October 1999 Complex Recycling Issueswmnorthwest.com/2012summary/pdf/epa1.pdf · household and the household does not begin to comply with the recycling program, the complex can fine

Why are special multi-family dwelling (MFD) wastereduction programs necessary?

The U.S. has nearly 97.7 million occupied residential units, 15.9 million of which arelocated in buildings or complexes with five or more units.1 Residents in these

households are often left out of community curbside recycling programs because (1)programs where each household places materials at the curb for collection are notsuited to many MFDs, and (2) commercial waste haulers, not local government, typicallyprovide waste management services to MFDs. Yet, residents in MFDs often want theopportunity to participate in waste reduction programs and desire the convenience ofcurbside collection.

What is a MFD waste reduction program?

There is no single model for a MFD waste reduction program because of variation inbuilding size, layout, resident characteristics, and trash disposal systems. Some

programs collect both yard debris and other recyclables. Others collect only recyclables.Some require residents to deliver materials to a central location. Others providecollection from doorways or at curbs. In general, successful programs provide residentswith the convenience of curbside collection while fitting into existing wastemanagement systems.

Benefits of MFD waste reduction programs■ Decrease waste disposal costs for building owners and households;■ Bring buildings into compliance with applicable MFD recyclinglaws/regulations;■ Help achieve local and state recycling goals;■ Make recycling accessible to more of the community.

Complex RecyclingIssuesStrategies for Record-Setting

Waste Reduction in Multi-Family Dwellings

United StatesEnvironmental ProtectionAgency

Solid Waste andEmergency Response(5306W)

EPA-530-F-99-022October 1999www.epa.gov/osw

The Waste Reduction Record-Setters Project fosters thedevelopment of exceptional waste reduction programs bydocumenting successful ones. These programs can be used as models forothers implementing their own programs to reduce waste. This fact sheet packet is orientedtoward recycling coordinators, building managers and owners, and highlights record-setting multi-family dwelling (MFD) waste reduction programs.

1, 2, 3 BRAPARTMENTSFOR RENT1 (800) 555-RENT

20%25%

30%50%55%60%

Numerous strategies, policies, andprocedures contribute to the success

of the record-setting MFD wastereduction programs profiled in this factsheet. These include:

Enacted state and locallaws or requirementsState and local laws have encouragedcommunities to institute waste reductionprograms among MFDs served bymunicipal trash programs and encouragebuildings and complexes served byprivate companies to develop their ownwaste reduction programs.■ California’s law requiring all cities to divert

50% of their solid waste by the year 2000spurred San Jose to start its Recycle PlusProgram in 1993. Under this program, thecity offered recycling services to residentsof MFDs for the first time.

■ Leisure World, in Laguna Hills, California,instituted its waste reduction program theyear after the state passed its law.

■ The Syracuse Housing Authority institutedrecycling in apartment buildings under itsjurisdiction in response to state and localregulations.

Encourage residentparticipationJust a few people who do not recyclecorrectly, contaminating recycling binswith the wrong items or throwing awayrecyclables, can greatly influence others.This is especially true in buildings withcommon recycling areas. Contaminatedrecycling bins, may send the message thatthe program is not serious.

The profiled record-setters have usedfines, education, lease requirements, andincentives to encourage individualtenants to reduce waste.■ If the management at Blossom Hills Estates

in San Jose, California, finds a lot ofrecyclables in trash from a particularhousehold and the household does notbegin to comply with the recyclingprogram, the complex can fine the residents$30.

■ Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA) usesboth fines and one-on-one education toencourage residents to reduce waste. Forthe first improper recycling offense, SHAfines residents $5. SHA often dismissesappealed fines, but uses the opportunity toexplain the importance of recycling andhow to do it correctly.

■ Saint Paul and Seattle both recommendthat building managers require residents torecycle in all leases. San Jose Green Team

staff provide building managers with modellease agreements incorporating recyclingrequirements.

■ The University of Michigan sponsorscompetitions among residence halls toreward conservation efforts, includingwaste reduction.

Seek managementparticipationWaste reduction programs needmanagement commitment to succeed.Communities with record-setting MFDwaste reduction programs use bothincentives to encourage participation anddisincentives to discourage non-compliance with program requirements.■ Both Seattle and San Jose charge volume-

based fees for trash collection and providerecycling services at no additional charge.MFDs with successful waste reductionprograms can save money on trashdisposal.

■ East Orange’s local recycling ordinanceallows the city to fine apartmentmanagement and/or discontinue both trashand recycling services for failure to complywith the city’s requirements. Discontinuingservice would force management to pay aprivate hauler for a service they havealready paid for through city property taxes.

What qualifies as a record-setting MFD program?This fact sheet packet profiles three types of MFD recycling programs; (1) community-wideprograms, (2) single-building or -complex programs, and (3) a university residence hall program.Waste reduction levels vary within each profile type.

Of the nine profiled programs, the four community record-setters report waste reduction levelsfrom 22% to 25%. A selected representative building participating in the Syracuse Public HousingMFD recycling program reached a diversion level of 20%. A recent U.S. EPA-funded study ofmunicipal MFD recycling programs completed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported theaverage program diverted 15% of residents’ waste from disposal through recycling.2 Only 11 ofthe 40 communities studied achieved recycling rates of over 20%.3

Individual buildings and complexes have been able to achieve higher waste reduction levels thanentire communities. The three building and complex programs profiled here are recoveringbetween 50% and 65% of their waste, impressive recovery rates in any setting.

The one profiled university program, the University of Michigan, is achieving a 30% wastereduction level. This program is one of the oldest university residence hall recycling programs andmay have the highest dormitory waste reduction level.

Implementing a record-setting MFD waste reduction program

The University of Michiganuses these small recycling binsin its dormitory recyclingprogram.

Make programsconvenientBuilding layout and residentdemographics may help determineprogram design. However, recyclingcoordinators stress convenience as anunderlying theme for collectionmethods.■ The Commodore Club in Key Biscayne,

Florida, uses a chute for trash andrecyclables. Computer controls ensuresource-separated materials drop intothe proper receptacle. This systemallows residents to deliver both trashand recyclables to the same place andeliminates the need for a recycling areaon each floor of the building.

■ Saint Paul uses the same set-out system,list of acceptable items, and instructionsfor preparation of materials throughoutthe city. This makes education easier,and it means that a resident who movesdoes not have to relearn recyclingrequirements.

■ Syracuse Housing Authority hasbrought the convenience of curbsideservice to some of its public housingresidents. Where space allows, residentsreceive door-to-door pick-up of bothtrash and recyclables. In some high-rises, residents receive door-to-doorpick-up of recyclables, but must bringtrash to a chute, which empties into abasement compactor.

■ When buildings join the East OrangeMFD waste reduction program, a cityinspector evaluates the building andhelps management tailor the programto the individual building layout andtrash collection system.

EducateEducation is an important tool toencourage proper programparticipation in any waste reductionprogram. Because apartments have ahigher turnover than single-familyhomes, education efforts must becontinual, and more intensive thanwith single-family homes. Record-setting MFD waste reductioneducation programs use a variety ofmedia vehicles to spread messages,repeat messages frequently, often usepictures or multiple languages in theiroutreach efforts, and spread themessage within buildings throughmeetings and volunteers.■ The University of Michigan spreads

waste reduction messages throughsigns in recycling areas, a newsletter, itsWeb page, displays on campus, and atstudent meetings. These educationalefforts are on-going throughout theacademic year.

■ Managers at Blossom Hill Estates sendinformational mailings about wastereduction programs to every householdthree times a year and provide residentsone-on-one training on an ongoingbasis.

■ Saint Paul’s educational materialsprovide basic, clear guidelines and areavailable in many languages (includingEnglish, Spanish, Russian, Cambodian,Hmong, Chinese, Vietnamese, andSomali).

■ Seattle uses MFD resident volunteers tospread recycling messages in theirbuildings through the city’s “Friend ofRecycling” program. Programvolunteers attend a city training session,

then serve as recycling advocates intheir buildings.

CompostMany MFDs have little landscaping butthose with lawns, trees, and shrubsfind composting can help themachieve high waste reduction levelsand often saves money.■ Leisure World is a sprawling residential

community where landscaping crewscollect yard debris for composting. Infiscal year 1996, the complex diverted30% of its waste through composting,avoided more than $130,000 in disposalfees for the diverted material, and cutlandscaping costs by using finishedcompost and mulch on-site.

■ San Jose provides yard trimmingscollection services to all of the city’shousehold, including MFDs. Yardtrimmings account for 66% of materialdiverted from the multi-family wastestream.

Provide feedbackProviding feedback to residents helpsthem understand that their efforts doindeed make a difference.Communicating successes and failuresto building management in a timelymanner can alert them to potentialdifficulties and help them solveproblems before low participation orcontamination jeopardize programviability.■ In Saint Paul, providing feedback is easy.

The city requires haulers to reportmonthly pick-up information for eachaccount served. The Saint PaulNeighborhood Energy Consortiumdistributes posters that buildingmanagers can use to graph these dataand display recycling achievements.

