Dumpster Outreach

Dumpster Workgroup Update

The Dumpster Outreach Group was formed under STORM as an ad-hoc workgroup to fulfill the 2019-2024 Permit behavior change requirements. We are no longer meeting as a formal workgroup. However, we’re providing all of our program materials here for you to learn from and use.

Some jurisdictions may be continuing with dumpsters as their behavior change program, while others are considering other options. Many jurisdictions have incorporated this program into their source control programs.

If you have questions about the materials or previous campaign, contact Laurie Devereaux or Susan McCleary.

Why Dumpsters?

Most of the pollution reaching Puget Sound is carried there in stormwater runoff. Uncovered and leaking dumpsters can cause pollutants like chemicals, bacteria, and organic matter to end up in stormwater runoff. Rainwater mixed with trash can leak out and spill onto impervious surfaces that drain to the stormwater system when dumpsters are serviced.

Mission

The focus of the Dumpster Lid Campaign is to keep dumpster lids shut to protect surface water quality. The target audience is commercial businesses. This webpage documents the social marketing process to plan, launch, and evaluate the 2021 Dumpster Lid Pilot phase as well as ongoing efforts for broadscale implementation.

June 2023 Meeting Notes

2022-2024 Campaign

The sign and sticker are the first of many resources coming as the 22-24 campaign develops. Changes were made to the imagery used in the 2021 pilot for the following reasons:

a) Increase graphic size

b) Utilize a universal dumpster image

c) Showcase human participation

Two sticker versions are available for download, one with the Puget Sound Starts Here logo and one without. The sign has been translated into nine languages.

22-24 Sticker
22-24 Sticker (No Logo)
22-24 Sign (Multilingual) *Chinese – Simplified, Chinese – Traditional, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, & Tagalog
2022 Sign Translation Correction Sticker – The 22-24 Sign above is correct. However, if your jurisdiction ordered signs in the initial round of orders, the Russian translation may be incorrect (missing the last “Y”). This sticker is designed to be placed over the multi-language section of the incorrect signs.

The sign and sticker MUST be used UNMODIFIED. If you want to customize/modify these images to conform to the needs of your program, contact the graphic designer, Mark Kaufman with Vivitiv.

Permit Compliance

Dumpster Summit 2020

Dumpster Lid Pilot 2021

Pilot Toolkit *includes additional items like step stool waivers, letters to businesses, incentives, talking points, pledge sheet
Pilot Budget
C+C Audience Material Research
Pilot Eval Plan
Pilot Data Summary
Pilot Graphics & Materials *flyers, posters, stickers, signs handouts
Pilot Summary Report

Presentations 2020-2021

The regional Dumpster Outreach Group (DOG) was formed in 2021 with the shared goals to:

Meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Permit education and outreach requirements for Behavior Change,
Create regionally consistent outreach materials for businesses and inspectors to address common dumpster issues found during Private Drainage and Source Control Inspections, and to
Protect water quality by reducing sources of stormwater pollution from occurring around commercial dumpsters.

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