Where Is Away? A Travel Diary of Western Mass Waste Amy Donovan Program Director Franklin County Solid Waste Management District Greenfield, MA
May 11, 2015
Where Is Away?A Travel Diary of Western Mass Waste
Amy DonovanProgram Director
Franklin County Solid Waste Management District Greenfield, MA
Overview of presentation
About Franklin County Solid Waste DistrictWhere is “away?”Recycling in Western MassAbout Commercial Composting (CC): the climate change and farm connectionCC programs: transfer stations, schools, businessesWaste Diversion: Fairs, Festivals, RacesHazardous WasteNext steps = more sustainable in 2012
Franklin County Solid Waste Management District
BernardstonBucklandCharlemontColrainConwayDeerfieldErvingGillHawleyHeathLeverett
LeydenMontagueNew Salem (CC since 2009)Northfield (CC since 2008)Orange (CC since 2011)RoweShelburneSunderlandWarwickWendellWhately (CC since 2003)
1st program in state
22 member towns: • 30 schools - 15 public school compost programs• 17 transfer stations - 4 municipal compost programs
• (only 9 in entire state)
Solid Waste District Highlights:
Recycling coordinator for Franklin CountyAnnual Household Hazardous Waste DayWhat Do I Do With…? 350 items listed www.franklincountywastedistrict.org
MassRecycle’s Recycler of the Year:www.massrecycle.org Solid Waste District, Municipal Program, 1996 Jan Ameen, Executive Director, 2005 Amy Donovan, Program Director, 2011
Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) www.springfieldmrf.org
Solid Waste District on MRF Advisory BoardBoard = annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle GuideMRF pays 74 western Mass municipalities $15- $45/ton for recyclables
Recycling saves space in landfills.
• It’s against the law In Massachusetts to put recyclable items in the trash.• Most landfills in area will close in 5 years• Expensive to open, use, and close
Trash Combustors
Covanta Energy, Springfield/ Agawam Waste-To-Energy facility Town of Deerfield sends household trash Produces 9.4 megawatts (MW) of energy, of
which 7.5 MW is sold to Northeast Utilities. Leftover ash >> landfill Emissions: mercury State: moratorium on new combustors
Composting and Recycling:
Save space in landfillsSave energySave moneySave waterSave natural resourcesCreate jobsSlow climate change!
Recycling
Recycle paper:
(staples, paper clips, notebooks
Envelopes (plastic windows, labels, stamps OK)
Recycle cardboard:
Boxboard: cereal + cracker boxes
Corrugated cardboard (clean pizza boxes OK)(no waxed cardboard)
DO NOT recycle:
NO paper products with food on themNO paper cups or plates
NO napkins, paper towels, tissuesNO egg cartonsNO hardcover booksNO copy paper wrappersNO PLASTIC BAGS, plastic wrappers or packaging!
Our paper recycling is:
Sent to Newark Mills, Fitchburg, MA78 Western MA communities recycle 32,000 tons a year.Made into board games and
hard book covers.
Guess what book’s cover was made entirely from Western MA paper recycling?......
Recycle metal, glass, and plastic containers =
“Cans and Bottles”
Empty food and liquids.Rinse when possible.
Recycle metal:
Aluminum cans, tin cans and lids, aluminum foil, aluminum pie plates
and aluminum trays
___________________________
NO paint cans or haz waste spray cans
Recycle glass:
Glass bottles and jars of all colors
______________________NO light bulbs, dishes, glasses
Recycle cartons:
Juice boxes, juice & soy milk cartons, soup boxes, milk cartons
Recycle with other containers, NOT with paper.Throw away caps and straws.
___________________________ NO Capri Sun pouches
Recycle plastic:Plastic bottles,
jars,
tubs,
and jugs
Food, soap, and beverage containers only!
Throw away bottle caps.
DO NOT recycle this plastic:
NO Styrofoam NO:
NO small items (plastic utensils, straws)
NO PLASTIC BAGS, wrap
NO plastic cups, plates, utensilsNO butter, packetsNO compostable plastics No compostable water bottles!
Be careful with plastic bags:they blow away and harm wildlife and the environment!
At the recycling factory:Plastic bags cause accidents if they get wrapped around sorting equipment.Recycle in stores only! NOT in regular recycling programs!
Home composting
Home composting is different than at school:
YES: compost fruit, vegetables, bread, leaves
NO: meat, bones, cheese!(animal products)
NO: milk cartons, paper
Save $ on trash disposal, buying soil/ fertilizer
Commercial Composting
“Commercial Composting”= “Organics Recycling”=“On-Farm”=“Food Waste”…goes way beyond the backyard bin!