■ East Orange MFD recycling collectionstaff note decreases in amounts ofmaterials recovered and increases incontamination at buildings on anongoing basis. When collection staffreport problems, city management workwith building staff to rectify theproblem.

Implementing a record-setting MFD waste reduction program

Bins for recyclables at aMFD complex in Saint,Paul, Minnesota

Record-SettingProgram

Blossom HillEstates, San Jose,California

Commodore ClubCondominiums,Key Biscayne,Florida

East Orange, NewJersey

Leisure World,Laguna Hills,California

Saint Paul,Minnesota

San Jose,California

Seattle,Washington

Syracuse HousingAuthority,Syracuse, NewYork

University ofMichigan, AnnArbor, Michigan

Model Programs — Some Numbers and Descriptions# Households

736

187

6,236

12,736

27,114

80,440

54,900

2,600

5,000

Materials Recovered

ONP; OCC; OMG; mixed paper; glasscontainer; cans; juice and milk cartons;plastic bags, bottles, and jugs;polystyrene packaging; scrap metals;empty aerosol cans; textiles; yardtrimmings

ONP; aluminum; steel cans; glass foodand beverage containers; #1,2, & 3plastics

ONP, OMG, phone books, cans; #1 & #2plastics, glass containers

ONP, OMG, aluminum, glass food andbeverage containers, white goods, scrapmetal, laser cartridges, yard trimmings

ONP, OMG, OCC, phone books, mail,paperboard, glass

ONP; OCC; OMG; mixed paper; glasscontainer; cans; juice and milk cartons;plastic bags, bottles, and jugs;polystyrene packaging; scrap metals;empty aerosol cans; textiles; yardtrimmings

ONP, OMG, mixed paper, glasscontainers, cans. Two out of fourcontracted collection companies alsocollect #1 and #2 plastic bottles

ONP, OMG, OCC, mixed paper, glass andmetal food and beverage containers,aluminum foil and pans, aerosol cans,milk and juice cartons

ONP, OCC, OMG, mixed paper, glass, #1 &#2 plastics, aluminum, aerosol cans,juice and milk cartons, ceramics, scrapmetal

Collection Strategy

sets of three 96-gallon recycling bins(one for each: newspaper, mixedpaper, and other recyclables)

chute in laundry room on each floorempties into containers in basement.Computer delivers container fornewspaper, cans, glass, or plasticsunder chute as needed.

sets of two 90-gallon carts (paperproducts in one; containers in theother), approximately one set per 30households

various methods for different buildingtypes: curbside collection; commoncollection containers; centralizeddrop-off site

clusters of six 90-gallon wheeled carts;at least one cluster for every 100households

one set of three 96-gallon recyclingbins (one for each: newspaper, mixedpaper, and other recyclables) for every25 households

each contractor has a slightly differentsystem but buildings joining nowrequire residents to sort materials intofour streams. Containers usedincluded dumpsters and toters.

buildings have different methods:door to door pick-up; commoncollection rooms on each floor ofbuilding

common collection rooms on eachfloor of residence halls. Studentsseparate OCC, mixed paper, mixedother recyclables

% Waste StreamRecovered

65% in onecomplex

50% in secondcomplex

59%

22%

50%

23%

25%

23%

Not available forall buildings:

20% for ToomeyAbbott Tower

(293households)

30%

ONP = newspaper OCC = corrugated cardboard OMG = magazines and catalogsNote: Comparisons of program data should be undertaken with care. It is not valid to compare different types of programs with each other.For example, community-wide recycling rates are not comparable with rates in single-building programs. Furthermore, cost data presented inthe profiles are not meant to be comparable among programs. Data are presented in order to compare costs of waste management elementsin each individual program.

Q Can recycling help decrease mycosts?

A By disposing fewer tons, disposalcharges can decrease. Building

owners and managers often can savemoney by reducing trash pick-upfrequency and/or dumpster size. Inaddition, higher recovery rates lead tolower per ton costs for recycling. Arecent study reported that ascommunity-wide MFD diversion levelsincreased, per ton collection costs forrecyclables decreased.4

Q Will I have huge start-up costs?

A Not necessarily. Start-up costscan vary considerably and need

not be large. Some community MFDprograms provide collectioncontainers and bins and/or provideeducational tools and assistance.Some private haulers also provide orrent collection containers. In contrast,installing a new chute system or othersystem with high equipment costs willbe more expensive in the short runand may have a longer pay-backperiod. In all cases though, the higheryour diversion, the shorter your pay-back period will be.

Q We just completed a bigeducational program. When do I

need to do another one?

A Start tomorrow. Because of highresident turnover in MFDs and

difficulty identifying individuals that arenot participating, education effortsmust be continual and more intensivethan with single-family homes. Newtenants will need concentratededucational efforts to help them up the

learning curve. In-person contact isbest. Some coordinators spend timewith residents going through their trashand going over what is and is notrecyclable.

Q Which MFD waste reductionsystem works best?

A There is no one system that worksin every building or community.

Building layout and area fire and healthcodes and zoning regulations maydictate program design. Specialconsiderations may also need to bemade for typical residents. For example,programs designed for senior citizenhousing should take into account thatresidents often have limited strengthand mobility. Finally, the program mayneed some adjusting to get it just right.You may find that you need morecollection containers than originallyplanned, or that your signs are a bitconfusing. Listening, evaluating, andadjusting will help you create a highdiversion, cost-saving program.

Q Why is designing a convenientprogram so important?

A Residents and staff may not wantto participate if they perceive the

program requires more time or effortthan just throwing materials away.Placing recycling containers close totrash containers and allowing residentsto commingle recyclables can enhanceconvenience.

Q Our residents want to recycle butthe maintenance staff are

opposed. How can we sell theprogram to them?

A Involve the staff in programplanning. If you already have a

program, ask the staff how they wouldimprove it. Collection staff may haveinsight into how to solve problems,increase participation, and make theprogram more efficient. Asking for andusing staff advice can create programbuy-in, potentially save money, and helpyou reach higher waste diversion levels.

Q My community offers wastereduction programs for MFDs,

but many buildings and complexesdo not participate. How can we geteveryone on board?

A All of the profiled communityrecord-setters mandate waste

reduction in MFDs or provide financialincentives for successful wastereduction. Mandates can include stateor local community requirements thatMFDs offer waste reductionopportunities to residents;requirements that private waste haulersprovide waste reduction services totheir customers; or requirements that allresidents, including those in MFDs,participate. Financial incentives forbuilding management and owners caninclude charging for trash based onweight or volume and providing wastereduction services at a lower rate or noextra charge or charging more for trashservices at buildings and complexesthat do not participate in wastereduction programs.

Creating and maintaining a record-setting MFD recycling programSome questions and answers

Tips from record-setters■ Involve residents in program planningand implementation.■ Provide waste reduction educationand information to new residents whenthey first move into units.■ Educate people on what needs to bedone and why. Recycling will help theenvironment in many ways.5

■ Provide clear, simple explanatorymaterials.■ Use multiple means of getting themessage out — including tenantmeetings, newsletters, lease clauses,posters celebrating achievements, anddirect mailings.■ Help people learn. Work with people.Explain in person how and what torecycle.■ Re-educate whenever programschange. For example, hand out flyerswhenever new materials are added.■ Use in-building volunteers tocommunicate with other residents aboutprogram difficulties and successes.■ Make participation simple andconvenient.■ Reach residents by placinginformation where the residents are, suchas on or near recycling containers.■ Encourage or reward residentparticipation.■ Require that residents recyclethrough their lease agreements.■ Ensure management support andlong-term commitment.■ Pay attention to the needs of yourcollection staff; they are an important

element in a successful recycling system.Be open to letting workers create systemsthat work for them. Listen... listen... listen!■ Pay attention to the ergonomics ofhandling. Do not be afraid to go intodebt to capitalize equipment thatimproves efficiency and safety.■ Keep careful cost and tonnagerecords in order to recognize true costsavings.■ Focus on recovering materials withhigh volume and high value.■ Provide feedback. Mail residentsletters and talk to them.

Tips for municipalplanners to promote MFDwaste reduction■ Mandate waste reduction programavailability and participation.■ Require haulers to provide recyclingservices to MFDs.■ Create a mechanism for encouragingowners or managers of buildings tocomply with recycling requirements.■ Be flexible in program design. Fit thesystem to each building.■ Consider using municipal employeesto implement the program because of theopportunity for increased oversight.■ Show owners that they can realize bigsavings through recycling.■ Educate building owners. Owners canonly use services they know about.■ Accept the same materials and use aconsistent sorting system for all programparticipants in your community.■ Produce educational materials usingsimple graphics.■ Produce educational materials inmultiple languages if some of the localpopulation does not speak English.■ Be persistent. Maintaining highdiversion levels at multi-family homesrequires ongoing efforts from recyclingcoordinators and building managers.■ Have a mechanism to deny service ifcomplexes consistently set outcontaminated materials.■ Develop good relationships with theprocessors of your recyclables.

ResourcesMultifamilyRecycling: AGoldenOpportunity for SolidWaste Reduction (EPA530-F-99-10) andMultifamily Recycling: A National Study(EPA530-R-99-11). Both published bythe U.S. EPA and available from theRCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346 .

