solid Waste Program and the tribal members 

in the White Swan community worked hand-in-hand in an effort 

to combat open dumping. Outreach efforts targeted tribal elders, 

school-aged children, and their families. An annual cleanup keeps 

tribal members involved in keeping White Swan clean. 

Tire cleanups protect human health and the environment from the threat of large, uncontrollable tire 

fires that emit hazardous air pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, 

styrene, phenols, butadiene, and runoff containing water pollutants such as arsenic and lead. Other 

threats from tire piles include disease carrying pests inhabiting the piles and mosquitoes breeding in 

stagnant water collecting inside the tires. Fortunately, used tires may be recycled into a variety of products. EPA estimates that at least 110 types of products can contain recyclable tire rubber. These may 

include, playground cover, soil additives, flooring/matting, and landfill construction materials. Recycled 

tires are most often reused in highway pavement mixtures. Choose to commit to the health and safety 

of current and future generations by utilizing proper disposal methods for old tires. For more information, visit EPA’s Frequent Questions for Scrap Tires website www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/

tires/faq.htm or EPA’s Scrap Tire Cleanup Guidebook available at www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/solidwaste/tires/guidance. 

Spotlight on: Tires
14 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

EPA provides several funding opportunities in the form of 

grants, cooperative agreements, 

and interagency agreements to 

assist tribes and intertribal consortia with waste management 

activities. These activities may 

include open dump assessment, 

cleanup, outreach/education, 

and compliance assurance/enforcement. General information 

on these and other solid waste 

grants and funding for tribes is 

available at www.epa.gov/waste/

wycd/tribal/finance.htm. More 

specific information on the funding sources below may be found 

through the Catalog of Federal 

Domestic Assistance (CDFA) 

website at www.cfda.gov. 

Brownfields Assessment

and Cleanup Cooperative

Agreements

CDFA Reference Number 66.818

Brownfield sites are real properties 

whose expansion, redevelopment, 

or reuse may be complicated by 

the presence or potential presence 

of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The objectives of the brownfield assessment, 

revolving loan fund, and cleanup 

cooperative agreements (project 

grants) are to provide funding 

to: (1) inventory, characterize, 

assess, and conduct planning and 

community involvement related 

to brownfield sites; (2) capitalize a 

revolving loan fund and provide 

subgrants to carry out cleanup 

activities at brownfield sites; and 

(3) carry out cleanup activities at 

brownfield sites that are owned 

by the grant recipient. Funding 

for the cooperative agreements is 

estimated to be $119.6 million for 

fiscal year 2011.

Brownfields Training,

Research, and Technical

Assistance Grants and

Cooperative Agreements

CDFA Reference Number 66.814

CERCLA 104(k)(6) provides 

EPA with authority for a program of training, research, and 

technical assistance to individuals and organizations to facilitate 

the inventory of brownfields 

properties, assessments, cleanup 

of brownfields properties, community involvement, or site 

preparation. Brownfield sites 

are real property, the expansion, 

redevelopment, or reuse of which 

may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a 

hazardous substance, pollutant, 

or contaminant. For more information contact your Regional 

Brownfields Coordinator. 

Contact information is found 

at www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/

corcntct.htm. 

Community Action for a

Renewed Environment (CARE)

Program

CDFA Reference Number 66.035

Community Action for a 

Renewed Environment (CARE) 

Program supports analyses, 

studies, evaluations, surveys, 

investigations, conferences, demonstrations and special purpose 

projects which empower communities to reduce risks from 

exposures to toxic pollutants in 

the air, in the water, and on the 

land through collaborative action 

at the local level. EPA estimates 

$2.2 million of funding will be 

available for CARE project grants 

for fiscal year 2011. For more 

information, visit EPA’s CARE 

website at www.epa.gov/care. 

Indian Environmental General

Assistance Program (IGAP)

CDFA Reference Number 66.926

Authorized under the Indian 

Environmental General 

Assistance Program Act of 1992, 

the Indian General Assistance 

Program (IGAP) provides capacity building and management 

capabilities for federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia to develop environmental 

programs. Funding for IGAP has 

increased from $8.4 million in 

the early 1990s to an estimated 

$71 million for fiscal year 2011. 

IGAP funding may be applied to 

identify baseline environmental 

needs; establish administrative, 

legal, technical, and enforcement 

capability; foster compliance 

through programs, ordinances, 

and education and outreach; 

communications capability; and 

management. IGAP grants are 

Funding Sources
administered by EPA’s American 

Indian Environmental Office and 

are negotiated by EPA Regional 

Indian Program Managers and 

Coordinators. The list of regional 

coordinators is located on-line 

at www.epa.gov/tribalportal/

contactinfo/regcontacts.htm. For 

more information, visit EPA’s 

Indian GAP website, at www.epa.

gov/Indian/gap.htm. 

