SUMMER 2017 customer update The dreaming and planning and shopping are done. Maybe you’ve hired a contractor, maybe it’s DIY this time around. Either way, before you pull out the dust mask and hammer, there’s one final detail to tend to: choosing a trash dumpster service for your construction waste. Making a selection isn’t complicated, but considering a few key factors can save time and money and help your project run smoothly. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS FOR LOCATING THE DUMPSTER? When it comes to hauling debris out of your home, the closer to the source, the better. Carrying construction debris through the house is disruptive and messy. If your project is relatively small, or if you have limited space, consider selecting a 4- or 6-yard dumpster which has a modest footprint and can be placed almost anywhere on your property. It may need to be emptied more frequently than a larger dumpster, but the convenience could outweigh the expense. If your project is larger, and you have the room on your property, a 12-, 20-, 30- or even 40-yard size construction dumpster may be in order. These must be placed on a hard packed surface, so the driveway or front yard are ideal locations. Locating a dumpster in a public right of way is also possible, but typically requires a right-of-way permit from your local municipality. Page 1 • Summer2017 Inside Residential customers looking for up-to-date information about our holiday schedule, call our Holiday Hotline at 303-448-2280 or look it up at westerndisposal.com. The following holidays are observed by Western Disposal: • Independence Day . . . July 4, 2017 • Labor Day .......... Sept. 4, 2017 • Thanksgiving Day . . Nov. 23, 2017 • Christmas Day ..... Dec. 25, 2017 • New Year’s Day ...... Jan. 1, 2018 • Memorial Day ..... May 28, 2018 1 ....Choosing a Dumpster 1 ....Business Spotlight 2 ....Can I Recycle…? 3 ....Bear Protection Update 3 ....Zero Waste Ordinance 3 ....Green Business Recognition 3 ....Compost Corner 4 ....Compostable Processing Changes 4 ....Customer Appreciation Events 4 ....Online Billing CHOOSING A DUMPSTER FOR YOUR REMODELING PROJECT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT - PLANET BLUEGRASS If you’ve never heard of “sustainable festivation”, then chances are you’ve never been to a Planet Bluegrass festival. For more than two decades, “The Planet”, based in Lyons, has been delivering world-class musical experiences in magnificent natural settings with an unrelenting focus on reducing their environmental impact. Co-founder Steve Szymanski credits their original inspiration to lessen their impact to the “visionary” example set by long-time partner New Belgium Brewery. Planet Bluegrass hosts three premier festivals: the Telluride Bluegrass Festival , Rocky Grass, and the Folks Festival as well as dozens of smaller concerts each year, entertaining thousands of Festivarians from all fifty states and twenty different countries. Festivals are multi-day events and thousands of guests generate tons of waste, much of which can be minimized or avoided altogether by taking the simplest of ideas and committing to their implementation. Education and buy-in on the part of Festivarians is key to success. For example, the festivals serve beverages exclusively in reusable cups. There is a $2.00 charge for the cup; significant enough for the user to bring it back when it’s time for a refill.Many Festivarians bring cups back to the festivals every year reducing the amount of new reusable cups ordered to just 10% of what it was 15 years ago. You won’t find bottled water being sold on the grounds either: Festivarians refill their reusable water containers at filtered water stations conveniently located throughout the grounds. Looking for a trash container? Not happening. Everything sold on the festival grounds is reusable, recyclable or compostable; Festivarians who generate trash take it with them when they leave. Perhaps the most ambitious program, which also takes aim at one of the biggest sources of waste, is the reusable plate program. For more than a decade, festival food vendors have been required (continued on page 2) Holiday Schedule DIY remodeling is a family affair (continued on page 2)
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
SUMMER 2017customer update
The dreaming and planning and shopping are done. Maybe you’ve hired a contractor, maybe it’s DIY this time around. Either way, before you pull out the dust mask and hammer, there’s one final detail to tend to: choosing a trash dumpster service for your construction waste. Making a selection isn’t complicated, but considering a few key factors can save time and money and help your project run smoothly.WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS FOR LOCATING THE DUMPSTER? When it comes to hauling debris out of your home, the closer to the source, the better. Carrying construction debris through the house is disruptive and messy. If your project is relatively small, or if you have limited space, consider selecting a 4- or 6-yard dumpster which has a modest footprint and can be placed almost anywhere on your property. It may need to be emptied more frequently than a larger dumpster, but the convenience could outweigh the expense.If your project is larger, and you have the room on your property, a 12-, 20-, 30- or even 40-yard size construction dumpster may be in order. These must be placed on a hard packed surface, so the driveway or front yard are ideal locations. Locating a dumpster in a public right of way is also possible, but typically requires a right-of-way permit from your local municipality.
