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Multifamily Recycling

NC SWANA ConferenceApril 27, 2016

Session Overview

1. Multifamily Recycling in North CarolinaSandy Skolochenko, NC DEACS

2. High Point Multifamily Recycling ProgramRebecca Coplin, Environmental Programs Coordinator

3. Orange County Multifamily Waste & Recycling Generation

Matt James, Graduate Research Assistant

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Multifamily

• Housing properties with 5 or more dwelling units

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• Apartments, condos, town houses

• Mobile home parks• Retirement housing,

nursing homes

Multifamily Landscape in NC• There are more than 500,000 multifamily

households in NC (Census ACS Survey 2013)

• Top 10 multifamily municipalities (Census ACS Survey 2013)

• Multifamily households are also found in: - College towns- Rural areas (mobile home parks)- Commuter towns

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- Charlotte: 95,000- Raleigh: 57,000- Greensboro: 38,000- Durham: 32,000- Winston-Salem: 27,000

- Fayetteville: 19,000- Greenville: 17,000- Cary: 13,000- Wilmington: 13,000- Asheville: 11,000

Multifamily in Your Community

• What types and how many properties do you have?

• What recycling options are currently available to multifamily residents?

• Can you improve recycling access through:- Public programs- Policy tools- Combination of both

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Multifamily Recycling Service Styles

• Drop-off recycling- Easiest and least costly method- Can be operated by municipality or county

• Incorporate into curbside- May work for some multifamily properties - Is property compatible with bin or cart based service?- Is property accessible to collection vehicles?

• Direct collection- Can be collected by municipality or through contract with

private service provider- Many options for direct collection…

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Direct Collection Options: Carts

Direct Collection Options: Dumpsters

Direct Collection Options: Other

Multifamily Recycling Rates

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• How much is being recycled? - Limited data available!- Average: 64 lbs/multifamily unit/year (2015 DEACS survey)

- Compare to NC curbside programAverage: 350 lbs/single family household/year

• How much is being generated?- Stay tuned…

Challenges

• Difficult to Engage- Lack of incentive for property owners to provide

service- Space constraints- Frequent turnover

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Challenges

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Policy Tools & Strategies

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• Recycling Ordinances/MandatesCity of Fayetteville, City of Kannapolis

• Commodity Disposal BansOrange County, City of Durham

• Development Reviews, Design ManualsTown of Chapel Hill, City of Greenville

Policy Tools & Strategies

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Challenges

• Low Participation & High Contamination- Education and outreach needed from local

governments, property managers- Frequent turnover

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Challenges

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Policy Tools & Strategies

• Sufficient Capacity

• Signage & Education

• Contracts / Service AgreementsCity of Winston-Salem

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Multifamily in Your Community

• What types and how many properties do you have?

• What recycling options are currently available to multifamily residents?

• Can you improve recycling access through:- Public programs- Policy tools- Combination of both

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Take Home Message

• DEACS wants to support the growth of multifamily recycling in NC- 500,000 multifamily households & growing- Grant opportunities- Service equity for multifamily and single family

households

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Thank You!

Sandy Skolochenko(919) 707-8147

sandy.skolochenko@ncdenr.gov