Tribal Solid Waste

Management Assistance

Project

CDFA Reference Number 66.808

Under the Tribal Solid Waste 

Management Assistance Project, 

eligible federally-recognized 

tribes may apply for funding under one of four categories to: (1) 

characterize/assess open dumps; 

(2) develop integrated waste 

management (IWM) plans and 

tribal codes and regulations; (3) 

develop and implement alternative solid waste management 

activities/facilities (including 

equipment acquisition); and (4) 

develop and implement cleanup, 

closure, and post-closure programs for open dumps in Indian 

Country. Each proposal must 

address only one of the four 

proposal categories. Applicants 

interested in applying for more 

than one category may do so as 

long as each proposal is for only 

one category. For more information visit http://epa.gov/waste/

wycd/tribal/finance.htm.

Hazardous Waste

Management Grant

Program for Tribes

CDFA Reference Number: 66.812 

The Hazardous Waste 

Management Grant Program for 

Tribes provides financial assistance to federally recognized 

tribes and intertribal consortia 

for the development and implementation of hazardous waste 

programs; building capacity to 

improve and maintain regulatory 

compliance; and developing solutions to address hazardous waste 

impacting tribal lands. For more 

information visit http://epa.gov/

waste/wycd/tribal/finance.htm.

JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 15
16 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Developed by the Indian Health Service (IHS) in response to the Indian Lands Open 

Dump Cleanup Act of 1994 

(Public Law 103-399), w/STARS, 

or Web Sanitation Tracking and 

Reporting System, is a database 

that inventories sanitation issues 

on American Indian and Alaskan 

Native (AI/AN) lands. The data 

in w/STARS is used by IHS to 

track sanitation projects across 

multiple media types including 

water, waste water, solid waste, 

human health services, etc.

In 1998, IHS released a report of the status of open dumps 

on AI/AN lands to the U.S. 

Congress. A copy of the report 

may be viewed at www.oehe.ihs.

gov/Solid_W/1998_ODReport/ 

1998OpenDumpsReport.pdf. IHS 

reported a total of 1,104 open 

dumps with content ranging 

from municipal solid waste to 

hazardous and special waste to 

combinations of different waste 

types. In recent years, IHS and 

EPA have collaborated to refine 

the Operation and Maintenance 

Data System (OMDS) portion of 

w/STARS to list data on all open 

dumps on AI/AN lands. EPA has 

assisted IHS in gathering accurate information on open dumps, 

including the GPS coordinates 

and exact materials found at the 

sites. It is expected that more 

than 3,000 open dumps will be 

included in the new Report.

For more information 

on w/STARS OMDS, contact 

your local IHS Area Office. For 

more information, visit the IHS 

website at www.ihs.gov/index.

cfm?odule=AreaOffices.

What is w/STARS?

Photo Courtesy of the Indian Health Service/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 
Earth 911

http://earth911.com

The Earth 911 Recycling 

Directory is the most accurate and 

comprehensive directory of its 

kind and contains information on 

how to recycle more than 240 different products. The information 

is free for consumers to use on the 

website and the toll-free, bilingual 

hotline (1-800 CLEANUP). A free 

iPhone application (iRecycle) is 

provided as well.

Illegal Dumping Prevention

Guidebook

www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/

illegal_dumping/downloads/ildmpng.pdf 

Published by EPA Region 5 

in March 1998, the “Illegal 

Dumping Prevention 

Guidebook” is a valuable resource in developing a targeted 

illegal dump prevention plan. 

The Guidebook’s Toolkit provides 

information on site maintenance 

and controls, community outreach and involvement, targeted 

enforcement, and program measurement.

Tribal Decision

Maker’s Guide

www.epa.gov/waste/wycd/tribal/

tribalguide.htm 

The Tribal Decision Maker’s 

Guide provides an overview 

of solid waste management - 

covering solid waste planning, 

regulations, collection, disposal, 

recycling, education, and more. It 

includes more than 40 case studies and examples from tribes that 

are leaders in solid waste management, as well as a substantial 

list of resources at the end of 

each chapter. 

SMM Web Academy:

Recycling and Solid Waste

Management Educational

Series

www.epa.gov/epawaste/rcc/webacademy/index.htm

The Sustainable Materials 

Management Web Academy 

provides information on materials management to stakeholders through webinars related to 

SMM. You can learn about key 

issues, successful projects, and 

a variety of best management 

practices for creating outstanding waste management programs through free webinars. 