Page 1 • Summer2017
Inside
Residential customers looking for up-to-date information about our holiday schedule, call our Holiday Hotline at 303-448-2280 or look it up at westerndisposal.com. The following holidays are observedby Western Disposal:• Independence Day . . . July 4, 2017• Labor Day. . . . . . . . . .Sept. 4, 2017• Thanksgiving Day . . Nov. 23, 2017• Christmas Day . . . . . Dec. 25, 2017• New Year’s Day . . . . . .Jan. 1, 2018• Memorial Day . . . . . May 28, 2018
1 . . . .Choosing a Dumpster
1 . . . .Business Spotlight
2 . . . .Can I Recycle…?
3 . . . .Bear Protection Update
3 . . . .Zero Waste Ordinance
3 . . . .Green Business Recognition
3 . . . .Compost Corner
4 . . . .Compostable Processing Changes
4 . . . .Customer Appreciation Events
4 . . . .Online Billing
CHOOSING A DUMPSTER FOR YOUR REMODELING PROJECT
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT - PLANET BLUEGRASSIf you’ve never heard of “sustainable festivation”, then chances are you’ve never been to a Planet Bluegrass festival. For more than two decades, “The Planet”, based in Lyons, has been delivering world-class musical experiences in magnificent natural settings with an unrelenting focus on reducing their environmental impact. Co-founder Steve Szymanski credits their original inspiration to lessen their impact to the “visionary” example set by long-time partner New Belgium Brewery.Planet Bluegrass hosts three premier festivals: the Telluride Bluegrass Festival , Rocky Grass, and the Folks Festival as well as dozens of smaller concerts each year, entertaining thousands of Festivarians from all fifty states and twenty different countries. Festivals are multi-day events and thousands of guests generate tons of waste, much of which can be minimized or avoided altogether by taking the simplest of ideas and committing to their implementation. Education and buy-in on the part of Festivarians is key to success. For example, the festivals serve beverages exclusively in reusable cups.
There is a $2.00 charge for the cup; significant enough for the user to bring it back when it’s time for a refill.Many Festivarians bring cups back to the festivals every year reducing the amount of new reusable cups ordered to just 10% of what it was 15 years ago. You won’t find bottled water being sold on the grounds either: Festivarians refill their reusable water containers at filtered water stations conveniently located throughout the grounds. Looking for a trash container? Not happening. Everything sold on the festival grounds is reusable, recyclable or compostable; Festivarians who generate trash take it with them when they leave.Perhaps the most ambitious program, which also takes aim at one of the biggest sources of waste, is the reusable plate program. For more than a decade, festival food vendors have been required
(continued on page 2)
Holiday Schedule
DIY remodeling is a family affair(continued on page 2)
Page 2 • Summer 2017
to provide compostable plates and flatware. But the volume of waste generated serving thousands upon thousands is staggering, not to mention the environmental and financial cost to ship and process food waste, making compostables a less than ideal solution. In 2016, Planet Bluegrass innovated once again by introducing compostable, reusable dishware made from bamboo for food service; this BambooWare can last up to three thousand dish washes. Plates were collected at the zero-waste stations located adjacent to the recycling and compost bins, then transferred to a local restaurant to be run through the dishwasher. Logistics were tricky and labor intensive and dish washing had to take place on the restaurant’s off-hours; traditional compostables were used as a backup. Undeterred, but wiser (Szymanski says they always give themselves at least two years to perfect a program or process), the 2017 program incorporates a traveling dishwashing trailer, funded in part through a Boulder County Zero Waste grant, so dishes can be washed on site. “We’ve developed a reputation as a national leader in voluntary environmental action.” Says Steve Szymanski. “One of our greatest hopes is that our voluntary efforts will inspire and encourage festivarians to take action in their own communities.”
