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Program Profiles
Updated November 1998
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
927 15th St. NW, 4th Floor Washington, DC 20009
tel 202-898-1610 fax 202-898-1612
Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Information in these profiles was provided by program contacts. For corrections and updates or to include new record-setters, please contact Brenda Platt at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
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Residential Programs
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
Contact: Tom McMurtrie
Recycling Coordinator
City of Ann Arbor
100 N. Fifth Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
(313) 994-6581
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In fiscal year 1996, Ann Arbor (pop. 112,000) achieved a 52% recovery rate of residential waste through curbside recycling, yard trimmings collection and composting, and the state's bottle return law. Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA), a non-profit organization, runs the city's recycling program. City crews provide yard trimmings collection and composting services. RAA picks up 23 different recyclable materials weekly on the same day the city collects trash. RAA also runs a drop-off station. City crews collect curbside grass, leaves and brush, which have been banned from the landfill, April 1 through November as well as collecting Christmas trees in January. The city-owned compost site generates $40,000 per year from the sale of compost and mulch. Closing the loop, the Ann Arbor has adopted policies to encourage the use and purchase of recycled content products. |
BELCHERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Gary Brougham
Director of Public Works
Town of Belchertown
290 Jackson Street
Belchertown, MA 01007
(413) 323-0415 fax (413) 323-0470
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Belchertown (pop. 2,339) does not provide curbside collection services for either trash or recyclables. Residents who choose to participate are required to purchase a permit to use the town's Transfer Station and Recycling Center. The town has a pay-as-you-throw system for trash disposal. Residents must pay a per bag fee for trash disposal and a per item fee for special items such as tires and appliances. Source separated recyclables can be left at the Transfer Station. Materials collected include mixed paper; cardboard; glass bottles and jars; milk, juice, and drink cartons; steel and aluminum cans; aluminum trays and foil; and #1, #2, and #3 plastic bottles. The town also provides chipping of brush at the transfer station and a composting area for leaves. Belchertown's reported 1996 waste reduction was 63%.
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BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON
Contact: Thomas Spille
Solid Waste Program Administrator
Resource Management and Technology
Utilities Department
City of Bellevue
301 116th Avenue Southeast, Suite 320
P.O. Box 90012
Bellevue, WA 98009-9012
(425) 452-6964 fax (425) 452-7116
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Bellevue (pop. 104,000) instituted recycling in 1989. The following year the city restructured trash fees to provide an incentive to lower disposal levels. Residents have responded to the incentive programs so that in 1996, 62% of served households subscribed to trash service of one 30-gallon can or less of trash per week. Bellevue residents recovered 60% of their discards through recycling and composting in 1996 (26% through recycling and 34% through composting). A contractor provides trash, recycling, and composting services. Residents receive weekly curbside collection of recyclable materials and year-round collection of yard debris.
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BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Contact: Nina Herman Seiden
Recycling Program Manager
Bergen County Utilities Authority
Department of Solid Waste Planning and Development
P.O. Box 9
Foot of Mehrhof Road
Little Ferry, New Jersey 07643
(201) 641-2552 x5822 fax (201) 641-3509
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Bergen County (pop. 845,189) consists of 70 small, heavily populated municipalities in northeastern New Jersey. The area is largely suburban and home to many individuals who commute to New York City. Each community in Bergen County administers its own waste management program. The Bergen County Utilities Authority provides technical assistance, educational programs, financial assistance, and promotional materials to support the communities with their efforts. Areas of assistance include backyard composting, vermicomposting, waste reduction, household hazardous waste collection, marketing assistance, and business waste audits. Bergen County's reported municipal solid waste recycling/composting rate for 1995, the most recent year for which data are available, was 62%.
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BLUEWATER RECYCLING ASSOCIATION, ONTARIO
Contact: Francis Veilleux, Director
Bluewater Recycling Association
P.O. Box 547
Huron Park, Ontario N0M 1Y0
(519) 228-6678
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The Bluewater Recycling Association is a non-profit organization serving more than 125,000 people in some 60 municipalities in Southwestern Ontario. The Association offers several services to its members including an expanded blue box curbside recycling program, backyard composter sales and troubleshooting support, educational curriculum, household hazardous waste days, promotional materials, processing at its 43,000 square feet Material Recovery Facility, and the latest co-collection program serving 19 communities. The co-collection program utilizes a three compartment vehicle designed by the Association where waste is kept separate from paper fibers and mixed containers. The Association has achieved a diversion rate as high as 73.8% in some of its 28 communities on “user pay.”
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BOWDOINHAM, MAINE
Contact: David Berry
Solid Waste Manager
PO Box 85
Bowdoinham, ME 04008
(207) 666-3228
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In 1996, Bowdoinham (pop. 2,192) recovered 62% of its municipal solid waste. Recycling participation is voluntary but a volume-based fee is charged for waste disposal. Trash disposed at the Bowdoinham landfill dropped by 50% in the first six months after introducing the volume-based fees in 1989. Bowdoinham introduced municipally contracted curbside recycling and trash collection in 1994. Material for recycling is also collected at the town's drop-off center. Materials accepted include food discards, newspaper, cardboard, magazines, glass, aluminum and ferrous cans, and all plastic resins. An area of the recycling center is also used to display reusable materials, such as furniture, books, and clothing, available free to residents. Leaves, grass clippings, wood waste, and brush are collected free of charge at the town landfill.