Success with Multifamily Recycling: AHandbook for Owners and Managers.1992. Produced by Metro Solid WasteDepartment,Portland, OR. (503) 797-1700.

Strength in Numbers. A 10-minute videoavailable from Association of NewJersey Environmental Commissions,(973) 539-7547.

Guide for Preparing Solid WasteReduction and Recycling Plans for Multi-family Residential Units. Produced byOSCAR, the Rhode Island Department ofEnvironmental Management, (401) 277-3434

Multi-Residence Recycling Guide.Produced by the New York Departmentof Environmental Conservation and theCornell Cooperative Extension. (518)457-7337.

Notes1 U.S. Census Bureau, 1995 American

Housing Survey. Available at<http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/ahs.html>.

2 Stevens, Barbara J., Ph.D., Multi-family recycling: The data are in.Resource Recycling. April 1998, pp.14-18.

3 Stevens, Barbara J., Ph.D., personalcommunication, April 28, 1999.

4 Stevens, op. cit.5 See the U.S. EPA publication Puzzled

about Recycling's Value? Look Beyondthe Bin (EPA530-K-98-008) for moreinformation about the benefits ofrecycling.

The Waste Reduction Record-Setters Project was developed

under a U.S. EPA grant by theInstitute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). Formore information on the project, contact ILSR,2425 18th Street, NW,Washington, DC 20009,phone (202) 232-4108, fax (202) 332-0463,Web site (http://www.ilsr.org).

The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Ecodata,Inc. provided data and much of the programinformation for the East Orange, Saint Paul,and Seattle profiles. This information wasdeveloped as part of a national study fundedby the U.S. EPA.

Program Description

In San Jose, Green Team, a localcompany contracted by the city,

provides multi-family dwellings withsets of three specially marked 96-gallon bins: one for newspaper; onefor mixed paper; and one for othermixed recyclables. At Blossom Hill

Estates, residents bring recyclables tobins kept next to the trash containersin outdoor trash corrals. Building

maintenance staff bring both trash andrecycling containers into the alley oncea week on pick-up day.

Since 1980, CMS Properties, a locallandscaping company, has taken care of

all the landscape work at Blossom HillEstates II. CMS brings yard trimmings to

a commercial composting company andthen buys back finished compost for itslandscaping work. There is nolandscaping at Blossom Hill Estates I.

When recycling began at BlossomHill Estates II, the first of two complexesto recycle, building managers sentresidents information about what andhow to recycle. After two months,managers sent letters to everyhousehold that had not recycledproperly. Letters explained that

residents should recycle, what they shouldrecycle, and how and where to do it. Staffidentified “violators” by going through trashbags and finding an item with the resident’sname on it. Reaching a 50% diversion rate tooka year.

When the program began at the secondcomplex (Blossom Hill Estates I), whenever thetrash container was full and recyclingcontainers were not, management staff sent aletter to every resident in the complex as wellas to the landlord explaining the recyclingprogram and encouraging residents to recycle.After two months, managers began a newtactic. Now, if they find a lot of recyclables in


Blossom Hill EstatesSan Jose, California50% and 65% Waste Reduction Rate

A California law requiring all cities to divert 50% of their solid wasteby 2000 led the managers of Blossom Hill Estates to city hall to try tofight recycling. When they realized they could not, they decided toimplement a strong model program. Now, working with therecycling program is one of the highlights of their job. Residents ofthe two complexes that comprise Blossom Hill Estates recycle over 50% of theirsolid waste. The first complex began recycling in 1993; the second began in April 1997. Sinceimplementing recycling, Blossom Hill Estates I and II have reduced total disposal costs by 40%and 41% respectively.



EPA-530-F-99-022aOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

>50

Materials Collected

NewspaperCorrugated cardboardMixed paper (magazines, catalogs, paper

bags, telephone books, paperboard,colored and white paper, envelopes,mail, paper egg cartons)

Glass containersCansJuice and milk cartonsPlastic bottles and jugsPolystyrene packagingScrap metals (including aluminum foil

and pie pans, metal can lids, smallmetal appliances, hubcaps, metal pots)

TextilesYard trimmings

This profile is part of the fact sheet Complex Recycling Issues: Strategies for Record-Setting Waste Reduction in Multi-Family Dwellings (EPA-530-F-99-022).

trash from a particular household, theysend that resident and the landlord aletter. The letter contains notice of a$30 fine for not recycling as well as anexplanation that if a resident canrecycle properly for 90 days, theresident does not have to pay the fine.Residents reached a 50% diversion ratewithin 90 days of programimplementation.

Outreach Activities

At both complexes, buildingmanagers spend time with residents

going through residents’ trash,explaining what is recyclable, how toprepare it, and where to put it. Inaddition, building management staffsend informational mailings to everyhousehold and the landlord three timesper year.

Costs/Benefits

Start-up costs were minimal.Operating costs, including mailings

to every resident three times per year,are also low. The city provides recyclingcollection containers, and does notcharge extra for recycling services. Thetrash fees MFDs pay cover recyclingservices. Trash fees have been fairlyconsistent from 1993 to 1997. Duringthe first year of programimplementation at Blossom Hill EstatesII, building management spent $2,000on stamps sending letters to allresidents.

Total disposal and compostingcosts at Blossom Hill Estates II were$77,500 per year before the recyclingprogram; total trash and wastereduction costs dropped by 41% to only$45,300 in 1997. Disposal costs atBlossom Hill Estates I were $67, 000 peryear before the recycling program; trashand diversion cost $40,000 in 1997,representing a 40% reduction in costs.

In total, Blossom Hill Estates avoidsalmost $60,000 per year on disposalcosts and diverts more than 50% of itswaste at a cost of less than $14,000.

Of the money that Blossom HillEstates pays for landscape services,approximately $1,100 per month is forcomposting services.

Tips for Replication■ Show owners that they can realizebig savings through recycling.■ Educate people on what needs tobe done and why. Explain that nobodyis making more land for landfills.Recycling will help the environment.■ Help people learn. Show themhow to prepare recyclables. Work withpeople.

Contact:Bill HolmanJane HolmanBuilding ManagersBlossom Hill Estates 25533 Snell AvenueSuite 203San Jose, CA 95123(408) 281-3771

Start DateType of Multi-Family Buildings

Households Served

Total Waste Generated (Tons)DisposedDiverted*

Total Diverted (%)Recycled*Composted*

Average Generation(lbs./HH/day)

DisposedDiverted

Fees per YearDisposalDiversion

Net Costs per HH per YearDisposal services per HHDiversion services per HHSavings per HH

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Bill and Jane Holm

an,Blossom Hill Estates;1999.

Program SummaryBlossom Hill Estates I

19974 units per building, 98buildings in complex392

BeforeRecycling 1997

624 624624 312

0 3120% 50%0% 50%0% 0%8.7 8.7

8.7 4.40.0 4.4

$67,200 $40,133$67,200 $39,504

$0 $629$171 $102$171 $101

$0 $2$69

HH = householdNote: Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.*ILSR estimated tons recycled and composted. Recycled tonnage was set equal to the reduction in trash disposal atBlossom Hill Estates during the period studied. IlSR converted volume of yard trimmings to weight using thefollowing conversions: 1 cubic yard brush = 300 lbs.; 1 cubic yard of grass clippings = 702 lbs.

Blossom Hill Estates II

19934 units per building, 86buildings in complex344

BeforeRecycling 1997

595 595520 208

75 38713% 65%

0% 52%13% 13%9.5 9.5

8.3 3.31.2 6.2

$77,472 $45,336$64,272 $32,136$13,200 $13,200

$225 $138$187 $93

$38 $45$87

Program Description

Residents of Key Biscayne CommodoreClub condominiums in Key Biscayne,

Florida (population 8,854, 1990census), have been recycling using amodified trash chute system since1992. Residents separate newspaper,aluminum cans, glass food and

beverage containers, and #1, #2, and#3 plastics for recycling. Eachmaterial goes down the chute into itsown receptacle.

The system, designed by Hi-RiseRecycling Systems, Inc., works as

follows: a computer panel with buttonsfor trash, newspaper, glass, plastics, andcans is located next to the door of achute in the laundry room on each floor.Bins corresponding to each type ofmaterial sit on a rotating platform underthe chute opening in the basement.When a resident wants to throw awaytrash, she pushes the trash button onthe panel. This causes the platform inthe basement to rotate the trashcontainer directly under the opening.When the container is in place, a lightappears on the computer panel, thechute door unlocks, the residentopens the door and throws awayher trash. Next, she may push the

button for newspaper recycling. The platformin the basement rotates so that the newspapercontainer is under the chute opening, and thesystem is ready for her recyclable newspaper.The platform contains two containers for trashand four for recyclables.

Waste Management of Dade County picksup trash every Monday through Saturday, andrecyclables once a week. The company picksup trash more frequently than recyclables toavoid odor and vector problems. There is verylittle contamination of recyclables. AlthoughWaste Management can charge the building forcontaminated loads, Commodore ClubCondominiums has never been charged. Thebuilding manager, in charge of running therecycling program, believes that the fast, easycollection system encourages highparticipation rates and high-quality separationof recyclables.

