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Hot Springs/Garland County Beautification Commission Litter Cost Survey 2012
True Cost of Litter in Garland County
Hot Springs has been chosen by Keep America Beautiful as one of only ten cities in the United States to launch a Pilot Litter Study into the "True Cost of Litter." This important study will ask every single business, organization, place of worship, etc. in Garland County to take about three minutes (on average) to fill out a simple online form that will help them assess this hidden cost that every citizen in the county pays, both directly and indirectly.
This study will help the City and County governmental bodies, companies, and organizations, to plan ahead and develop new strategies to deal with this "quiet, well camouflaged (by our acceptance), monster that is eating away at our community's limited funds".
The study format was developed by Bob Horton in Irving, Texas. Now we are part of this study to evaluate this initial success on a broader scope before attempting a true nationwide program. When last field tested, it generated local data of about $42 per year per capita. This figure closely approximated the outcomes of KAB's own 2007-2008 national examination of the high cost of litter, which very conservatively estimated the cost of litter clean up to be $38 per year per capita.
Please take a few short minutes to fill out this simple form so that we can make informed plans in our City and County.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this important project.
Adam Roberts
Executive Director,
HSGCBC
Download the Instructions.
Download the Survey Form.
TRUE COST OF LITTER SURVEY DATA COLLECTION FORM INFO
Litter – Litter may be thought of as any non-organic or organic material that has been disposed of improperly.
Supervisory Time: is often the most undercounted value because it is usually not "on the clock." And, there is a tendency to only count the time spent actually overseeing workers as they collect litter. It is helpful to also consider including, planning time, employee training time, travel time, travel expense, professional development time, purchasing time and report preparation and presentation time.
Straight (Regular) Time: is every hour and every minute paid to full-time for litter removal staff, including meetings, training time, travel time, break and meal time, preparation time, equipment maintenance and fueling time as well as litter pick up time. If holidays, sick days and vacation days are paid for, this expense would be included as well.
Overtime includes any premium pay costs incurred. Also include "comp time" or time off in compensation for overtime hours usually 1.5 times hour worked. For example, staying late a couple of hours to address a City Council item yields hours off that are then "comp-timed" at some premium rate like 1.5 hours for each 1 hour worked.
Contract Labor: Generally, contract labor is a repeated labor expense where, for example, outside contractors handle litter removal and mowing from thoroughfare medians while Parks staff handles the parks.
Temp Labor: Temporary labor expense basically includes all "as needed" outside labor.
Community Service Workers (CSWs): Community service labor hours have value and often hidden costs. Work done by CSW’s may be valued at its market value (see your straight time, contract labor and temp labor rates.) If workers are granted municipal fine payment considerations, their "cost" in terms of revenue lost may be higher than straight/contract/temp labor rates. KAB recommends that community service hours be valued in accordance with the value published for the time period in question by the Independent Sector at www.independentsector.com. This figure is currently ($21.30).
Volunteers: Volunteers are not "free". They have market value which is determined by the Department of Labor and published by the Independent Sector. They come to the workplace already dressed, self-transported, trained, motivated and often self-uniformed, fed, and, in the case of youth, self-supervised by parents or adult leaders.
Other: If you determine that you have added labor costs, by all means include them. If you have questions, please discuss them with your community KAB affiliate program coordinator who also has ready access to KAB’s national staff for support.
This is as far as you need fill out, if you wish to do more, by all means feel free to do so.
Additional Information Only If You Wish to Continue
Hours per Week/Hourly Pay Rate/Cost per Week: If labor is done only once monthly or quarterly, etc., please simply re-title the period needed (per two weeks, per month, etc.) and proceed to the rate of pay column. Then hand re-title the "cost per week" column. The point is to provide the information needed clearly so that it can then be readily converted into annual cost estimates.
Benefits and Insurance: Your actual estimates of your costs (overhead) for benefits and insurance are best. If you cannot or chose not to include those estimates, the program will automatically add 30.6%* for benefits and insurance to the annualized CASH estimates for salaried and straight time employees only. *Per the U.S. Department of Labor.
Materials: Your actual estimates of your costs (overhead) for cleanup operations materials such as bags, gloves, litter reachers, sunscreen, ice, etc. are best. If you cannot or chose not to include those estimates, the program will automatically add 5% for materials based on the annualized CASH estimates for salaried and straight time employees only.
Equipment and Depreciation: Your actual estimates of your costs (overhead) for cleanup operations equipment such as vehicles, cherry pickers, etc. and depreciation are best. If you cannot or chose not to include those estimates, the program will automatically add 10% for equipment and depreciation based on the annualized CASH estimates for salaried and straight time employees only.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration of the important survey.
Please click HERE to complete the survey.
Contact UsKelsey Ramsey, Executive Director
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