Recycling & Solid Waste Management

APPA Facilities Management InstituteJanuary 2006

Presented by Erica SpiegelUniversity of VermontBurlington, VT

Course Outline

• Integrated Approach to Waste Disposal• Role of Facilities Management• Economics of Garbage • Collection & Operations• Organizational Issues• Related Programs & Opportunities• Conclusions / Wrap Up

Integrated Approach to Disposal

Why Recycle?

• If done right, it can save your institution money by lowering trash disposal costs

• Environmental benefits• Mandated by some states• Students & customers expect it• Basis for comprehensive “greening”

and sustainability programs

Recycling: it’s a process, not a destination

Collection(Consolidating and grading a

usable scrap commodity)

Purchasing (reintroducing new

product into the marketplace)

Processing – Remanufacturing (turning scrap into a new

product)

Why the Recycling Function belongs in facilities management?

• Better performance, more service-oriented• Logical to pair recycling with trash program• Reduced trash disposal costs

Challenges to a Successful Recycling Program

• Transient population• Multiple departments

to coordinate• Apathy or disinterest• Negative national

media about recycling• Space & storage

constraints• Building design

• Fluctuating markets• Lack of nearby

infrastructure• Declining competition in

private hauling sector• Funding• Selection of proper

equipment

Other Challenges?

What other challenges is your recycling program facing?

What would you like to learn about today?

Opportunities for Successful Recycling Program

• Students can help • Partnerships within campus

community• Partnerships inside &

outside campus• Professional Networking-

NRC’s College & University Recycling Council (CURC)

Garbage Economics 101

• Tipping Fees vary be region• “Avoided Disposal Costs” are a primary

reason to recycle and reduce waste• Balancing Act: The cost of collecting

trash/recycling within a building vs. cost of collecting trash/recycling from the building.

Collection & Operations

“Where the rubber hits the road”

Collection IssuesInside Buildings

• Frequency• Scheduling• Equipment• Ergonomics• Staffing

Collection IssuesOutside Buildings

• Storage• Equipment• Frequency• Routing• Vehicles• Who Collects It

At-Desk Box or Individual Bins

Collection Equipment Options

Central Receptacles

Many different shapes, styles, colors and price ranges are available

Recycle & Trash “Parity”

Containers with Restricted Openings

Built-In Containers – proper sizing and location are key

University of Oregon

Humboldt University

Roll Carts & Tilt Trucks

Rear Load Containers

Front Load Containers

Roll-Off Containers

Compactors

(Self-Contained or Stationary)

Roll-Off Truck

University of Colorado

Hauling Vehicles

• Rear load• Front load• Side-load• Roll-off/Lift Hook

• Pickup/Dump Truck• Cube Van/Box Truck

DestinationWhere does all this stuff get

hauled to?

The end market will determine what materials you can collect and the specifications for those materials.

Intermediate Processing Facility

Some schools have their own facility to consolidate materials for longer distance shipping.

Material Recovery Facility (MRF)Materials are dumped onto a tipping floor.

Material Baled & Ready to be Shipped to Market

Homework Assignment:Map your current campus recycling program from

“Finish to start”

Organizational Issues

• Program Structure and Management• Administration Support• Personnel• Funding & Budgeting• Contracting Issues• Measurements & Benchmarking• Outreach & Education

Program Structure & Management

• Student operated program• Staff Operated:

- Facilities Management or Physical Plant- Auxiliary Services (e.g., Purchasing)

• Complete privatization

L ab orers , Tru ck O p era to rs R ecyc lin g C oord in a to r

S o lid W as te M an ag erw h at d ep artm en t?

P h ys ica l P lan t D irec to rF ac ilites D ep t

Personnel Involved

• Solid Waste Manager• Recycling Coordinator• Laborers (Custodians, Truck Operators, etc.)• Student Employees• Recycling Committee –

Involve others in planning and implementation

University of Massachusetts Waste Management Dept

Administration Support

• Nice to have a policy, but….