You may download information from past webinars such 

as “Electronics: Responsible 

Recycling Practices,” “Social 

Marketing - Building a Toolkit to 

Motivate Environmental Action,” 

and “Food Waste/Organics 

Reduction and Recycling,” or 

sign up for a future webinar.

Tribal Waste Journal, Respect

Our Resources: Prevent

Illegal Dumping

www.epa.gov/waste/wycd/tribal/

resource.htm#twj

The first issue of the Tribal Waste 

Journal focused on illegal dump 

prevention and was published in 

May 2002. This issue focused on 

the following: building a multifaceted prevention program, incorporating community outreach 

and involvement, keeping sites 

clean, and measuring the success 

of your program. 

Resources

JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 17
18 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Dear Future Environmental 

Leaders (that means you!),

Have you started a project that helps 

clean up the environment? Maybe you 

started a campaign to clean up trash 

from your neighborhood or worked 

with elders to start a recycling 

program? If so, the President of 

the United States would like to 

hear about it! That’s right, the 

President’s Environmental Youth 

Awards, also called “PEYA,” was 

created in 1971 to recognize the 

awesome projects created by kids in 

grades K-12.

To learn more, check out the facts 

presented here or visit www.epa.gov/peya

or check out this video http://yosemite.

epa.gov/opa/MMWebCon.nsf/HTML/KCHK7S6LBQ?OpenDocument. 

Learn about the President’s 

Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA)

Quick Overview

PEYA is open to: 

n Students in K-12 grade; 

n US citizens or its territories or have been 

lawfully admitted for permanent residency; and the 

n Project must be sponsored by at least one adult.

PEYA has two types of programs:

1. Annual regional award with a deadline every year 

on December 31. Winners of the annual regional award 

travel to Washington, D.C. for the awards ceremony to 

receive a presidential plaque!

2. Certificate of recognition with no deadline! 

Apply any time! Qualified certificate participants receive a certificate signed by the 

President!

KIDS’ PAGE
JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 19

Durham Fair Recycling Project

ECO & Boy Scout Troop 27

Durham, Connecticut (EPA Region 1)

The Coginchaug High School’s Environmental 

Coginchaug Organization (ECO) Club removed more 

than 19,000 bottles — one-third of the 20-fluid-ounce 

beverage bottles sold during the Durham Fair —by initiating a recycling program. The ECO Club also educated 

fair participants about recycling. During the 3-day fair, 

which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, ECO 

Club volunteers walked around and collected recyclables 

in the containers. The ECO Club also maintained a sorting station on the fairgrounds. Recyclable containers 

were delivered to recycling organizations that converted 

the recyclable goods into packaging for the company’s 

products. The ECO Club marketed the recycling effort 

to visitors at the fair and informed newspapers about 

the project. The community and press supported this 

program and helped make this first-time recycling effort 

a big success.

“We’ll Bring It to You”

Curbside Electronics Recycling

Arlington,

HB Woodlawn 6th Grade Science Class Group Virginia (EPA Region 3)

The inspiration for the “We’ll Bring It to You” Curbside Electronics 

Recycling project came after the HB Woodlawn 6th grade science class 

participated in a watershed inventory of a local stream. The students 

found discarded electronic equipment such as hard drives and cell 

phones in the stream. They started researching local recycling programs 

and learned that Arlington County, Virginia provided drop-off sites for re

cycling of electronics, but did not offer curbside recycling for these items. 

-

They suspected that few residents knew how to recycle these items. As 

a result, the students were compelled to create a civic action project to 

address this need. 

The students collected more than 450 pieces of “e-waste” (used 

electronic equipment such as computer and stereo equipment) from 

Arlington County homes through an electronics recycling event. With the 

help of their parents, school faculty, and high school students, the stu

dents properly disposed of the items at Arlington County drop-off sites. 

-

No More Trash Talk: Let’s Cleanup Our Act

EcoLogical

Homer, Alaska (EPA Region 10)

A group of junior high students in Homer, 

Alaska formed EcoLogical to reduce local 

waste when they learned that their local 

landfill would be full by 2013. The group 

has helped reduce the use of the non-recy

clable trays by switching to reusable plastic 

-

trays and has set up a recycling area in the 

lunchroom. After the first week, the school 

reduced the amount of trash disposed in 

the landfill from eight bags of trash per 

week to only four, cutting waste by 50 

percent. In 3 weeks, the average recycling 

went from 36 pounds per week to 120 

pounds per week. After a year, EcoLogical 

estimated that it prevented 2,000 polysty

rene trays from being tossed in the local 

-

landfill.