Building staff service the basementtrash/recycling room twice a day to switch binsif necessary and ensure the system is runningproperly. They pressure clean the bins monthly.

Materials Collected

NewspaperAluminumSteel cansGlass food and beverage containersPlastics # 1, 2, & 3


Commodore ClubCondominiumsKey Biscayne, Florida59% Waste Reduction Rate

Residents of the 187-household Commodore Club Condominiumsin Key Biscayne, Florida, an island suburb of Miami, have beenrecycling since 1992. Using a modified trash chute system, whichaccommodates trash and separated recyclables, residents recycle approximately 59%of their solid waste. This saves the condominium approximately $1,500 per year in disposal costsand an estimated $3,000 per year in indirect costs, such as pest control.



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59


Outreach Activities

Many residents were involved inchoosing this recycling system and

became interested in participating.Once they chose the system, arepresentative from Hi-Rise Recyclingconducted a workshop at the complex,explaining how the system worked,what the county accepted for recycling,how materials should be separated, theplastics coding system, and whatresidents needed to do to ensure asuccessful program.

During the program’s first threemonths, the Hi-Rise representativevisited Commodore Club at least every-other day to check the containers in thebasement and talk to residents asneeded. She put a new reinforcementposter in each chute room every twoweeks. After three months, she sentevery resident a letter congratulatingthem on their recycling efforts.

On an ongoing basis, Hi-Risesupplies literature, which building staffleave in common areas, includinginstructions for how to recycle at thechutes.

Costs/Benefits

In 1991, before implementing therecycling system, Commodore Club

paid an estimated $2,130 per month intrash hauling charges. Thecondominiums also paid approximately$7,300 in labor costs per year relating totrash collection and removal. Haulingand labor costs before the recyclingprogram were approximately $32,900per year.

In 1998, Commodore Club paid$714 per month for the Hi-Rise system.This included installation andmaintenance. This is a lease-to-own rateand, in 1999, Commodore Club will havepaid for the system. AlthoughCommodore Club will continue to pay amonthly maintenance fee, this will bemuch lower than its current monthlyrental charge, and savings over previous

trash costs will increase. In addition tothe monthly fees, Commodore Club pays$1,750 in hauling charges per month,based on a per container pick-up chargefor both trash and recyclables.Commodore Club also paysapproximately $1,800 per year in laborcosts relating to trash and recyclingservices. Because building services staffused to pick up trash on each floor,concentrating all trash and recyclables inone place has greatly reduced labor timefor pick-up and maintenance. In total, fortrash and recyclables service,Commodore Club pays approximately$31,400 per year.

Since implementing its recyclingprogram, Commodore Club has savedapproximately $1,600 per year in trashcosts in addition to an estimated $3,000per year in indirect costs such as reducedcleaning and pest control in the trashrooms on each floor.

Tips for Replication■ Make recycling easy. In order toreach high recovery rates, recycling hasto be easy for residents.■ Simplify separation and recoveryprocedures.■ Ensure management support.Management support makes a hugedifference in program success.

Contacts:Joe BierGeneral ManagerKey Biscayne Commodore Club 1177 Ocean Lane DriveKey Biscayne, FL 33149(305) 361-1656

Amy CreekmurHi-Rise Recycling, Inc.16255 N.W. 54 Ave.Miami, FL 33014(305) 624-9222 fax (305) 625-4666

Start Date 1992Type of Multi-Family Building 12-story building, built circa 1972Households Served 187; 139 2-bedroom units, 24 3-bedroom

units, 24 1-bedroom unitsTotal Waste Generated (Tons) 89

Disposed 37Diverted 52

Total Diverted (%) 59%Materials Recovered (Tons) 52

Newspaper 42Mixed glass 4Aluminum cans 1Plastics 6

Average Generation (lbs./HH/day) 2.6Disposed 1.1Diverted 1.5

Cost per year*Before recycling program $33,000 (estimated)With recycling program $31,400 (estimated)

Cost per HH per yearBefore recycling program $176 per HH per year (estimated)With recycling program $168 per HH per year (estimated)

HH = householdNumbers may not add to total due to rounding.* Costs represent labor costs for Commodore Club employees who spend time handling trash and recycling,hauling contractor costs, and Hi-Rise system rental fees (with recycling program).

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Joe Bier,Key Biscayne Comm

odore Club;1999.

Program Summary, 1998

Program Description

East Orange, New Jersey (population 73,000),is located about 15 miles west of New York

City, and is a highly urban community.Well over 50% of households in EastOrange reside in multi-familybuildings. All multi-familyhouseholds receive curbsiderecycling service, with a combined

single-family/small multi-familyservice provided under contract, anda separate recycling collection to

complexes with 50 or more unitsprovided by municipal employees. Aprivate firm, under city contract, collectstrash for the entire city.

East Orange instituted single-familyrecycling in 1989, and followed with aMFD recycling program three years later.Recycling is mandated by state law whichrequires communities to offer recyclingservices and residents to separaterecyclables from trash. East Orange’slocal recycling ordinance allows the cityto fine apartment management forfailure to comply with the city’srecycling requirements and allows thecity to discontinue both trash andrecycling services for non-compliance. The city has fined somecomplexes but has neverdiscontinued service to a building.

The single-family program and

the multi-family recycling programs

each recycle the same materials, in a twoseparation set-out. The city provides its multi-family customers with sets of 90-gallon carts,with each set of two carts serving about 30households. Paper products go in one cart andcommingled containers in the second. Thesecarts are typically placed near trash receptaclesin complexes with common trash areas. Inbuildings with trash chutes, city staff usuallyplace small recycling containers on each floorand building maintenance staff are responsiblefor emptying these containers into the centralcontainers for collection by city crews.

City crews use six-cubic-yard rear-loadingpacker trucks to provide weekly collectionservice to East Orange’s MFDs. They collectpaper on one pass and commingled containerson a separate pass. City crews deliver collectedrecyclables to a materials recovery facility(MRF), which a private firm operates. The citypays no tip fee at the facility and receives 10%of revenues from the sale of its paper.


East Orange,New Jersey22% Waste Reduction Rate in Multi-family Dwellings

East Orange, New Jersey, offers recycling services to all its residents. Thecity-run program serving residents of multi-family households incomplexes with 50 or more units began in 1992. Residents receiveweekly collection of newspaper, magazines, phone books, aluminumand ferrous cans, #1 and #2 plastics, and clear, green, and brown glass bottles andjars. In 1996, residents served by this recycling program diverted 22% of their waste fromdisposal.



EPA-530-F-99-022cOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

NewspaperMagazinesPhone booksAluminum and ferrous cans#1 and #2 plasticsGlass bottles and jars

22


Outreach Activities

East Orange staff closely monitor eachbuilding’s participation in the

recycling program so educationalresources can be targetted where theyare most needed. When buildings jointhe program, a city inspector evaluatesthe building and helps managementtailor the new program to the individualbuilding layout and trash system. Citystaff also distribute a brochure on thecity’s MFD recycling program to eachhousehold when a new building joinsthe program.

Collection staff note decreases inamounts of materials recovered andincreases in contamination at buildingson an ongoing basis. When collectionstaff report problems, city managementeither issue a clear, courteous letter,with a name and phone number tocontact to rectify the situation orpersonally visit the building. As a resultof this close monitoring of recycling set-out quality and quantity, East Orangehas few problems with contaminationof recyclables and maintains its highwaste reduction level among its MFDs.

Costs/Benefits

Recycling from large multi-familycomplexes in East Orange cost the

city $13 per household in 1996. This costincludes the costs of collection (on a full-cost accounting basis, includingdepreciation of capital equipment suchas vehicles and carts), costs of processing(to the city), less revenues remitted tothe city by the processor. Per householdcosts for trash management were $92.Trash costs reflect payments to the city’strash contractor and trash tip fees. Theoverall cost of trash disposal andrecycling collection in East Orange’smulti-family program averaged $106 perhousehold in 1996. If the city did notrecycle and disposed of all wastegenerated in MFDs, conservativeestimates indicate that total costs per

multi-family household would be $111.On a per ton basis, trash cost $154

per ton in 1996 compared to only $81per ton for recycling services. Recyclingis cheaper on a per ton basis becausethe city pays no tip fee for recyclablesdelivered to the MRF while trash disposaltip fees were nearly $75 per ton.

East Orange finances all trash andrecycling services from regular propertytax assessments.

Tips for Replication■ Mandate recycling programavailability and participation.■ Provide education and outreachmaterials to all residents on a regularbasis.■ Create a mechanism forencouraging owners or managers ofbuildings to comply with recyclingrequirements.■ Be flexible in program design. Fitthe recycling system to each building.

■ Consider using municipalemployees to implement the programbecause of the opportunity forincreased oversight.

Start Date 1992Type of Multi-Family Buildings All buildings and complexes in East Orange

with 50 or more units are eligible toparticipate. In 1996, approximately 75buildings and complexes were enrolled in theprogram.