• Striving for an organizational culture that is aware of waste and its costs to the institution and the environment, and therefore reduces, reuses, recycles and composts as a matter of practice.

Funding & Budgeting

• General Fund, Residential Life, Auxiliary• Grants or loans• Student Fees• “Fee for Service” work• Avoided disposal costs• “New Facilities” requests (based on sq. ft.) • Revenue from sale of materials• Revise or restructure trash hauling contracts

Contracting Issues

• Only pay for trash your campus generates• Avoid “flat fee” contracts• Weight slips, verification• Know where loads are going• Insurance issues• Flexibility in service

schedules/sizes• Competitive bidding• Lease versus own containers

Benchmarking & Measuring

• Weight (tons) vs. Volume (cubic yards)• Financial Measures

(e.g., $ per ton, $ per Sq Ft, $ per FTE)• Diversion Measures

(e.g., recycling rate, capture rate)

Recycling Rate = Tons of materials recycled

Tons of materials recycled + trash

Keeping Track of DataFY 2003-2004 Monthly Tonnage Report

data entered as of: 7/19/04 by Erica FY Month = 12

July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June YTD Total Avg T/Mnth

Paper/Bottles/Cans 29.74 30.40 35.09 38.08 25.00 14.42 34.86 30.30 31.77 33.55 28.66 24.95 356.82 29.74Paper 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Bottles/Cans 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Corrugated Cardboard 10.50 12.10 21.66 21.23 14.06 16.05 9.86 13.49 13.97 15.94 8.98 9.66 167.50 13.96Books 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.05Food Waste 4.00 4.00 17.50 17.50 17.50 13.13 5.80 17.50 17.50 17.50 8.75 2.00 142.68 11.89Other Compostable 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Kitchen Grease 0.00 0.40 0.60 1.80 2.20 0.40 0.80 1.60 0.60 1.80 1.00 0.00 11.20 0.93Wood (Pallets) 7.50 3.75 7.50 0.00 3.75 0.00 3.75 3.75 3.75 0.00 7.50 0.00 41.25 3.44Scrap Metal 11.40 0.00 11.40 7.60 11.40 3.80 11.21 7.60 11.49 11.40 7.60 11.40 106.30 8.86Tires 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.81 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.36 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.93 0.16Appliances (CFC) 0.50 1.50 1.10 1.10 0.40 1.30 0.25 0.55 0.40 1.35 2.20 1.60 12.25 1.02Concrete/Asphalt 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.00 2.00Computers "E Waste" 3.03 0.00 3.02 2.28 2.13 0.00 3.10 0.00 3.21 0.00 3.34 0.00 20.11 1.68Surplus/Reuse 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00Other 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.70 0.06Total Recovered ( R ) 66.67 52.55 98.42 90.40 100.44 49.10 69.63 75.15 83.75 81.54 68.03 49.61 885.28 73.77

Routine Trash July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June YTD Total Avg T/MnthTrash (Building Route)Trash (Billings Student Ctr) 57.75 59.89 105.63 102.42 93.56 89.61 68.56 87.47 84.52 90.56 136.32 62.02 1038.31 86.53Trash (Living Learning) 2.66 6.47 6.53 11.30 5.93 6.12 9.35 6.60 5.98 10.90 6.45 0.00 78.29 6.52Trash (Harris Millis) 1.01 4.16 13.31 17.66 14.35 11.50 7.00 13.74 11.40 16.88 17.63 3.25 131.89 10.99Trash (HSRF Bldg) 1.26 4.11 8.28 10.93 5.45 5.04 6.54 4.61 10.09 5.82 8.61 0.00 70.74 5.90Trash (Given Bldg) 4.64 4.77 3.90 4.31 4.12 3.50 3.73 3.20 4.90 0.00 5.00 3.78 45.85 3.82Bulky Trash 8.43 14.24 11.30 13.45 8.46 11.97 5.56 11.76 12.62 12.76 12.77 10.17 133.49 11.12Special (C&D Trash)Trash (Bulky, Rolloffs) 0.00 1.42 1.60 2.29 0.00 2.93 3.89 0.00 6.26 7.50 5.44 0.00 31.33 2.61Other (e.g. cleanouts) 20.91 14.47 19.20 22.84 17.20 13.36 8.39 25.34 20.13 8.77 23.31 27.27 221.19 18.43

