Designing Recycling Systems “Right”

Alex DanovitchEureka Recycling

GRRN Conference

October 19th, 2009

Eureka’s Mission – our purpose

Provide education, advocacy, programs and services that demonstrate the benefits of no waste.

Model that anyone can recreate. Physical Operations (MRF and Collection Fleet) that service over 150,000

households weekly. Fleet of 28 vehicles 60,000 tpy Material Recovery Facility 100 employees

To demonstrate the waste is preventable, not inevitable.

The Bridge to Zero Waste

Recycling is not finished, and it’s not enough….time to tackle composting and product stewardship.

It’s not a numbers game.

“Bridge strategies” have to be consistent with our goals.

Designing a Recycling System “Right”

Step 1: Who is it “Right” For?

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Perspective and Goals City?

Residents?

Haulers?

Environmentalists?

Processor?

End Market/Manufacturer?

Shareholders?

State, National, Global

efforts?

The “Players”and what they value

Environmental Nonprofit Demonstrate best practices and feasibility

Contract with the city Cost and resident satisfaction

Resident who pays city for service Environmental benefit, convenience and cost

End User of Materials Cost and quality of materials

Manufacturers Concerned with legislation, PR, profits

Waste Haulers Competing with for this stream. Profits.

State and National Goals/Mandates

The Balancing Act Test assumptions with research, studies and

surveys. Collection study MF Study Resident Survey GHG Quantification: Show’s value of climate

change impact

Understand the key factors and how they affect the players.

Balance:

Cost

Convenience

Environmental Impact

Our BalanceOperations:

Two Stream Sorting Collection with (2) 18 gallon carts Weekly Collection

Balance Highlights: Cost:

Lowest collection cost - didn’t have to buy carts. Convenience:

Capacity same as bi-weekly cart Weekly is more frequent

Environmental impact: less then a 2% residual rate, from the curb to end market. Ability to add unique streams. monitor quality and give resident feedback Sets us up to collect organics with recycling!

Highest and Best Use:Bottle to Bottle Glass Recycling Balance

Environmental Impact- High Cost- High Convenience- Residents wanted it

The Players State and County, Cities End Market Eureka

Installed MRF optical glass sorting. Tripled value of some streams of glass. Increased sorting by color to over 80% of glass collected. Our local market increased their use of recovered glass,

decreased their cost and transportation impact of procurement.

Step 2: Things change, a lot.

Markets change Export growth and domestic

consolidation Technology Changes

Sorting equipment and trucks Economies Change

The Recession Producer Responsibility will

Change Compositions 10% decrease in percentage of

newspaper over last year. No decrease in volume, huge

decrease in weight.

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Dealing with Change

Flexibility Ability to add new streams Ability to change sorts according to market conditions.

Monitor, track and evaluate Be ahead of changes and ready to address Demonstrate value of investments in many ways

Keep the players close Loyal Markets Understand quality and volume requirements Build trust with Customers - Be transparent.

Contract structure Staying local and being careful of large infrastructure

investments.

The Future of Recycling

Recycling levels don’t need to be stagnant.

Producer responsibility will lead to more changes in composition.

Stay focused on highest best use and biggest env. impact.

Eureka!

www.eurekarecycling.org

Recycling Collection and Processing Study Multifamily Recycling Study Public Space Recycling Study Green House Gas Quantification Report Municipal Recycling Contract Fact Sheet

“What we call results are beginnings” Ralph Waldo Emerson