Commercial Composting accepts materials previously destined for trash = less trash
Acceptable materials:All food including items not composted at home: Meat, chicken, fish, bones, dairy, fats, oils
(+ bread, veggies, fruits)All paper including non recyclable: Paper cups, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, waxed
cardboard, waxed paper, soiled pizza boxes, soiled paper, soiled paper bags, flour/ sugar bags, egg cartons
Wood: skewers, chopsticks, coffee stirrers, sporks“Compostable plastic:” PLA cups, certain bags
NO plastic, metal, glass, foil, etc.!
Compost is good for plants: • adds nutrients to soil• reduces need to water• replaces chemical fertilizers
Farmland
Finished compost
CC’s benefits to participating organizations and planet:
Save money on tipping fees: Trash: $75/ ton Compostables: $45/ ton
Reduce trash dumpster size or reduce pickups and save on trash disposal /hauling costsSupports local commercial composting facilities/ farms = local businessSaves space in landfillsCreates valuable soil out of wasteMitigates climate change!
Composting helps slow Climate Change
Climate Change is caused by greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
Greenhouse Gases:Carbon Dioxide MethaneNitrous Oxide
The Climate Change Connection
When food waste (and paper) decay in a landfill, methane is released (due to anaerobic conditions).
Methane is a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Landfill Gas Recovery not always a solution.
Methane pipe at a landfill
Why doesn’t composting release methane? Because oxygen is part of the composting process (aerobic). There is no oxygen in a landfill (anaerobic).
More info:www.cool2012.com
Windrows
Bear Path Farm, Whately, MA
Windrows at Martin’s Farm
Martin’s Farm in Greenfield accepts compost from schools:Deerfield Academy,Pioneer HS,Mohawk HS,Turners Falls HS Deerfield ES,Erving ES, Sunderland ES, Amherst, more..
transfer stations:Northampton, Northfield,
markets: Big Y stores, Greenfield Stop & Shop,Greenfields Market,
plus restaurants…
Windrow turner at Martin’s Farm, Greenfield, MA
Whately Transfer Station:first municipal program in the state
Northfield Transfer Station: 2 yd dumpster
Saves town $1,384/ year
School composting
Gill Elementary: food, milk cartons, paper in green compostable bag
School kitchens compost food prep trimmings, expired food.
2 yard compost dumpster
Shelburne Falls Compost Collaborative
Blue Rock Restaurant, The Baker’s Oven,Mocha Maya’s, Mo’s Fudge Factor, West End Pub
• Shared compost dumpster• Cost is shared according to volume• Food waste, napkins, paper towels, cardboard
Waste Diversion/ Reduction: Fairs, Festivals, Races
Pictured: Recycling Volunteers at Conway Festival of the Hills
Solid Waste District’s Special Event Bin Loaner Program
Franklin County Fair
25,000 attendees, 4 day Fair2011 Fair: 29% diversion rate50% savings: disposal costs
Volunteers needed!- Green Fair, next weekend- FC Fair, Sept. 8-11- Community Service hours!
Household Hazardous Waste
Any substance labeled: CAUSTIC, TOXIC, CORROSIVE,
POISON, FLAMMABLE, WARNING, DANGER, CAUTION www.franklincountywastedistrict.org/hazardouswaste.html
These hazardous items should not be put in trash:
Household hazardous waste, motor oil
Oil paint
Fluorescent light bulbs
Cell phones + batteriesBatteries: button, lithium, rechargeable (take to Home Depot/ Radio Shack)
“E-waste” (computers, phones, printers, etc.) Google “60 Minutes e-waste” Take to Staples, Best Buy
Mercury Thermostats & Mercury Thermostats & Thermometers:Thermometers:
… can be brought to the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District office at 50 Miles St. in Greenfield and be properly disposed of for no charge.(413-772-2438)
…call your municipality to see if accepted.
Also, CFLs, batteries, cell phones, e-waste….
… should never be thrown in the trash. They contain mercury, which is toxic.
Next Steps: Increasing Sustainability in 2012
2012 Reduce, Reuse Recycle GuideEducate DA community about composting + recyclingIdentify and address gaps in recycling on campusRecycle batteries, phones, e-waste, CFLsReduce disposables, increase reusablesSupport Expanded Bottle Bill: massbottlebill.blogspot.comMake manufacturers responsible for waste: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
www.productpolicy.org Product Stewardship: www.productstewardship.us
Questions?
Amy Donovan, Program DirectorFranklin County Solid Waste Management District Member, Springfield MRF Advisory Board50 Miles Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 (413) 772-2438 amy@franklincountywastedistrict.orgwww.franklincountywastedistrict.org