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.38 0.00 17.38 1.45Subtotal Routine Trash

Subtotal Bulky Trash 75.75 93.64 148.95 160.07 131.87 127.74 100.74 127.38 129.51 136.92 186.78 79.22 1498.57 124.88

Total Trash ( T ) 20.91 15.89 20.80 25.13 17.20 16.29 12.28 25.34 26.39 16.27 46.13 27.27 269.90 22.49

96.66 109.53 169.75 185.20 149.07 144.03 113.02 152.72 155.90 153.19 232.91 106.49 1768.47 147.37Total Recovered ( R )Total Solid Waste ( T+R ) 66.67 52.55 98.42 90.40 100.44 49.10 69.63 75.15 83.75 81.54 68.03 49.61 885.28 73.77

Recycling Rate R/(T+R) 163.33 162.08 268.17 275.60 249.51 193.13 182.65 227.87 239.65 234.73 300.94 156.10 2653.75 221.15

40.82% 32.42% 36.70% 32.80% 40.25% 25.42% 38.12% 32.98% 34.95% 34.74% 22.61% 31.78% 33.63%

Outreach & Education

• Consider different audiences

• Strategies and Ideas – Good signage– Web page, Brochure– Bulletin Boards– Flyers, Posters, Door tags,– Etc. etc.

Pass around samples

Other Program Opportunities

• Waste Reduction and Reuse

• Composting

• Buying Recycled Products

• Special Materials

• Student Move-Out/Move-In campaigns

• Building Design Issues

Waste Reduction & Reuse

Waste Reduction can be simple!

Supply Reuse Programs

• Office Supply Collection And Reuse (OSCAR)

• Reusable Office Supply Exchange (ROSE)

Composting

• Yard & Grounds Waste

• Grasscycling• Windrow

Composting

Composting…wait, there’s more

• Food Waste (pre-/post-consumer)

• Animal Bedding (from labs or farms)

• Vermi-composting (worms)

• In-Vessel Composting• Windrow Composting

Composting…still, there’s more

• Capturing more food waste from residence halls.

• Composting at special events.

• New “bioplastics” to test out.

Buying Recycled Content Products

• Office paper

• Tissue products

• Office supplies

• Construction materials

• Plastic “lumber”

Special “Hard to Handle” Wastes

• Appliances “white goods”

• Phone Books

• Fluorescent Bulbs

• “E-waste”

• Carpeting

• Mattresses

• Confidential Paper

• Scrap Metal

• Wood Pallets

•Tires•Concrete/Asphalt•Surplus Furniture• Construction Debris•Power Plant Ash

Student Move-InGreat opportunity to capture clean corrugated cardboard

Student Move-Out

• Charitable donations: Food, Clothing, Household Items

• Furniture• Loft Wood• Concrete Blocks• Carpets/Rugs

Design for Material Handling• We must have better designs to

accommodate safe and efficient materials handling

• Build good relationships with your architecture & engineering group on campus

Dock fed compactor:

more ergonomically friendly

Side load compactor:

height is too high for average custodian to safely lift bags

Design Standards and Guidelines

By far, the best example is from UNC Chapel Hill

http://www.fac.unc.edu/OWRRGuidelines

Conclusions

• Recycling Basics

• Collection & Operations

• Organization

• Other Programs & Opportunities for Waste Reduction

Resource Listin your packet…

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