Recycling - towards zero waste Russell W Englefield Lincoln University Canterbury, New Zealand.

Recycling - towards zero waste

Russell W EnglefieldLincoln University

Canterbury, New Zealand

Why? Part of Lincoln University’s Environmental Policy

There is growing support for: reducing our waste into landfills, etc.

eliminating the harmful results of waste

improving our environment for the future

working towards environmental sustainability

Today’s students are more protective of our environment

You can save valuable resources

Save money - or break even

Disposal costs in future are likely to skyrocket upwards - currently $95/tonne to remove to landfill

Outcomes Sought

Minimise pollution from waste

Reduce the waste to landfills to zero

Lower the waste stream by: removing reusable materials increasing the efficient use of resources purchasing “smart” - reusable - recyclable - less waste

producing

Any system implemented had to be near cost neutral

Gain the support and enthusiasm of staff and students

Before you start - you need to know the facts!

Which materials can be recycled? What constitutes our waste stream?

Where does it originate from?

What quantity is involved?

Can we avoid producing any waste product?

What existing records do you have?

How are you to gather this information?

What constitutes our waste stream?

Identify and schedule the sources

The frequency of picking up

Are there common groups of recoverable materials

Houses - Halls of Residence

Academic buildings - Cafeterias - Kitchens

Grounds bins - Commercial - Industrial, and Retailing

Continued...

What Materials are Recyclable? Find out from your Local Authority (Recycle

Materials Foundation)

They find takers of recycled materials

Act as a “clearing house” for bulk recoveries

Have high specification of NON CONTAMINATION

Their advice: start simple - build up!!

Recyclable Materials Accepted Standard Paper:

– Newspaper – Hi grade – Mixed grade

95% 98%

Any paper product Cardboard – corrugated 100% Cans:

– Aluminium – Steel

99% 99%

Plastics: – PET “1” – HDPE “2”

100% 100%

Glass: – Clear – Brown – Green – Blue

100% 98% 98%

0 Metals:

– Ferrous – Non-ferrous

100% 100%

Used Oil – only undiluted oil accepted 100% Food Scraps – mixed Pork – nil Batteries All Printer Cartridges Refillable type only

What constitutes our waste stream contd... The assessments were made by:

Hands on, separating the items

Estimating the volumes

Weighing random samples

Recording the data

Combining the information

Get information from your disposal company - past years disposal records.

Continued...

What constitutes our waste stream contd...

DON’T Try to assess every waste source Create too many waste types

DO Use typical sources for the group Concentrate on items able to be recycled Take rounded values Realise samples differ daily

Lincoln University’s Annual Waste Totals Waste contractor reports: 1999 - 242 tonnes

2000 - 239 tonnes

NOTE: Only waste to landfills, does not include grounds, building,hazardous wastes or oils

Campus Refuse to LandfillAccumulative Monthly Totals

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2000

The Waste Stream (from samples assessed)

Source Food Glass Paper Cardboard Plastic Cans Other

Academic 7.7 1.0 27.1 19.4 0.5 0.5 18.4

Commercial 6.2 1.5 4.1 4.2 2.6 0.5 17.8

Café/ Kitchens 21.5 4.4 3.5 3.5 0.6 2.0 26.1

Halls 12.1 7.3 4.3 5.2 1.8 2.9 16.4

Houses/ Flats 5.6 2.4 2.0 2.4 0.5 0.5 3.3

Industrial - - - - - - -

Garden/ Grounds - - - - - - -

Est. Tonnage 53.3 16.6 41.3 34.8 6.0 6.4 82.0

Target areas = 87 tonnes

“Other” includes contaminated food containers and used teaching and research specimens

Resources Available

Supervisor (Custodian) responsible for waste disposal

1.0 FTE Refuse Collector

1 flatdeck ute - with rear lift platform

Student volunteers (variable)

Contractors’ Proposals Scheduled our information Indicated our goals Sought responses and costings

Only two responses received. They were: Rather vague Relied heavily on offering existing services based on

hire rates Not innovative Charges would have significantly increased disposal

costs Rates for materials recovered were vague

Negotiating a Partnership Based on win/win partnership

We have the best knowledge of: the campus layout access and pickup routes what is acceptable operation what resources we can regularly contribute

Your contractor usually has access to a large range of recovery vehicles

Get together to work out a solution

Avoid the use of expensive specialised transport

Go for simple, low cost recovery methods

Your choice will reflect in the cost

Students are often interested in helping

Rates for materials - selected $nil

Our Solution Kerbside collection of mixed recyclables

Sources identified: houses, flats, Halls of Residence

Goal: 0.5 Tonnes/week

Solution: Partnership with Waste Management Ltd Contractor supplies 35 litre crate to houses and flats for free Contractor supplies Halls with wheelie bins for free University does the marketing Contractor collects every Tuesday at 7.30 a.m. Collected from: 86 houses, 27 flats, 15 Halls (500 beds)

Achievement: 400-500 kg materials/week

Paper Recovery Sources identified: Academic area

Option selected: All, mixed grades

Goal: 0.5 Tonnes/week

Solution: Partnership with Intershred Ltd University supplied A4 box to every room on campus Contractor supplied 100 bright yellow wheelie bins Located on every floor in all buildings Room occupier empties paper to collector bin When full, secretary issues Job Card Fresh bin delivered, full one to store (free service) Advise contractor when 30 bins are full Contractor removes bins and replaces with empty ones

Achievement: 1.0+ Tonnes/week

NOTE: Library books will be added and students will assist by cuttingout the security tape in the spine.