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT (continued from page 1)Can I Recycle...?Summer time and the living’s easy… it’s also the time of year when we tend to create more of certain types of waste. Here’s a few of the top inquiries we get when summer rolls around:
PLASTIC BERRY CONTAINERS: Whether or not these containers can be recycled depends on their size. Yes, they have a “chasing arrows” symbol embossed on the bottom; but when it comes to flimsy plastics like these, the symbol is only half the story. The recycling facility sorts material by dimension, and flat items get sorted with the paper. Because these containers, particulary the smaller ones, get flattened in the collection process they wind up contaminating paper loads. Bottom line: ½ pint and pint containers need to go in the trash, containers that hold one pound or more, as well as the larger containers for greens, hold their shape better so CAN be put in the recycling bin. Remember, flat detached lids always go in the trash.
NURSERY PLANT POTS AND CONTAINERS: These items cannot be placed in your single stream recycling cart as they cannot be processed by the Boulder County Recycling Center. Check with your local nursery or farmer’s market to see if they will accept these containers for reuse. If you’re looking to recycle, size matters for these containers as well. ReSource at 6400 Arapahoe will accept containers one gallon or greater in size as long as the plastic is rigid. Smaller, flimsier containers such as four and six pack containers, as well as trays and flats, need to go in the trash.
SIX-PACK RINGS: By now, most of us know that the flimsy plastic rings not only go in the trash, but should be cut up first so they don’t wind up harming wildlife. But what about the newfangled type made of studier plastic that holds your craft brews together? They have a recycling symbol, right? The same rule applies to these holders as does flat plastic lids and small berry Betty Baal containers– because they are flat, recycling equipment will sort them with paper. Sorry folks, they are trash.
HOW MUCH CONSTRUCTION WASTE VOLUME DO YOU EXPECT TO GENERATE? Trash and roll-off dumpster capacities are sized by the cubic yard (3’ x 3’ x 3’ or 27 cubic feet). Use the descriptions below to help you decide the size best suited to your needs:• 12-cubic-yard roll-off: Perfect size for small bathroom remodels, furniture removal, yard waste clean-up. Holds
approximately 4 pickup truck loads. *Dimensions: 4’8” H x 8” W x 16” L • 20-cubic-yard roll-off: Think flooring and carpet removal for a large house; furniture and a good garage spring cleaning.