Households Served 6,236Average Persons per HH Served 1.58Total Waste Generated (Tons) 4,772

Disposed 3,729Diverted 1,043

Total Diverted (%) 21.9%Average Generation (lbs./HH/day) 4.2

Disposal 3.3Diversion 0.9

Average per ton SWM costs $137.94Trash collection and disposal $153.99Recycling $80.60

Cost per HH per year $105.56Trash collection and disposal* $92.08Recycling $13.48

Estimated Costs per HH per Year $111.21without Waste Reduction**

SWM = solid waste management HH = householdNote: Numbers may not add to total due to rounding. Data represent buildings in the city MFD trash andrecycling program.* The city paid a trash tip fee of $74.72 per ton for disposal in 1996.** In order to estimate what per household costs might have been if East Orange had no recycling program,Ecodata assumed that all waste generated would be handled as trash and the marginal collection cost per ton ofmaterial that was recycled would be equal to 50% of the per ton trash collection cost in the present system.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Barbara Stevens,Ecodata;1999.


Contacts:Dominick D’AltilioMunicipal RecyclingCoordinatorDepartment of Public WorksSolid Waste and Recycling Division44 City Hall PlazaEast Orange, New Jersey 07019(973) 266-5337 fax (973) [email protected]

Ecodata, Inc.97 N. Campo RoadWestport, CT 06880(203) 454-1700 fax (203) 227-5289

Program Description

Leisure World is a sprawling residentialcommunity located on more than 700 acres

of land with approximately 18,000residents. Building types range from

single-family units up to 24-unitbuildings. This poses an unusualchallenge for management who hasdevised a combination centralizedcollection for commingled materials,

drop-off system for newspapers, andcurbside program for the single-familyunits.

Varied building configurationsresult in three different trash collectionsystems. Residents of three-storybuildings use trash chutes. Residents ofother multi-family units bring their trash

to three-cubic-yard containers inenclosures located throughout thepremises. Residents of single-family unitsput their trash at curbside for collection.Outside contractors collect trash twiceper week.

While Leisure World has a strongrecycling program of typical home-generated recyclables, what drives itsrecycling rate to 50% is its compostingoperation. This program began in1990. Leisure World's landscapingstaff collect all landscaping debrisand grind, process, and compost it

on site. They use the finished compost aspotting soil in the on-site nursery, and mulchfor landscaping purposes. Staff use severalsource reduction techniques, including directmulching when cutting grass, and plantingdrought resistant species.

Leisure World's residents recycle beveragecontainers, magazines, and telephone books atone centralized drop-off site at themaintenance service center, driving distance formost residents. At this site there are ninerecycling collection containers, one or two foreach commodity. The containers are three-cubic-yard metal bins. The material collectedhere accounts for less than 5% of the totalrecyclables diverted.

In-house staff collect newspapers curbsidefrom the single-family units. The remainingpopulation, who reside in multi-familystructures, place their newspaper in one-cubic-yard covered metal bins. Approximately 450 ofthese bins, custom designed for Leisure World,are distributed throughout the complex


Leisure WorldLaguna Hills, California50% Waste Reduction Rate

Thanks to an aggressive program installed, maintained, andencouraged by property management, the Leisure World residentialcommunity in Laguna Hills, California, has cut its waste stream inhalf. One of the keys to Leisure World's success is its compostingprogram. Landscape trimmings account for 25% of thecommunity's waste stream, with mixed residential recyclables (newspaper andcommingled containers) accounting for another 25%.



EPA-530-F-99-022dOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

GlassAluminumNewspaperMagazinesYard trimmingsWhite goodsScrap metal Laser printer cartridges

50


alongside trash containers. Privatecontractors collect this material.

Other materials collected forrecycling including white goods, scrapmetal (such as old hot water heaters,sinks, and other fixtures generated bythe maintenance department), and lasercartridges. Management also plans toimplement a cardboard collectionprogram using one four-cubic-yardcontainer on the premises.

Staffing needs for the recyclingprogram are met with existing staff.Because outside contractors handle thecollection of recyclables (except yardtrimmings), only a small amount of stafftime is devoted to cleaning thecentralized collection location. Thecomposting program has twodedicated staff: one for materialscollection, the other for tub grinderoperation.

Outreach Activities

The program involves communityresidents through governance

committees that oversee all aspects ofoperations on the premises. This directinvolvement gives residents a directstake in the success of the program.Interested residents often bringcontamination issues to the attention ofthe program manager.

All recycling containers are labeledwith stickers indicating which materialsto deposit. Management promotes theprogram through articles in thecommunity newspaper and bulletins onthe community cable channel.

Costs/Benefits

The centralized collection programminimizes costs. Leisure World also

receives top dollar for its newspaper as itis clean and uncontaminated. Forinstance, in 1996 management spent$95,000 on newspaper pickup, butreceived $123,000 in revenue for thisnewspaper and saved $82,000 in tippingfees, netting an overall savings of

$109,000 for newspaper alone. Savingsare passed on to residents throughlowered operating costs. As of 1996,nine years after implementing therecycling program, Leisure World realized$80,445 savings in operating expenses.All program costs include equipment(tub grinder and tractor to turnwindrows), start-up costs (grading ofcompost site), and labor (two staff forcomposting program).

The yard trimmings collectionprogram results in lower hauling andtipping fees, reduced need for soilamendment purchases, and reducedwater needs. Careful records of the flowof materials and costs allow staff tounderstand the true cost savings ofrecycling. The program coordinatortracks tonnage by requiring waste slipsfrom the contractor who has a scale onits truck. The in-house composting staffalso weigh yard trimmings with an on-board scale.

Tips for Replication■ Ensure a committed managementstaff is on hand.■ Encourage residents to make theextra effort to recycle.■ Keep careful cost and tonnagerecords in order to recognize true costsavings.■ Focus on recovering materials withhigh volume and high value.

Contact:Cindy CramerManagement AnalystLandscape DivisionProfessional CommunityManagement, Inc.Leisure WorldP.O. Box 2220Laguna Hills, CA 92654(714) 597-4669 fax (714) 470-0148

Start Date 1987 (yard trimmings added 1990)Type of Buildings 318 single-family buildings and 2,231 multi-

family buildings; multi-family buildings rangefrom 2 to 24 units and from 1 to 3 stories

Households Served 12,736FY86 FY96

Total Waste Generated (Tons) >14,500 15,755Disposed 14,500 7,800Diverted NA* 7,955

Total Diverted (%) NA 50%Materials Recovered NA 7,955

Yard trimmings 0 4,711Newspaper NA* 3,043Other recyclables 0 201

Average Generation (lbs./HH/day) >6.24 6.77Disposed 6.24 3.35Diverted NA* 3.42

Fees per Year >$815,522 $735,077Disposal $815,522 $562,077Diversion NA* $173,000

Net Costs per HH per Year >$64.03 $57.71Disposal services $64.03 $44.13Diversion services NA* $13.58

Net Costs per Ton >$56.24 $46.66Disposal services $56.24 $72.06Diversion services NA* $21.75

FY = fiscal year HH = household NA = Not availableNote: Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.*Leisure World had a newspaper recycling program before 1986, but did not track tonnage or costs.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Cindy Cramer,LeisureW

orld;1999

Program Summary, FY96

Saint Paul, Minnesota23% Waste Reduction Rate in Multi-family Dwellings

Program Description

Recycling came to Saint Paul in 1986. Theprogram was established by a not-for-profit

neighborhood coalition — the SaintPaul Neighborhood EnergyConsortium (NEC). From the start ofthe program, planners decided tooffer on-premises recycling to all cityresidents, regardless of whether they

lived in single-family houses,condominiums, high-rise apartments,or even houseboats.

Originally multi-family propertieshad to sign up to participate in cityrecycling programs. In 1992, theprogram became mandatory, in that allcomplexes must offer the services.

Participation by individual residents isvoluntary.

NEC contracts with Super Cycle toprovide collection services. The firmcollects source-separated recyclablesusing sets of six ninety-gallon wheeledcarts at each recycling station. Onerecycling station, which receives weeklyor every other week pickup, serves upto 100 households.

A key to the success of theprogram is city-wide uniformity ofthe program — there is the sameset-out system, list of acceptable

items, and instructions for preparation ofmaterials throughout the city. This makeseducation easier, and it means that a residentwho moves does not have to relearn recyclingrequirements.

Saint Paul’s multi-family recycling programis truly a group effort with the city providingthe containers, NEC managing education andthe contract with the hauler, and Super Cycledoing the collection. NEC works with themanager of each complex to be sure theproperty manager understands his or herresponsibilities (keep containers accessible,clear away snow, provide move-in packages tonew tenants), signs a contract with the ownersof the complex, and recommends recycling beincluded in all leases.

Outreach ActivitiesNEC actively manages the outreach for Saint

Paul’s multi-family recycling programs. NECprovides educational materials including flyers,posters, displays and leadership for resident


Saint Paul, Minnesota, began its multi-family recycling program in 1986.Local ordinance requires that all apartment complexes offer residentsrecycling services. City-sponsored multi-family recycling services areavailable to buildings with twelve or more dwelling units. As one of theoldest programs in the United States, it is also one of the mostdeveloped. In 1997, over 27,114 units in 1,056 buildings received therecycling service and the program collected 3,418 tons of recyclables,representing a greater than tenfold increase from the 290 tons collected in 1988.In 1997, Saint Paul achieved a multi-family waste diversion rate of 23%, collecting 22 poundsof recyclables per multi-family unit per month.



