Town of Plymouth Solid Waste Management

Town of PlymouthDepartment of Public WorksNovember 26, 2012

Solid Waste Management

Town Management’s Goals Are To:Reduce TonnageIncrease RecyclingProvide Superior Customer Service to UsersSustain the EnvironmentGreatest Net Effect on users

Historical Perspective - Evolution

The ‘old days’ - Incinerated trash in your barrel(s) in your backyard

Installation of designated dump sites Mandatory ‘capping’ of dumpsite(s) Conversion of dump sites to transfer station

facilities

Historical Perspective - Evolution

{Continued …}

Expansion of transfer station services - Addition of Cedarville to serve residents, affording three (3) waste disposal destinations-Go where you want to go!Fast Forward to 2005 - 2010

Introduction / Acceptance / Rescinding a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Initiative - “Kicking the proverbial can down the street”

Today - Existing Program

Logistics - Physical PlantThe Town owns and operates three (3) residential transfer stations (sticker required):

– South Street/Long Pond Road *(90 Tons/day)

– Manomet/Beaver Dam Road *(50 Tons/day)

– Cedarville/Hedges Pond Road *(49 Tons/day)

NOTE: The Town operates all recycling. Southeastern Massachusetts Resource Recovery Facility (SEMASS) operates South Street trash.

Today - Existing Program

Service - Fee Base UsersTransfer Stations

– Sticker Fees - Trending Down (see Financials)

– Recycling - Minimal Effectiveness– Capital Improvements/Environmental

Needs

Today - Existing Program

Waste Disposal - TonnageTransfer Stations - Aggregate Trash TonnageCalendar Year 2011= 10,110.61 Tons ($228,000)

2015= 10,110.61 Tons ($657,000)Recycling - Current Levels … Future Efforts

Why Now?

South Street Landfill/Transfer Station Disposition MADEP - ‘Capping’ County - Lease Expiration

Tipping Fees – SEMASS Contract Expiration Service Provision - Inadequate Environmental/Financial Goals

Reduce Tonnage Increase Recycling

Why Now?

{Continued …}

Changing Solid Waste Climate Regulatory Constraints Rapid Technology Advancement

Reduction in Total Usage Declining Number(s) of Users - Fewer

Stickers Sold

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling

Option 1: Curbside Pickup Option 2: Three Transfer Stations – Status Quo Option 3: Three Transfer Stations – with PAYT Option 4: One Combined Transfer Station –

with PAYT Option 5: Curbside Pickup Private

Subscription - Plymouth gets out of solid waste business

Note: For purposes of this presentation we are not demonstrating the cost / revenues of the Difficult to Manage Facility and / or keeping one site open for recycling only.

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates

Curbside:– # Households Serviced – 10,000 gradually

increasing to 18,000 in year 7 of a 10 year contract– New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015

and increasing every year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton

– Disposal Tons decreasing 10% annually from 1.29 to .79 per household due to single stream recycling – a 40% overall decrease

– Curbside Contract Escalator 3%– Budget Multiplier 2.5% for Costs to Provide

Program

Curbside

$182

$208

$226$228

$225$229

$235

$244

$253

$260

$150

$170

$190

$210

$230

$250

$270

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2012 2021 2022 2023

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates Three Transfer Stations – Status Quo:

– Replace South Street with new Transfer Station for $1 million in 2015 amortized over a 10 year period

– Budget Increase for Labor and Equipment due to SEMASS Contract Expiring

– # Households – Decreasing based on historical trends from 9,166 to 7,138 over the 10 year period

– New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015 and increasing every year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton

– Disposal Tonnage will remain consistent– Recycling Revenues will remain consistent– Budget Multiplier 2.5%

Solid Waste Options

$182

$208

$226$229

$235

$244

$253$260

$228 $225

$310$305

$297

$282

$274

$254

$234

$214

$164

$156

$150

$170

$190

$210

$230

$250

$270

$290

$310

$330

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Fiscal Year

An

nu

al C

ost

Curbside

Transfer Stations Status Quo

Options for Managing Solid Waste & Recycling – Assumptions & Estimates– Three Transfer Stations - PAYT:– Replace South Street with new Transfer Station for $1 million in 2015

amortized over a 10 year period– Budget Increase for Labor and Equipment due to SEMASS Contract

Expiring– # Households – Decreasing based on historical trends from 9,166 to

7,138 over the 10 year period– New Tipping Fee – Starting at $65 per ton in 2015 and increasing every

year by $5 to a max of $100 per ton– Disposal Tons decreasing 10% annually from 1.29 to .79 per household

due to recycling – a 40% overall decrease – Average User– Recycling Revenues will increase based on Increased Recycling– Budget Multiplier 2.5%– PAYT Bags – Price is designed to cover the cost of the bag and the

tipping fee; therefore starts out at $1.25 per 30 gallon bag with 2 incremental increases in the 10 year period up to $1.75 per bag.

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

An

nu

al C

ost

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Fiscal Year

Comparison of PAYT Users

Large User

Average User

Single User

Transfer Station Base Fee

Curbside vs Transfer Station PAYT Users

$182

$208

$226 $228 $225 $229$235

$244$253

$260

$315

$300

$322

$336$327 $323 $326

$350 $353 $356

$186 $184

$217$223 $225

$235 $238$247 $250 $252

$120 $125

$164 $166$173

$185 $188 $189 $192 $195

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Curbside

Transfer Station - PAYT - Large User

Transfer Station - PAYT - Avg User

Transfer Station - PAYT - Single User

Status of South St. Landfill

South Street Transfer Station accepts 60% of Town’s municipal solid waste.

South Street is centrally located, traffic and safety (corner lot no longer option)

January 1, 2015 – County negotiations/SEMASS

DEP-Draft Administrative Consent Order Conclusion – temporary or permanent –

closing is imminent

Environmental Goals

Waste prevention Increasing recycling rates Reducing illegal dumping Litter cleanup Protecting our natural resources

through environmental stewardship Carbon Footprint

Coming to a Recommendation

Find a Solution with no Preconceived Notion Staff research leans to Curbside Independent opinion is Curbside Selectmen, Town Meeting, 9000+ users Town Manager’s Advisory Group “Convey a

message so people can make an informed decision”

Full understanding of all assumptions, data, and costs to compare and contrast options, convey information

Educational Outreach – looking for feedback

Curbside Pickup

Question & Answer Sheet (long driveway, icy conditions, rural roads)

Brochure Further outreach (group or individual) Ancillary Benefits

– Estimated savings to each resident of $125-$252/year* in costs for transportation to the transfer stations.

– Provide solution to problem of South St transfer station closure due to landfill capping and expiring lease

– Staff from closed transfer stations will be reassigned within DPW.

– *based on 5 – 10 miles round trip and 48.5 cents/mile

Final Goal – Provide You with the Best Option that Most Closely Meets Goals

Reduction in what goes into the solid waste stream

Increase in recyclingCustomer Service and SatisfactionSustain the EnvironmentProvide service to the greatest

number of residents