SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE March 23-24, 2010 What is a Waste Reduction Program?

SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEEMarch 23-24, 2010

What is a Waste Reduction Program?

What’s to come tonight!!!

• What is a Waste Reduction Program?

• Why a Waste Reduction Program?• How does it work?• How much will it save?• What will it cost?• Questions

Not much recycling going on here!

Much Better!!!!!

What is a Waste Reduction Program?

• A community wide effort to eliminate wastes whenever we can and use the remaining wastes as resources wherever possible and dispose of as little as possible…

–Throw out less–Recycle more

2008 Solid Waste Advisory Committee

(SWAC) Report

Assumes that Landfill closes on or about 12/31/2010

Plan implementable by January 1, 2011 Fee structure equitably reflects a

household’s recycling and waste reduction efforts:

RECYCLE MORE = PAY LESSTHROW AWAY MORE = PAY MORE

Underlying Concept

• Run Solid Waste Program like the South Hadley Electric Light Department or Water Districts…– use more electricity or water, pay more– use less electricity or water, pay less

•More recycling = pay less• Less recycling = pay more

Reasons for using a Waste Reduction Program• It is equitable: You only pay for

what you throw out, not what your neighbor throws out

• It is economical: Increased recycling reduces the overall cost of collection and disposal

• It is environmentally sound: It reduces the amount of trash being landfilled or incinerated

Recycling in South Hadley

Where in MA Have WRP’s Worked?

• In 130 Massachusetts municipalities• In 3 MA cities w/ curbside trash and

recycling: Brockton, Worcester, Taunton

• In 36 MA suburbs w/ curbside trash and recycling: Amherst, Buckland, Concord, East Longmeadow, Natick, Montague, Greenfield, Gloucester, Topsfield, Boxford, Maynard, North Attleboro, Merrimac, Longmeadow, Shutesbury

• 70 other MA communities w/drop-off trash and recycling programs

• Many programs have 10+ years experience

2010 SWAC Recommendations

Make NO changes to:

• Every other week curbside collection of trash and recycling – All waste in a barrel

• Unlimited recycling

• Recycling Center available to accept special wastes

• Leaf and yard waste drop-off available

2010 SWAC Recommendations

NEW:• Adopt the following Waste Reduction

Program (WRP): All trash disposed in a town approved bag

placed in a barrel Two bag size options Bags available all over town Bag fee = ??????

Change the per person flat fee to a per household fee.

Charge a small annual fee to support recycling center & lawn/yard waste drop-off

Funding Sources

• No Tax money• Annual per household flat fee• Bag sale revenue• Landfill revenue• Materials Recycling Facility

reimbursements• Recycling/Drop-off Center revenues• Annual Recycling Center sticker fee

Remember• THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN THE SYSTEM AND THE SYSTEM FEES

IMPORTANT

• No fees have been set – You can’t set fees without knowing costs of

disposal and income (if any) from landfill

• SOONER OR LATER….THE LANDFILL WILL CLOSE…it is just a matter of when

• SWAC recommendations focus primarily on the system…NOT ON WHAT THE SYSTEM FEES SHOULD BE

Examples of Fee Structures

For IllustrativePurposes Only

Budget/Fees – landfill closed Example # 1

• Total Budget $1,516,000

• Flat Fee $830,000

• Host Benefit $0

• Sticker Fee $20,000

• Bag Revenue $576,000

• RC/MRF Income $90,000

• Total Revenue $1,516,000

• Surplus $0

ASSUMPTIONS• No tax money• Flat fee = $138.00/household• Annual Recycling Center Sticker

Fee = $10/vehicle• Bag cost to resident = $1.50• 6,000 households• 2,000 stickers sold• 1.5 bags per week per person

Example Per Household Costs (2012) - Landfill

ClosedUSING CURRENT

PER PERSON SYSTEM

• 1 person = $107• 2 person = $214• 3 person = $321• 4 person = $428• 5 person = $535– $107/person flat fee

Example # 1• 1 person = $173 • 2 person = $212• 3 person = $251• 4 person = $290• 5 person = $329– $1.50/bag– $138/per household

Example Per Household Cost(2012) - Landfill

Closed Example # 2

• 1 person = $161• 2 person = $206• 3 person = $252• 4 person = $297• 5 person = $343– $1.75/bag– $115/household

Example # 3• 1 person = $148 • 2 person = $200• 3 person = $252• 4 person = $304• 5 person = $356– $2.00/bag– $96/household

REMEMBER

• The costs assume 1.5 bags per person per week on average

• If you use fewer bags you will pay less• If you use more

bags you will pay more

Potential Savings – Landfill Closed

Example Per Household Cost (2012) - Landfill

OPENASSUMPTIONS

$1.00 per bag Flat fee =

$0.00 per household Annual Recycling Center Sticker Fee = $10 per vehicle 6,000 households 2,000 stickers sold 1.5 bags per week per person

Example FeeStructure

per Household• 1 person = $ 39 • 2 person = $ 78• 3 person = $117• 4 person = $156• 5 person = $195

Flexibility• Selectboard will have great

flexibility to adjust fees depending on– landfill closed – landfill open– new technologies – disposal costs or recycling income

changes

Conclusions• When will the landfill close = ????

• Recommendations work with or without a landfill…• only the fee numbers will change

• Financially sound and very equitable

• Should increase recycling as much as 25%

Committee Members

• Voting Members– John Higgins, Chair– Sharon Hart– Ted Boulais– Michael Fisher– Yem Lip– Ronald Michalski

• Advisory Members– Veronique “V”

Blanchard Smith – SH DPW

– Jim Reidy – SH DPW– Arlene Miller – MA

DEP

Repeat 100 times before you go to sleep tonight

•More recycling = pay less• Less recycling = pay more•More recycling = pay less• Less recycling = pay more•More recycling = pay less• Less recycling = pay more

QUESTIONS????