Equals approximately 7 pickup truck loads. *Dimensions: 5’8” H x 8” W x 20” L • 30-cubic-yard roll-off: Perfect for larger projects like roof replacement, basement cleanouts, kitchen remodels. Equals
approximately 10 pickup truck loads. *Dimensions: 6’8” H x 8” W x 23” L • 40-cubic-yard roll-off: For the largest projects such as home window or siding replacement, commercial roof tear off;
new construction or major additions or significant cardboard boxes at warehouses. Holds approximately 13 pickup truck loads. *Dimensions: 8’8” H x 8” W x 23” L
*Actual container measurements may vary. Use this information to determine area needed to place container.WHAT KIND OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE MATERIAL WILL YOU BE GENERATING? Interior projects will typically generate drywall and lumber waste as well as flooring such as carpet, padding or hardwood. Although this material tends not to be heavy it does tend to be bulky, so make sure you’ve planned for the bulk when deciding on your trash dumpster or roll-off size. We also offer trash containers for all types of exterior projects and new construction, including 12-yard roll-offs specifically designed for projects that generate large and heavy volumes of concrete, brick, rock, dirt or other earthen materials.If you are participating in the city of Boulder’s Green Points program or Boulder County’s BuildSmart program as part of your construction project, Western Disposal Sha Ma has an expanded selection of service options to make it easier to divert recyclable construction materials from the landfill. You can choose containers for single materials or mixed construction recyclables such as wood, cardboard and scrap metal. Containers are also available for mixed trash and construction recyclables which are sorted at our facility at 5880 Butte Mill Rd. in Boulder, and the weight reported is the total weight of the container. Both the City of Boulder and Boulder County will allow mixing of construction trash and recyclables for sorting at a registered facility. Western Disposal’s Trash and Recycle Center is a registered facility.HOW LONG IS YOUR PROJECT EXPECTED TO TAKE? Projects often take longer than anticipated. Many hauling companies quote low rates, but the rental period is limited to 2 weeks with a daily charge thereafter. Western does not charge a rental fee unless our container is not hauled within 30 days of delivery (or the prior haul if applicable), giving you the flexibility you may need to complete your project.WHAT ABOUT USING A CONSTRUCTION BAG FOR WASTE? Disposable bags, such as the Bagster®, are a much-hyped alternative to small dumpsters, and there are some applications where they may be appropriate. Keep in mind however, that they hold only three cubic yards of debris and that without rigid sides, can be very difficult to load efficiently, costing more in the long run. In addition, the bag goes to the landfill with the rest of the waste, so the environmental footprint is higher than a conventional trash dumpster.Need help deciding? Western representatives are experienced professionals ready to guide you through the process. Call us today at 303-444-2037.
CHOOSING A DUMPSTER FOR YOUR REMODELING PROJECT (continued from page 1)
Compost CornerThe City of Boulder Bear Protection ordinance requires all trash and compost to be secured from bears at all times until collected by a waste hauler for properties west of Broadway within City limits.Based on a review of the ordinance and feedback from the community, the City amended the Bear Ordinance effective March 9th, 2017. Key changes include:1. Yard waste such as branches and leaves can be put out for collection next to waste receptacle:
Compost containers in the Bear Protection Zone have to be bear-resistant and secured at all times. Branches and leaves are not considered a bear attractant. Branches can be bundled, and leaves can be placed in leaf litter bags, and both can be put out, unsecured, for collection.
2. Bear resistant containers (and recycling) can be put out the night before collection If you have a bear-resistant cart for your trash and compost, you can put you trash, compost, and recycling out for collection 8:00pm the night before collection.
3. A broken bear-resistant cart is not a defense to not securing trash If your bear-resistant cart is broken or not working, the user is responsible to arrange for repairs. Call Western Disposal right away if there are any problems with the latching system on your cart so that it can be repaired or replaced in a timely manner.
4. Fine amounts have been reduced: First offense $250 $100 Second offense $500 $250 Third offense $1,000 $500
For more information on the Bear Protection ordinance, including a map of the protection zone, visit: bouldercolorado.gov/wildlife.
WHICH PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?As part of our new processing partnership with A1 Organics, Western Disposal will now be selling A1’s BioComp® compost, in addition to Western’s own Green ‘n Gro compost, to contractors and consumers at our Trash and Recycle Center.Adding compost to your landscape and garden:• Improves soil structure, porosity and
bulk density creating a better plant root environment
• Increases moisture infiltration and permeability of heavy soils improving drainage and reducing erosion and runoff
• Improves soil structure creating a better environment for root systems.