EPA-530-F-99-022eOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

NewspapersTelephone booksMixed paper (including mail, office paper,

magazines and catalogs, andpaperboard)

Glass ContainersCansCorrugated cardboard

23


mailings. Most educational materialsprovide basic, clear guidelines and areavailable in many languages (includingEnglish, Spanish, Russian, Cambodian,Hmong, Chinese, Vietnamese, andSomali).

The program provides ongoingfeedback to residents — via monthlydata on quantity of materials recycledby complex (the hauler is required toprovide NEC with monthly pickupinformation for each account served).These data can be graphed on a posterprovided by NEC, and displayed forresidents to see. NEC staff also attendtenant meetings to speak about theMFD program upon request.

NEC also encourages residents ofMFDs to reuse household items. It hashelped complexes set up exchangetables where residents leave items forfree retrieval by other residents. NECalso publishes lists of drop-off locationswhere residents can donate usedclothes, furniture, and other reusableitems.

Costs/Benefits

Recycling in multi-family dwellings inSaint Paul is financed by a city tax of

$13 per dwelling unit per year, billed toMFD property owners on their propertytax bills. In 1996, Saint Paul paid the NEC$12.17 per household served, NEC inturn paid Super Cycle $9.81 perhousehold for recycling collection andmarketing and used the remainingmonies to fund its outreach andeducational programs.

The per ton cost of MFD recycling isapproximately $94 in Saint Paul,compared to $119 per ton for trash(collection averaged $70 per ton anddisposal cost $49 per ton). Although theper ton cost of the recycling program isgreater than the per ton cost ofcollecting trash, total trash costs arehigher because of disposal tip fees.Furthermore, if recycling were eliminatedand all discards were collected as trash,conservative estimates indicate that total

costs per multi-family household wouldessentially be unchanged. In 1996, thetotal cost of the trash collection anddisposal and recycling programs was $64for multi-family households; the costs fortrash collection and disposal of all wastegenerated at MFDs would have been atleast $63. Saint Paul has designed asystem where recycling programs aredelivered at essentially no additionalcost to the community, and wheresignificant diversions prolong the life ofdisposal facilities.

Tips for Replication■ Accept the same materials and usea consistent sorting system for allprogram participants in yourcommunity.■ Produce educational materialsusing simple graphics.■ Use multiple means of getting themessage out — including tenantmeetings, newsletters, lease clauses,posters celebrating achievements, anddirect mailings.

Contact:Rick PersonSolid Waste Manager800 City Hall AnnexSaint Paul, MN 55102(651) 266-6122 fax (651) [email protected]

AND

Pat SchoeneckerMultifamily Recycling ManagerNeighborhood Energy Consortium623 Selby AvenueSaint Paul, MN 55104(651) 644-7678 fax (651) [email protected]

AND


Start Date 1989, reached 100% of MFDs served in 1995Type of Multi-Family Buildings All buildings and complexes in the city with

12 or more unitsHouseholds Served 27,114Average Persons per HH Served 1.44Total Waste Generated (Tons) 15,371

Disposed 11,849Diverted 3,522


Disposed 2.4Diverted 0.7

Average per ton SWM costsTrash Collection* $70.50Trash Disposal $49.00Diversion** $93.69

SWM Cost per HH per Year $64.39Disposal* $52.22Diversion** $12.17

Estimated Costs per HH per Year $63.14without Waste Reduction***

HH = household SWM = solid waste managementNumbers may not add to total due to rounding.*Ecodata estimated costs based on discussions with private haulers serving the MFD sector in Saint Paul.**Represents $12.17 per household fee paid by the city to the Saint Paul NEC.***In order to estimate what per household costs might have been if Saint Paul had no recycling program, Ecodataassumed that all waste generated would be handled as trash and the marginal collection cost per ton of materialthat was recycled would be equal to 50% of the per ton trash collection cost in the present system.


Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Barbara Stevens,Ecodata;1999.

San Jose, California25% Waste Reduction Rate in Multi-family Dwellings

San Jose, California’s multi-family sector recovered 25% by weight of itssolid waste in FY97. By contracting with private haulers, the city of SanJose offers weekly collection of more than 26 recyclable materials,including yard trimmings, to every multi-family household in the

ethnically diverse city. In order to maximize participation, San Joseoffers financial incentives to its haulers and MFD building owners forwaste reduction, and the city and its contractors conduct on-goingeducation programs aimed at building managers and residents.

Program Description

Driven by a California law requiring cities todivert 50% of their waste by the year 2000,

San Jose added multi-family dwellings to itsresidential recycling program. It began

yard trimmings pick-up in 1991 and pickup of other recyclables in 1993.

Green Team, a local company,collects trash and recyclables otherthan yard trimmings from multi-family dwellings. Green Team

provides buildings withapproximately one set of three (onefor each: newspaper, mixed paper, and

other recyclables) 96-gallon recyclingbins for every 25 households. Buildingmanagers usually place bins neardumpsters and in other convenientlocations.

Occasionally, when bins arecontaminated with trash or the wrongrecyclables, the collection driver leaves asticker on the bin explaining whymaterials were not collected. The driveralso sends a non-collection letter to thebuilding contact, with tips on how tocorrect the problem.

Yard trimmings account for 66% ofmaterial diverted from the multi-familywaste stream. Building maintenancestaff put yard trimmings either in thestreet along the curb or in burlaptarps. Crews from one of two

companies bring yard trimmings to twoprivately owned composting sites. Trimmingsare either windrow composted or ground intomulch. Finished compost and mulch are sold orused as soil amendment on farms and city parks.

Outreach Activities

Outreach activities comprise two maincomponents: providing educational and

instructional material, and conducting on-sitevisits. Outreach activities have essentially twoaudiences: building managers and residents.For managers, Green Team staff providebuilding managers with tools to help them takean active role in recycling. These include signs,information on volume-based trash fees, modellease agreements incorporating paragraphs



EPA-530-F-99-022fOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

NewspaperCorrugated cardboardMixed paper (magazines, catalogs, paper

bags, telephone books, paperboard,colored and white paper, envelopes,mail, paper egg cartons)

Glass containersCansJuice and milk cartonsPlastic bottles and jugsPolystyrene packagingScrap metals (including aluminum foil

and pie pans, metal can lids, smallmetal appliances, hubcaps, metal pots)

TextilesYard trimmings

25



about recycling, and a serviceagreement packet containingbrochures listing services provided andtips for dealing with contamination.

The city produces all outreachmaterials, including posters andinformational brochures, in English,Spanish, and Vietnamese. In addition,Green Team makes site visits andpresentations whenever requested, andputs on recycling carnivals for children.The Environmental ServicesDepartment (ESD) runs a recyclingcustomer service line.

Costs/Benefits

The ESD’s operating costs for multi-family waste management services

include payments to Green Team fortrash and recycling services; payments tohaulers and processors for yardtrimmings collection and composting;landfill fees for trash disposal; billing andcustomer service; and overhead costs forrent, staff salaries and benefits,administrative support, and supplies. InFY97, these multi-family wastemanagement costs totalled $11,000,000.Of this, disposal services costapproximately $6,300,000 and diversionservices cost approximately $4,500,000.

ESD incurred no capital costs forthe program, as contractors provide allequipment.

One of the main goals of the SanJose recycling program is to divert trashfrom the landfill, extending its life. Tomaximize diversion, ESD chargesbuilding owners volume-based fees fortrash pick-up and nothing forrecyclables pick-up. Building ownerswith high participation rates savemoney by reducing their trash. Onebuilding complex, for example, savesover $10,000 in disposal costs per yearby recycling 62% of its solid waste.

Tips for Replication■ Involve building management.Programs improve significantly whenmanagers actively promote recycling.■ Educate building owners. Ownerscan only use services they know about.■ Sell program economics tobuilding owners.■ Keep it simple. If the program isintuitive, higher recovery andparticipation rates usually result.■ Be persistent. High diversionrecycling programs at multi-familyhomes require energy from recyclingcoordinators and building managers.■ Reach residents by placinginformation where the residents are,such as on or near recycling containers.

Contact:Robin MooreAssociate Environmental

SpecialistCity of San Jose Environmental

Services Department777 N. First Street, Suite 450San Jose, CA 95112(408) 277-5533 fax (408) 277-3669

Start Date Yard trimmings phased in Sept. 1991 toSept. 1992; other recyclables July 1993

Buildings in Program 3,400 buildingsType of Multi-Family Buildings All buildings with 4 households or more,

mobile homes, condominiums, andtownhouses

Households Served 80,440Households per Building 2,400 buildings have 4-10 households

650 buildings have 11-50 households150 buildings have 51-100 households200 buildings have 101 or more households

Total Waste Generated (Tons) 103,124Disposed 77,544Recycled 8,714Composted 16,866

Total Diverted (%) 25%Recycled 8%Composted 16%

Average Generation (lbs./HH/day) 7.0Disposed 5.3Recycled 0.6Composted 1.1

Net Costs per HH per Year* $133.55Disposed $77.73Diverted $55.82

HH = householdNote: Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.*Costs represent the ESD’s payments to contractors for disposal and diversion services, landfill tip fees, billing,customer service, overhead costs for rent, staff salaries and benefits, administrative support, and supplies.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Robin Moore,City of San Jose Environm

ental Services Department;1999


Program Description

Seattle started its single family recyclingprogram in 1988, and initiated the multi-

family recycling program a year later. Recyclingin Seattle is completely voluntary — each

household or multi-family complex mustrequest service. To encouragerecycling, Seattle offers a variablefee trash service (with fees based onthe size of the container for trash) toboth single- and multi-family

customers, and provides recyclingservice at no additional charge.