KIDS’ PAGE
20 Tribal Waste Journal JULY 2011

Game Time!

All sorts of garbage can end up in open dumps. In this issue of the 

Tribal Waste Journal, we explored the different types of garbage 

that can be collected using special collection programs. 

Instructions

Find the words in the word search puzzle below! 

KIDS’ PAGE

ANSWER KEY

O Y A R A G J T S S T R

N X P R S N C L H J I Q

B T C O M P U T E R R U

A S N O I S I V E L E T

T F B L E B A N S I O M

T A L N V W C E A R A C

E I R S O N W A C P U N

R E F R I G E R A T O R

Y E C F T N O I N J V L

T I N E G E N G S H Y F

M L D D L T M N L N T H

S R P S E L T T O B E K

Tire

Car

Computer

Television

Refrigerator

Microwave

Battery

Paint

Bottles

Cans

Word Key

R T S S T J G A R A Y O

Q I J H L C N S R P X N

U R R E T U P M O C T B

T E L E V I S I O N S A

M O I S N A B E L B F T

C A R A E C W V N L A T

N U P C A W N O S R I E

R O T A R E G I R F E R

L V J N I O N T F C E Y

F Y H S G N E G E N I T

H T N L N M T L D D L M

K E B O T T L E S P R S
1Collaboration can assist a tribe 

in addressing the issue of limited available resources. It can 

also create economies of scale that can 

enable program success. For instance, 

when the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe 

determined that an independent waste 

collection service was too expensive, a 

creative arrangement with the neighboring county service was created to 

fill the gap. Similarly, the Yurok Tribe 

reached out to two neighboring tribes 

to pool Indian General Assistance 

Program funds and state grants to implement a vehicle round-up program. 

This program not only resulted in the 

successful cleanup of 400 vehicles, but 

also the establishment of a lasting relationship among the three neighboring tribes. In addition, several of the 

program managers now hold seats on 

a specialty task force to continue their 

collaborative efforts. 

2Support from the Tribal 

Council or Board of Trustees 

is key to each program’s success. Whether it is a mandate from 

the Tribal Council to deliver a high 

quality environmental program or the 

recognition that illegal dumping laws 

are needed to enable police enforcement actions, each program has had a 

commitment from the tribal government to succeed. The champions of 

each project found a way to convince 

their community leaders to embrace 

the needed change and endorse its 

mission.

3Education of both environmental staff and the community is a critical element of all waste 

management efforts. For example, the 

Kickapoo Tribe started in the schools, 

by making recycling a part of the children’s curriculum. In another example, 

the Umatilla Tribe focused on educating the elders on what items can be 

placed in the curbside recycling bins. 

These examples showcase how education is key to developing a viable plan, 

establishing participation in the effort, 

and ensuring success.

4Sustainability is defined as

“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the 

ability of future generations to meet 

their own needs,” by the Commission 

on Environment and Development.

An example of a sustainable tribal 

waste management program is that of 

the Yakama Nation. With the combined goals of economic efficiency 

and environmental safety, as well 

as incorporating ancestral ecological knowledge into its practices, the 

Yakama Nation mirrors the “three E’s” 

of sustainability: economics, environment, and equity. 

5Perseverance is an important 

step in ensuring the success of a 

program. For example, funding for the Saginaw Chippewa’s former 

recycling program was discontinued 

by the Tribal Council because it was 

thought to be economically inefficient. 

However, the recycling coordinator 

convinced the Council to reinstate the 

program after conducting a waste audit and calculating that the tribe could 

save more than $100,000 annually 

without hiring additional staff. 

6Respect is also extremely vital 

to a successful waste management program. Respect for the 

land, for tribal ancestry, and for other 

community members, including waste 

haulers and transfer station staff, has 

led to cleaner tribal lands and more 

respectful treatment of resources.

Alleviating Open Dumping on Tribal 

Lands: Key Elements of Success

In this issue, five tribal waste management programs were highlighted. The wide array of success stories highlight how creativity and determination can help alleviate open dumping. Though each tribe has a different story 

to tell, the stories all share the following six common elements that have led to success in addressing open 

dumps on tribal lands.

JULY 2011 Tribal Waste Journal 21

As you move forward and face 

the continued challenges of 

open dumping, consider these 

six key elements and how they 

can help you implement a 

successful tribal environmental 

program. 
US EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

EPA530-N-11-001

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

July 2011

Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable pa-

per with a minimum 50% post-consumer 

waste using vegetable-based inks.

United States

Environmental Protection 

Agency