• Improves moisture holding capacity of light soils reducing water loss and nutrient leaching
• Improves and stabilizes soil pH• Improves the ability of soil to hold nutrients• Supplies a variety of macro and micro
nutrients• Supplies significant quantities of organic
matterBoth of these products are certified by the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance program, assuring users that the products are fully processed and meet industry standards. BioComp® is produced utilizing a combination of several feedstocks including brewer’s yeast, wood wastes, biosolids and, at times, treatment plant residuals. It is free of the visual inert contaminants inherent in compost made from municipal solid waste (MSW); and because it has a lower pH and percentage of soluble salts, it is ideal for use in Colorado’s clay soils. Western’s Green ‘n Gro compost is produced using feedstocks of 100% local yard and food waste. It does contain some of the inert visual contaminants characteristic of MSW compost and for that reason is not suitable for top dressing or use in decorative beds.For more information including soil analysis data, application and incorporation information visit westerndisposal.com/compost.
Page 3 • Summer 2017
BEAR PROTECTION ORDINANCE UPDATE
UNIVERSAL ZERO WASTE ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENTIn an effort to increase overall diversion, the City of Boulder adopted the Universal Zero Waste ordinance in June of 2016. This ordinance requires all property and business owners to subscribe to trash, recycling and composting and Western Disposal has been active in working with our customers to ensure they have the services they need to meet this ordinance.
Starting June 17, 2017, this ordinance will be under full enforcement by the Code Enforcement Department and could result in fines for properties not in compliance. If you have questions about compliance, send an email to [email protected] or contact the City at 303-441-1931. If you need help in complying with the regulation, please contact our Customer Service department at 303-444-2037.
LAFAYETTE AND LOUISVILLE GREEN BUSINESS RECOGNITIONLafayette and Louisville businesses have a special opportunity to be recognized for their sustainability efforts. Both cities offer a Green Business Recognition Program to distinguish businesses taking steps towards sustainability. Lafayette and Louisville business owners are invited to complete an online application to measure their sustainability performance, identify ways to improve, and showcase their operations. In 2016, 52 Lafayette businesses and 32 Louisville businesses took advantage of the free resources and support available to help lower operating expenses Ned Jaeckle while saving energy and water, reducing waste, and encouraging more sustainable transportation. Applicants may earn a Gold, Silver or Bronze award decal to convey their efforts to customers and are eligible for recognition on the city’s website and advertisements. Applications for these programs will be available in July. For more information, visit www.cityoflafayette.com/GreenBusiness for the Lafayette program and www.louisvilleco.gov/business/green-business-recognition-program for Louisville or contact Boulder County’s Partners for a Clean Environment at 303-786-7223 or [email protected] in Lafayette or Louisville? Businesses countywide are eligible for certification and recognition for their sustainability achievements through Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE). PACE provides free expert advisor services, financial incentives and a certification program to help businesses gain recognition for their energy, waste, water, and transportation achievements. Western Disposal is proud to be a PACE certified business, and also works closely with PACE to ensure our customers have the recycling and compost services needed to meet their waste certification requirements. For more information visit pacepartners.com or contact a Business Sustainability Advisor at 303-786-7223 or [email protected]
™
Page 4 • Summer 2017
Don’t forget we offer convenient online billing and payment options. Eliminate paper invoices and have the peace of mind of automatic payments – or make instant one-time payments. Visit westerndisposal.com and sign in or sign up under “My Account”.
If you sign up for paperless billing you will automatically receive your newsletter via email. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.
Online Billing
FREE CUSTOMER APPRECIATION EVENTS DOCUMENT-SHREDDING DAYS: Come to Western Disposal’s Trash and Recycle Center, 5880 Butte Mill Road, Boulder. 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Bring your confidential materials such as tax returns, medical forms, bank statements, etc., for safe and secure destruction. These events are for Western Disposal residential customers only; events are not open to the general public.• Sunday, August 6th • Sunday, October 1st
• Volume limit: 5 copy boxes or 32-gallon bags weighing no more than 35 lbs. each
• No separating required• Clips and staples are okay• Folders and notebooks are okay.