The city contracts with four privatecompanies to provide multi-familyrecycling services; two companiesserve residences in the north of the city,two others serve residences in thesouth. Each collection company uses a

different sorting and container systembut the companies largely collect thesame materials (all of the contractorscollect newspaper, other mixed paper,glass containers, and cans but only two ofthe four companies accept #1 and #2plastic bottles). The city is trying tostandardize the system; all buildingsjoining the program now requireresidents to sort materials into fourstreams: separate toters for clear,green, and brown glass, and adumpster for all other materials.Contractors provide the dumpsters

and/or 95-gallon carts used in the program.Collection frequency also varies by

material, complex, and hauler. For example, ahauler may collect paper from a complex everyweek but only collect glass bi-weekly or evenmonthly.

Haulers deliver collected recyclables tomaterial recovery facilities (MRFs) or directly tomarket. Contractors report the tonnagesrecycled each month by commodity. Thecontractors are paid a fixed amount for theircollection and processing services. Seattleassumes the risk for market variation incommodity prices by reimbursing thecontractors if prices fall below a set level andreducing payment by the amount prices riseabove the same level.

Although the city relies on the privatesector to deliver the recycling services, the citystaff enforce the contracts and enroll theindividual complexes in the recycling program.City staff also collect and compile programdata.


Seattle, Washington23% Waste Reduction Rate in Multi-family Dwellings

Seattle, Washington, is a large urban, metropolitan center with a longhistory of recycling programs. The city contracts with private firms toprovide multi-family trash and recycling services. Apartment complexesmust request recycling services, and as of 1997, complexes representingmore than half of multi-family households had done so. Residentsmust deliver recyclables to centrally located areas. In 1996 residentsparticipating in Seattle’s multi-family recycling program divertedapproximately 23% of their household waste from disposal.



EPA-530-F-99-022gOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

NewspaperMixed paper (including catalogs,

magazines, mail, paperboard, phonebooks, paperback books, office paper,and paper bags)

Glass containersCans#1 and #2 plastic containers*

23


*Plastics collected by only two of the four haulers servingmulti-family residences.

Outreach Activities

Seattle tries to use incentives ratherthan enforcement to encourage

recycling. The city also maintains an on-going education program about theapartment recycling program. Onecomponent of this education programis the “Friend of Recycling” volunteerprogram. Program volunteers attend acity training session, then serve asrecycling advocates in their buildings.Volunteers also monitor recyclingcontainers for contamination. Seattleissues an annual $100 rebate on trashbills to the management of buildingswith Friend of Recycling volunteers.

Seattle uses multiple messages toencourage recycling. The cityencourages MFD management to getinvolved in order to protect theenvironment and save money. The cityalso reports that building managershave found implementing recyclinghelps keep trash areas clean.

In cases of consistentlycontaminated recyclables at anapartment building, the city hasterminated recycling service as a lastresort. Service has been terminated atbetween 50 and 100 buildings.

Costs/Benefits

In 1996 recycling from MFDs in Seattlecost an average $19 per household.

During the same period, trashmanagement costs averaged $64 perhousehold. These costs include fees paidto the contractors for collection of trashand recyclables, estimated tip fees paidfor trash disposal, and cityadministration.

If recycling were eliminated and alldiscards were collected as trash, totalcosts per multi-family household wouldbe at most 6% lower. In 1996, the totalcost of the trash collection and disposaland recycling programs was $83 formulti-family households; the costs fortrash collection and disposal of all waste

generated at MFDs would have been atleast $79. Seattle has designed andimplemented a system where MFDrecycling programs are delivered at littleadditional cost to the community, andwhere significant diversions prolong thelife of disposal facilities, support localeconomic development, and slowresource depletion.

Tips for Replication■ Use in-building volunteers tocommunicate with other residentsabout program difficulties andsuccesses.■ Require that residents recyclethrough their lease agreements.■ Provide waste reduction educationand information to residents when theyfirst move into units.■ Produce educational materials inmultiple languages if some of the localpopulation does not speak English.

■ Have a mechanism to deny serviceif complexes consistently set outcontaminated materials.

Contact:Liz KainRecycling CoordinatorSeattle Public UtilitiesDepartmentDexter Horton Building710 Second Avenue, 5th floorSeattle, Washington 98104(206) 684-4166 fax (206) [email protected]

AND


Start Date 1989Type of Multi-Family Buildings All residences in buildings with 5 or more

units are eligible to participate but they mustsign up for service

Households Served 56,025 out of 101,150 total units in the cityAverage Persons per HH Served 1.69Total Waste Generated (Tons) 35,856

Disposed* 27,729Recycled 8,127



SWM Costs per HH per Year** $83.43Trash Collection $25.75Trash Disposal $38.54Diversion $19.14

Estimated Costs per HH per Year $78.88without Waste Reduction***

HH = household SWM = solid waste managementNotes: Data represent only those households participating in the MFD recycling program. Numbers may not addto total due to rounding.*Contractors collect trash from single- and multi-family customers in the same vehicles on blended routes.Ecodata estimated trash generation for single- versus multi-family residences.**Trash and recycling collection costs reflect fees paid to collection contractors and city administrationcosts. Trash disposal costs reflect a tip fee of $78, the prevailing rate charged at private transfer stations inthe Seattle area in 1996. In 1996, the city charged a per ton tip fee of $94 at its transfer stations, therefore;trash costs may be underestimated.***In order to estimate what per household costs might have been if Seattle had no recycling program, Ecodataassumed that all waste generated would be handled as trash and the marginal collection cost per ton of materialthat was recycled would be equal to 50% of the per ton trash collection cost in the present system.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Barbara Steven,Ecodata;1999


Program Description

In 1990, responding to a number of local andstate regulations, the Syracuse Housing

Authority (SHA) instituted recycling inapartment buildings under its

jurisdiction. In 1997, residents inToomey Abbott Tower, SHA’s largestbuilding (308 households on 22floors), recycled an estimated 20% oftheir solid waste.

Because SHA buildings vary insize, type, age, available space, andresident make-up, recycling programs

are different in each building. Wherespace allows, residents receive door-to-door pick-up of both trash andrecyclables. In some high-rises,residents receive door-to-door pick-up

of recyclables, but must bring trash to achute, which empties into a basementcompactor.

In 1997, Toomey Abbott Towerresidents brought trash and recyclablesto a common collection room on eachfloor. In this building and similar high-rise buildings, residents put mixedcontainers in 95-gallon bins, mixedpaper in brown paper bags either nextto or in the larger container, andflattened corrugated cardboard nextto containers. Maintenance staffcollect containers and bring them

outside for SHA’s contractor to pick up. SHAcontracts with Raite Rubbish Removal, a localcompany, for trash and recyclables pick-upfrom all SHA buildings.

Before the program began, SHA distributed5-gallon pails for recyclables to apartments and14-gallon bins to town homes. Thesecontainers, paid for by the Onondaga CountyResource Recovery Agency (OCRRA), arelabeled by unit number.

SHA buildings have little landscaping.Grounds crews leave grass clippings on lawns;they put the small amount of raked leaves andthe occasional downed branch into buildings’regular trash bins.

Outreach Activities

Before program inception, SHArepresentatives attended tenant meetings

where they announced and explained the


Syracuse, New YorkPublic Housing20% Waste Reduction Rate at Toomey Abbott Tower

Residents in Syracuse Housing Authority’s (SHA) public housing havebeen recycling since 1990. Programs are designed uniquely for eachbuilding and include door-to-door pick-up of both trash andrecyclables in some high-rise buildings. In 1997, an estimated 80-90%of all SHA households recycled. At Toomey Abbott Tower, SHA’s largestbuilding, residents recycled an estimated 20% of their solid waste in 1997, allowingSHA to avoid over $6,000 in disposal charges.



EPA-530-F-99-022hOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

#1 and #2 plastic bottlesGlass food and beverage containersMetal food and beverage containersAluminum foil and pansAerosol cansNewspaperMixed paper (office paper, greeting cards,

magazines, wrapping paper, single-plycardboard)

Milk and juice cartonsCorrugated cardboard

20


forthcoming recycling program. Inmany buildings, SHA began new trashcollection procedures at the same timeit began recycling. At the programoutset, SHA created outreach materialsby adapting some of the county’sliterature and writing some of its ownmaterials. (SHA now uses OnondagaCounty-produced outreach literature.)In addition, OCRRA and SHA staffconducted one-on-one residenttraining by going door-to-door andexplaining to tenants what to recycle,how to prepare it, and where to put it.Implementation went very smoothly.

