STRATEGY TO REIMAGINE TRASH

Next Steps in Our Journey Toward ZeroDecember 12, 2016

Kent County’s Integrated Solid Waste Management System

■ Includes Waste To Energy, Single Stream Recycling, Landfill,

Transfer Station, and Recycling Service Centers.

Composition of Kent County Discards

Source: Economic Impact Potential and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Michigan, December 2015 - WMSBF

$32.8 Million Thrown Away Annually

Source: Economic Impact Potential and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Michigan, December 2015 - WMSBF

IMPLEMENTING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Changing the Paradigm

Implement sustainable materials management so that landfilling becomes secondary

Elevate

No longer look at discards/byproducts as ‘waste’

Re-evaluate

Return the nutrient value of organics to the soil

Revitalize

Benefit from the commodity value of metal, plastics, glass and fiber

Recover

Many materials that have intrinsic value are wasted

Reuse

Utilize the energy and fuel value of remaining discards

Recover

75 percent of

“trash” can be

diverted

Michigan Sustainable Business

Forum’s Economic Impact

Potential and Characterization

Study 2016

Our Goal: Reduce waste going to landfillIn 2015, Kent County disposed

of 1.8 million cubic yards of

trash, a staggering volume that

would fill the University of

Michigan’s Big House twice

over.

Nearly 75% of that goes to

landfill.

2015 2020 2030

T

O

N

S

2030 Vision

Strategic Initiatives

Materials Recovery

Facility Strategy

Increase processing capacity to 60,000 TPY

Evaluate new outlets for challenging material

streams

Improve quality of recyclables (Right

Recycling)

Kent County WTE Strategy

Implement third line

Co-generate electricity and steam to diversify outputs

Divert high BTU materials to achieve optimum burning

temperature

Increase special or “profile” wastes from industry

Kent County Landfill Strategy

Maximize existing footprint for

remaining 13 years of site life

Strategic Initiatives

Private/Public Sector Hauler Facilitation

Strategy

Collaborate with hauler community to promote

recycling

Increase options to deliver recyclables with the least

cost

Provide revenue potential for recycled materials delivered to proposed

resource industrial park

Commercial, Manufacturing and Industrial Diversion

Strategy

Offer business users certificates of recycling and

assist with meeting ZWTL

goals.

Light Commercial, Retail Small Office

Improve outreach and education to the small business community

Provide small business waste reduction

assistance program

Strategic Initiatives

Residential Diversion Strategy

Improve infrastructure and access to recycling

Outreach and Education Awareness Strategy

Improve quality of recyclables sent to

Kent County’s Recycling &

Education center

Source: Rochester Greenovation

17

Non-recyclable

waste

Construction

Debris

Reuse &

Repair CenterComposting

Facilities

Special items: electronics,

appliances, etc.Materials

Recovery

Facility

Priority Materials –

The GBB study found

an abundance of non-

recyclable by-products

with high energy value

in the region

Wood waste alone accounted for nearly 6,000 tons of waste per week

Develop a robust organics processing program, using property at the existing South Kent Landfill as well as the expansion property in Allegan County

Partner with hauling companies to collect and transport the organic material with the ultimate goal of diverting a larger fraction of organics as a marketable end-product

Municipality surveys indicates interest.

Organics and

Yard Waste

Priority Materials –

Significant

opportunities to

better utilize mixed

waste that is

generated by the

construction trades

Materials that could be diverted from construction sites include:

- Corrugated cardboard

- Whiteboard/ Dimensional lumber

- Pallets

- Concrete/asphalt

- New drywall/Gypsum wallboard

- Shingles

- Plywood

- Plastic film

- Metals

Construction and

Demolition

Other Priority Materials –

- Mattresses

- Carpeting

- Plastics

Bulky rigid plastics including 5-gallon buckets and children’s outdoor toys

Film including high-density polyethylene (HDPE) like auto or boat wrap and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) like shopping bags

Mixed rigid plastics, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) from food and beverages

Bulky Materials

What’s the Next Step?

■ Master Plan Request for Proposal February 2017.