No 3-ring binders please!• No phonebooks, catalogs or magazines• No electronic media—paper documents only.
Win One MonthFree Trash ServiceSeveral lucky residential customers will receive one month of free trash service for finding their names in this newsletter!
If you find your name, call our Customer Service Department at 303-444-2037 to receive credit on your account for one month of free service. Sorry, names mentioned as part of the stories are not eligible.
Locally Owned and Operated Since 1970
Ways to Reach Us...5880 Butte Mill Road • P.O. Box 9100
Boulder, Colorado 80301ph. (303) 444-2037Fax (303) 444-7509
Please Follow Us Online!
WE ARE CHANGING THE WAY WE PROCESS COMPOSTABLESEffective the beginning May of this year, Western is no longer processing the materials we collect into a finished compost product at our composting facility in Boulder. We will continue to accept residential yard waste and food waste, and commercial food waste from other hauling companies, as well as ourselves; grind the materials delivered to our facility to meet State of Colorado Emerald Ash Borer requirements; and then transfer it to another composting facility outside of Boulder County for processing into a final soil amendment product. The procedure will be the same as the one implemented by the City of Boulder when setting up a transfer site for Eco-Cycle and other Boulder commercial food waste haulers in Frederick, Colorado. Most importantly, this is simply a change in where the material is actually composted, not how it is collected or in who can drop off compostables our facility. We are changing from a processing facility to a drop-off facility that will grind the materials and transport them to another state-permitted composting facility in Weld County. Western Disposal customers, City of Longmont residents and customers of any other hauling companies using our drop-off/transfer facility will see no change in the customer-facing services for either residential or business customers, and the amount of waste we divert from landfills will remain the same.We have carefully studied all aspects of our composting process over the last 13 years and we are confident this is the best way forward. This is a financial decision tied to four key areas:• The first is that we are facing a $750,000 necessary capital investment in our facility to continue processing materials
into compost. The State of Colorado made changes to their regulations covering composting facilities in 2016 and we would have to make a $250,000 capital investment to build a lined retention pond for groundwater protection by May 2018. We would also have to make a $500,000 investment in equipment for replacement of machines that have exceeded their useful life in our 13 years of operations.
• Second, the resale market for the compost we make from residential yard waste with food and commercial food waste (based on our facility classification and the contaminants inherent in the material collected) is more limited, has a lower value, and we are unable to count on this market to help offset processing costs. Larger facilities with a classification that allows them to accept manures, bio-solids and other high nitrogen sources that do not contain the contaminants inherent in Municipal Solid Waste compost and can produce a more desirable end product with a higher market value which helps further offset their operational costs.
• The third consideration is the economy of scale. We take in and process into final product 17-20,000 cubic yards annually – this is about 8-10% of what A-1 Organics, the largest composter in Colorado, produces annually. As a result, our costs for capital expenditures, equipment and other related business items are amortized over a dramatically lower amount of production.
• The fourth is simply our location in the City of Boulder. Land is significantly more expensive here than it is in nearby Weld County. As a result, we pay dramatically more for the land used to compost than companies in other areas of Colorado. Clearly, this affects the cost to process compost and, ultimately, the collection costs due to a higher necessary tipping fee.
To summarize, this change to transferring from processing will not affect how compostable material is collected from the City of Boulder, Boulder County, City of Louisville or City of Longmont customers. Also, this change will not affect the amount of compostable materials that are being diverted. Transferring materials from our facility to a facility that can produce more marketable compost products Sarah Schulte at a lower cost will ensure the most economical collection costs to consumers and businesses.We will continue to sell compost made from the materials we collect, and we will also be adding A-1 Organic’s BioComp® compost to the materials we sell at our Trash and Recycle Center. Please see the “Compost Corner” in this newsletter or visit westerndisposal.com to learn more.
Related Documents
