Electronics, food waste, construction debris and appliances are part of a Pierce County proposal for more recycling options. The goal is to make garbage a last resort.

Members of the Pierce County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) are visiting nine communities in coming weeks, collecting public comments on their 2008 supplement to the Tacoma-Pierce County Solid Waste Management Plan. The draft plan outlines Pierce County’s recycling achievements and suggests aggressively building on that success with even more waste reduction programs.

“Pierce County residents have recycled 7 million tons of material since 1990. But there’s still more we can do,” said Solid Waste Division Administrator Steve Wamback.

Many activities proposed in the plan are designed to help reduce greenhouse emissions and improve Puget Sound’s water quality in the next 20 years. One of the focal points is to increase education and outreach with school districts and the community. The SWAC proposal suggests more emphasis on educating residents about their consumer choices, reducing waste and changing habits.

The plan proposes outreach to businesses, especially making it easier for small retailers to recycle. Working with builders is another priority, dealing with the additional land clearing and construction debris created by a growing population and larger homes.

SWAC members invite the public to comment on the proposed ideas. Meetings are planned throughout the county with each session including a 15-minute presentation and opportunity for public comment.

For more information, visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/swac .