SHA has a Property Care Ticketprogram whereby SHA staff can ticketresidents for various offenses, includingnot disposing of trash or recyclingcorrectly. For the first improperrecycling offense, SHA fines residents$5. In the first year of recycling, SHAissued 224 fines. Residents can appealthe fine. Generally, any appeal willresult in fine dismissal. SHA believesthe opportunity to explain theimportance of recycling and how to doit correctly is of more value thancollecting the $5.

SHA’s one recycling coordinatorworks 9-1:30 daily. She inspectsrecycling containers in buildings wheretrash and recyclables are picked updoor-to-door. When she finds anapartment where residents are notrecycling correctly she speaks to thepeople who live there or leaves aProperty Care "reminder ticket." Thereminder ticket tells people whatthey’ve done wrong and how to correctit. If residents continue to recycleimproperly after numerous remindertickets and verbal warnings, therecycling coordinator will reportresidents to the Housing Authority,which will then fine residents.

Buildings have a high turnover.New residents get some recyclingtraining when they move in, but mayneed more. The recycling coordinatorconducts individual training when she

finds problems, and encourages peopleto continue participating.

Costs/Benefits

SHA contracts directly with the haulerfor trash and recycling service. In

1990, SHA issued an invitation to haulersto bid for a new, well-documented trashand recycling contract. The winning bidincluded a stipulation that SHA wouldpay for services based partly on thenumber of apartments rented eachmonth. This contract saved SHA$120,000 per year over its previous trashcontract. Through most of 1997, 293 ofToomey Abbott Tower’s 308 apartmentswere rented.

At buildings with door-to-door pick-up, SHA pays its contractor $0.30 percontainer for recycling. For otherbuildings, SHA pays from $0.70-$0.76 per95-gallon container pick-up. At ToomeyAbbott Tower, SHA pays $0.76. Therecycling coordinator’s salary is includedin SHA recycling costs. Although notincluded in recycling fees, SHA’s costs formaintenance staff have not increasedsince it began recycling.

For trash at Toomey Abbott Tower,SHA pays the hauler a tip fee plus a $40per dumpster pull. In summer 1998, SHApaid an $81 per ton tip fee.

In 1997, SHA paid approximately$26,180 for trash removal andapproximately $460 for recycling serviceat Toomey Abbott Tower. Based on 293occupied households, this translates intoapproximately $187 per ton and $90 perhousehold for trash service. Recyclingservice cost approximately $13 per tonand $2 per household.

Tips for Replication■ Involve residents in program.■ Provide clear, simple explanatorymaterials.■ Interact with residents. Explain inperson how and what to recycle.■ Hand out flyers when newmaterials are added.■ Provide feedback. Mail residentsletters and talk to them.

Contact:Mark LiptakTenant Services

SupervisorSyracuse Housing Agency516 Burt StreetSyracuse, NY 13202(315) 475-6181 fax (315) 470-4203

Start Date 1990Type of Multi-Family Buildings 22 story high-riseHouseholds Served 293Total Waste Generated (Tons) 175

Disposed 140Diverted 35

Total Diverted 20%Average Generation (lbs./HH/day) 3.3


SHA Costs (per Ton)Disposal $187Diversion $13

SHA Costs (per HH per Year) $91Disposal $89Diversion $2

HH = household SHA = Syracuse Housing AuthorityNote: ILSR converted trash amounts from volume to weight using the conversion factor 2 cubic yards = 750pounds. ILSR estimated recyclables tonnage from volume data using the conversion 1 cubic yard of recyclables-246 pounds.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Mark Liptak,Syracuse Housing Authority;1999

Program Summary, Toomey Abbott Tower, 1997

Program Description

The University of Michigan (U-M) is one of thelargest academic campuses in the country,

with over 36,000 students. Approximately10,000 students live in dormitories.

Students bring recyclables totrash/recycling closets on their floor.Each closet contains a shelf forcorrugated cardboard and separatecontainers for mixed paper and

mixed containers. Housing Facilitiesstaff collect trash and recyclables oneach floor of the 15 student residence

halls on campus.Housing Facilities staff bring the

material from recycling closets tocontainers on the loading dock. Theycollect from the loading dock once a

week and bring materials to the nearbycity-owned material recovery facility(MRF). Grounds Department staff collectyard trimmings and bring them to thecity-owned compost facility.

On residence hall move-in days,students discard large quantities ofcardboard boxes. U-M institutedspecial collections for this cardboard,and in 1997 students recycled 52 tonsof material during move-in days.

When students vacate theirdorms for the summer or at

graduation they often discard loft

wood, toiletries, furniture, carpets, food,clothing, and other items that they cannot storeor transport. Thus, these items often ended upin the trash. Now the University collects anddonates these materials to charitableorganizations, except for loft wood and carpet,which are stored on campus grounds. AnnArbor residents are encouraged to take thesematerials.

Other campus recycling efforts include:collection of pallets, scrap wood, and metals; aworm bin composting project; a food discardcomposting trial; and recycling at the footballstadium. In addition, a Recycling Task Forceworks with the U-M Purchasing Department toutilize and sell more recycled-content products.

Outreach Activities

One of the keys to program success is U-M’sactive outreach efforts, which include:


University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan30% Waste Reduction Rate from Residence Halls

Michigan law mandates a 30% waste reduction for "major wastegenerators," including the University of Michigan. An enthusiasticand involved student body, a program design that is flexible andaccommodates the needs of the collection staff and changes incollected materials, and a very visible outreach program allcontribute to the success of the University of Michigan’s student housingrecycling program, which diverts 30% of the residence hall waste.



EPA-530-F-99-022iOctober 1999www.epa.gov/osw

Materials Collected

Mixed paper (including virtually all typesof paper: high grade, glossy stock,mail)

NewspaperCorrugated cardboardGlass#1 and #2 plasticsAluminumJuice boxesCeramicsScrap metal

30


student town meetings, trainingsessions with staff, a recyclingnewsletter, an email address to answerquestions ([email protected]), anextensive Web page, and theEcolympics, a competition betweenresidence halls that rewardsconservation efforts. Residence halloutreach includes displays at newstudent orientations and table tents indining halls, presentations uponrequest, and signs in residence halltrash/recycling closets.

Turnover of the student populationis an obstacle to even higher recyclingrates. New education efforts areneeded every year.

Costs/Benefits

When U-M's recycling program beganin 1989, its actual total cost for

disposal from the residence halls was$239,200 per year. The University spent$200,000 in 1989 to modify buildings tocreate recycling closets and to purchasecontainers. In 1997 its total cost forresidence hall disposal and recycling was$245,900 (including move-out day costsof approximately $11,000 per year andequipment pay back). Adjusting 1989figures to 1997 dollars, the University'stotal solid waste management costs forresidence halls decreased approximately$53,800 per year. This is explained inpart by improved collection systems andin part by avoided disposal coststhrough recycling.

In spring 1998, markets forcommingled containers were poor, sothe University paid a higher tip fee at theMRF for these materials than trash.Tipping fees at the MRF were $2.64 perton for paper (newspaper, old corrugatedcardboard, mixed paper), $18.92 per tonfor commingled containers, and $17.11per ton for trash. Although the tip fee forcontainers was higher than trash, the tipfee for mixed paper was $15 per ton lessthan trash disposal. Overall. recyclingcosts averaged $35 per ton while trashcosts average $48 per ton.

Tips for Replication■ Pay attention to the needs of yourcollection staff; they are the mostimportant element in a successfulrecycling system. Be open to lettingworkers create systems that work forthem. Listen...listen...listen!■ Pay attention to the ergonomics ofhandling. Do not be afraid to go intodebt to capitalize equipment thatimproves efficiency and safety.■ Keep good records of material flow.Keep track of costs.■ Develop good relationships withprocessors of your recyclables.

Contact:Kristin MillerGeneral InformationGrounds and Waste ManagementUniversity of Michigan1110 East Huron StreetAnn Arbor, MI 48104(734) 763-5539 fax (734) 764-9390

Start Date September 1989Buildings in Program 15Type of Multi-Family Buildings 2- to 8-story residence hallsHouseholds Served 5,000Residents served 10,000

FY89* FY97(Before program) (With program)

Total Waste Generated (Tons) 5,750 5,552Disposed 5,750 3,893Diverted 0 1,659

Total Diverted (%) 0% 30%Fees per Year $299,700 $245,900

Disposal $299,700 $187,921Diversion $0 $57,978

Net Costs per HH per Year $60 $49Disposal services $60 $38Diversion services $0 $12

Net Costs per Ton $52 $44Disposal services $52 $48Diversion services $0 $35

FY = fiscal year HH = householdNote: Numbers may not add to total due to rounding.*FY89 costs have been normalized to FY97 using the gross domestic product deflator.

Source:Institute for Local Self-Reliance;Kristin Miller,University of M

ichigan,1999


October 1999 Complex Recycling Issueswmnorthwest.com/2012summary/pdf/epa1.pdf · household and the household does not begin to comply with the recycling program, the complex can fine

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