Cardboard Recovery

Sources identified: Academic area and Commercial/Retail

Selection: Corrugated cardboard only

Goal: 0.5 Tonnes/week

Solution: University supply bright yellow wooden crates Located near the main circulation on ground floor Staff deposit cardboard into these Refuse Collector monitors daily on round Uplifts cardboard to bulk store Contractor collects weekly with kerbside operation

Achievement: Service just begun - no results to date

24 Hour Multi-bin Sources identified: Staff, day students, special waste generated Options Selected:

Newspaper Plastics - types 1 and 2 Glass - 3 types Cans - aluminium and steel

Goals: No defined goal To encourage recycling - open to all students and staff

Solution: Bin has 8 separate disposal ports Each port drops directly into a wheelie bin Is accessible 24 hours 7 days a week Has two accessory bins for non-recyclable goods:

• Plastics• Glass

Emptied weekly in conjunction with kerbside collection Very popular with non-residential staff and students

Other Materials RecycledOther materials being recycled on campus are: Aluminium cans - bins throughout campus Oils - from the Engineering section Trade waste - Property Maintenance group

ferrous metal non-ferrous metal old paint tins window glass

Grounds waste: woody material chipped for mulch leaves composted composting of green waste investigated - next years initiative

Removal: By special negotiation with contract recyclers Batteries – all types

Recycling - what does it cost?

1 Kerbside Collection – weekly $Houses & Flats – 35 litre crate: 86 @ 50¢ 43.00Halls of Residence – wheelie bin: 16 @ $3.00 48.00Multi-bin – wheelie bin: 8 @ $3.00 24.00

Weekly charge (to empty) $115.00

2 RecoveriesSale of materials NILLower landfill costs @ $97/ tonne, ie. 500 kg $48.00

Recycling - what does it cost?3 Paper $

Setting up: 250 A4 cardboard boxes @ 85¢ 100 yellow wheelie bins 10 x 500 litre crates for cardboard

212.00 Free

460.00$672.00

Operating Collection from Academic areas:

Average $3.00 each Per week: 10 bins @ 100 kg 30.00

Uplifting by contractor and return Free

4 Recoveries Sale of materials Lower landfill costs (1 tonne)

Nil97.00

Lincoln University Refuse Waste 1999-2002

Campus Refuse to CompactorTotal Tonnage per month

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Lincoln University Refuse Waste 1999-2002

Reduction to Landfill: 35 Tonnes Period: 7 months

Annual Projection: 84 Tonnes

Campus Refuse to CompactorAccumulative Monthly Totals

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2002

Cost vs Savings

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Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun-02

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Landfill ($150/Tonne) Operating Cost ($145/week)

Landfill cost savings ($97/Tonne)

Year 1 Saving: $1,881

Year 2 Saving: $3,948 and ongoing

Conclusions Kerbside Recycling (Mixed)

Goal: 500 kg per week Achieving: 26 Tonnes p.a.

Paper Recovery Goal: 1 Tonne per week Achieving: 52 Tonnes p.a.

Cardboard Goal: 500 kg per week Achieving: 26 Tonnes p.a.

TOTAL RECYCLED: 104 Tonnes p.a.

Taking our goal of 84 Tonnes of recyclables:- Year 1 - will break even Year 2

• New goal of 120 Tonnes• Savings around $10,000 p.a.

Where to next? Increase the recovery - no cost

Evaluate the small waste suppliers Discuss their needs - find a simple solution Can they combine with others?

The next big issues - food and other Food and food wrappers - possible worm farm Other - mainly items there is no market for? Composting of green waste

Adding value 10¢/kg to top grade print quality paper Students could sort “as and when” available

Reducing the waste “purchased”!! Reducing the demand for paper Setting copiers to “double-sided” by default Purchasing reusable rather than disposable

Marketing - “nothing succeeds like success” Selling your proposal

Success depends on others participating They must know:

• What it’s about• What is to be gained• How it is to happen

Seek advice from your Recycling Foundation and partner contractor

Make use of information sheets If it’s not easy to do - it won’t happen for long

Feedback Publicise the results achieved Keep the interest alive Seek ideas for improving the system

To summarise... Why do you want to recycle materials?

What do you hope to achieve?

You must know the facts of your waste stream: Where does it come from? What does it consist of? Don’t try to assess every waste source - select

Target the big suppliers of particular materials

Establish what market there is for your materials

Decide on what resources you have to assist

Contractor, partnership, or do your own thingContinued...

To summarise contd...

Your solution - keep it simple

Set your targets and goals - not too high!

Cost your solution

Marketing: Publicise your proposal and outcomes Provide feedback of results

Plan the extension into small recoverables once established

Every Tonne recycled is one less to landfills

Kerbside bins

Halls of Residence recycling

Recycling Depot

Inside multibin

Paper recycling bin