COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          10b 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting      January 26, 2021 
DATE:     January 21, 2021 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    Keith Warner, Aviation Utilities Business Manager 
Mike Tasker, Facilities and Infrastructure Senior Manager 
Eileen Francisco, Interim Director of Facilities & Capital Programs 
SUBJECT:  Request Authorization to Execute a Service Contract with Stericycle Inc.  for
Regulated Waste Disposal 
Amount of this request:                 $700,000 
Total estimated project cost:            $700,000 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director  to execute a contract with
Stericycle for regulated waste disposal at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for
waste arriving from international flights. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
With the exception of Canada, waste from international flights must be processed separately, as
this waste can introduce plant pests and diseases. The United States Department of Agriculture
regulates international waste. The existing regulated waste disposal services supplier provided
notice on Dec 28, 2020 that they are ending that service effective January 28, 2021.  Waste
regulators identified one entity, Stericycle, that carries the necessary permits in Washington
State to provide this service.  This request is to contract with Stericycle Inc. to provide the
required transportation and disposal of regulated wastes for a 3-year period beginning January
28, 2021 enabling continuity of service.
JUSTIFICATION 
Waste materials (food, wrapping, containers, etc.) arriving from international flights are
regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), requiring special handling and disposal.
SEA manages a portion of this waste to include those generated by Customs and Border
Protection, trash carried off aircraft by international passengers and disposed of within the
customs area, and trash removed from international aircraft.  Removal of these wastes from
airport property every 72 hours is regulatorily required. Permits to  transport and dispose of
these regulated waste materials are required and issued by the USDA. The Airport is not issued 
these required permits and therefore relies on suppliers with the necessary equipment and

Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 10b                                 Page 2 of 4 
Meeting Date: January 26, 2021 
permits to provide the service. The current service provider has sold their business operations
to another party who will not provide these regulated waste management services.  Stericycle
Inc. has provided a proposal to Airport staff for this service going forward. 
Flight kitchens handle the other portion of waste from international aircraft. The flight kitchens
must also rapidly move to a new provider to avoid interruption of service. Stericycle has provided
similar proposals to the two flight kitchens who are seeking services. It is expected that the flight
kitchens will execute their own separate agreements with Stericycle.
Diversity in Contracting 
Only one supplier has the required USDA permits to manage this waste within the State of
Washington at this time. 
DETAILS 
Waste material coming from airline cabins from international arriving flights is regulated by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) due to the potential for viruses or pests. Packaging and
tracking of this waste material must be handled and stored in compliance with the regulations
and transported off-site within 72 hours. The material must be treated through either a steam
autoclave or an incinerator to eliminate the exposure risk.
A large volume of this waste is managed through the flight kitchens servicing the international
airlines.  The waste materials not managed by the flight kitchens are bagged and collected in
locked containers managed by Airport near the South Satellite. Regulated waste is also generated
in the customs areas where items confiscated from incoming luggage must be treated as
regulated waste. This regulated waste is also collected in the locked containers at South Satellite. 
During the period of the 1990's to 2003, the Airport operated a steam autoclave and treated all
of the regulated waste generated at the airport. That equipment ceased operation in 2003 when
the service model was contracted to Waste Management who transported the waste from two
flight kitchens and airport to their treatment facility in South Seattle. This operation has
continued until the recent notification by Waste Management that they are ceasing this
treatment operation effective Jan 28, 2021.
With this notification, Aviation Facilities and Infrastructure (F & I) embarked on identifying
another supplier to perform this service and Stericycle Inc. was the entity noted by the USDA as
possessing the required permits to handle this type of waste.  F&I along with the two flight
kitchens impacted by this change contacted Stericycle who developed a business plan to support
this service. A price proposal was  submitted January 16th to the Airport and the two flight
kitchens. This proposal is the basis for this contract request which includes the collection,
storage, transportation and disposal of this waste in accordance with regulatory requirements.
The regulated waste material will be picked-up on Airport property and transported to the

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 10b                                 Page 3 of 4 
Meeting Date: January 26, 2021 
nearest permitted treatment facility which is in Brooks, Oregon.  A secondary facility was
identified as the City of Spokane's waste incinerator.
Scope of Work 
Service provider shall collect, transport, treat and dispose of all USDA, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) Waste/Foreign & Regulated garbage generated by airport operations.
Transportation of waste from airport property will occur at least every 72 hours and disposal will
occur at a permitted treatment facility. 
Schedule 
Execute services by January 28, 2021 

ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Contract with Stericycle Inc. to provide transportation and disposal of regulated
waste generated at the airport. 
Cost Implications: $700,000 for three years 
Pros: 
(1)   Service is ready to commence on the required date of Jan 28, 2021 
(2)   Established service provider with experience in the field 
(3)   Leverages similar Stericycle contract with Flying Foods and Sky Chefs to optimize
storage, transportation and disposal of regulated wastes. 
Cons: 
(1)   Narrow time window and lack of permitted suppliers limits competitive bids 
(2)   Operational  changes  and  resources  required to  box  the  waste  material  prior  to
shipment 
(3)   Requires a minimum three-year term of service 
This is the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 2  Install and operate an autoclave unit on airport property to provide the necessary
destruction of regulated waste material. 
Cost Implications: $TBD 
Pros: 
(1)   Historically a lower cost option than transporting and disposal in Oregon 
(2)   Provides more certainty for continued operations than reliance on a supplier 
(3)   Reduced life cycle emissions through eliminating long-haul transportation. 
Cons: 
(1)   Requires approval from the USDA 

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 10b                                 Page 4 of 4 
Meeting Date: January 26, 2021 
(2)   Solution would not be operational by January 28, 2021 
(3)   Requires additional resources to operate the equipment 
This is not the recommended alternative. 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
This will increase the cost from $60k/yr to $233K/yr to provide required regulatory services to
support international travel. 

Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds 
These costs are part of the annual Aviation utilities budget. 

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS. 
None 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None 










Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).