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CHATHAM, NEW JERSEY
Contact: Henry M. Underhill
Administrator/Clerk
Borough of Chatham
54 Fairmount Avenue
Chatham, NJ 07928
(201) 635-0674 x108
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Chatham (pop. 8,289) residents achieved a 65% recovery rate in 1996. Chatham charges a base rate of $75 per household per year for solid waste and recycling services. The borough imposes an additional charge of $1.45 for a 30-gallon bag or $0.75 for a 15-gallon bag for trash collection. The change to a per bag charge was a hard sell for town officials but the program has worked well. The Chatham recycling program accepts a wide range of materials including cereal boxes, paper juice and milk cartons, metal clothing hangers, aerosol cans, and mixed paper. Leaves, brush, and other yard debris are diverted through composting and account for 66% of the material Chatham residents divert.
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CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY
Contact: Al DuBois
Recycling Coordinator
City of Clifton
Department of Public Works
307 East 7th Street
Clifton, NJ 07011
(201) 470-2237 fax (201) 340-7049
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Through Clifton's mandatory recycling programs for residents and businesses, the city (pop. 71,742) diverted from disposal 56% of its municipal solid waste in 1996. Residents are offered curbside collection of old newspapers, magazines, mixed paper, glass, aluminum cans, and steel cans once every three weeks. Residents must segregate and place each type of material in a separate container at the curb. Even glass is sorted by color. This method allows Clifton to deliver materials directly to market without having to pay an intermediate processor. Clifton's drop-off recycling center accepts additional materials such as cardboard, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, and aluminum plates and trays. Grass clippings, leaves, brush, and other yard and garden debris are collected seasonally curbside and account for 32% of total materials recovery. Businesses are required to recycle and are provided technical assistance by the Recycling Coordinator. Small businesses are eligible to receive city trash and recycling services, but large businesses privately contract.
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CROCKETT, TEXAS
Contact: Buddy Robinson
Solid Waste Director
City of Crockett
200 North Fifth
Crockett, TX 75835
(409) 544-5156 fax (409) 544-4976
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Prior to 1992, Crockett contracted with a private company to collect and dispose of all waste generated in the city. No materials were recovered for recycling or composting. The city took over trash management in 1992 in the belief that it could provide trash, recycling, and composting services at a lower cost than it had been paying for trash collection and disposal. In 1996, Crockett recycled 20% and composted 32% of its residential waste stream. Crockett's mandatory, weekly curbside recycling and composting programs and the use of clear bags for trash, composting, and recycling have contributed to the city's high diversion level. Through a local ordinance, Crockett requires all residents to recycle 22 categories of materials and collect four others for composting. All residents have weekly, year-round collection service for recyclables and yard debris. The use of clear bags allows city staff to readily identify improperly prepared materials for recovery or trash containing recyclables. City staff will not collect improperly set out materials.
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DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Contact: Jeffrey Pratt
Recycling Coordinator
Solid Waste and Recycling Division
City of Dover
288 Central Avenue
Dover, NH 03820
(603) 743-6073 fax (603) 743-6096
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Dover (pop. 27,000) offered its residents no recycling program until 1990 when it opened a drop-off recycling center. The next year it started curbside recycling and a month later a pay-as-you-throw system for trash collection. Before the beginning of these programs, Dover's residents disposed approximately 11,000 tons of solid waste. In 1996, only 4,500 tons of residential waste were disposed. This strictly voluntary recycling program and the pay-as-you-throw trash system resulted in the town's residents recycling 52% of their residential solid waste in 1996. Dover residents are offered the opportunity to recycle mixed paper, HDPE, PET, glass beverage containers, corrugated cardboard, used motor oil, tires, batteries, aluminum and steel cans, and aseptic packaging. Leaves, clean wood, and yard trimmings are collected for composting at Dover's drop-off recycling station.
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FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Contact: Annette Mills, Coordinator
Recycling and Litter Prevention
City of Falls Church
Department of Public Works
Harry E. Wells Building
300 Park Avenue
Falls Church, VA 22046-3332
(703) 241-5176 fax (703) 241-5184
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In 1996, Falls Church (pop. 9,845) recycled 65% of its residential waste through its curbside and drop-off programs, both of which are voluntary. The city provides collection of magazines, catalogs, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, phone books, glass, cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, brush, leaves, other yard trimmings, and appliances. Each fall, approximately 2,000 tons of leaves are collected curbside, processed into mulch, and delivered back to citizens upon request, free of charge. In 1996, Falls Church diverted 31% of its residential waste through its leaf program. The city's 100 volunteer recycling block captains deliver a quarterly newsletter to residents.
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FITCHBURG, WISCONSIN
Contact: Kevin Wunder
Project Manager
Public Works Department, City of Fitchburg
2377 S. Fish Hatchery Road
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 275-7141 fax (608) 275-7154
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Fitchburg (pop. 15,648) borders Madison to the north and contains both rural farmland and urban areas. Its mandatory recycling program, the first in Wisconsin, began in 1988 and has evolved into a program that is both cost-effective and efficient. Fitchburg's waste management program includes volume-based trash collection fees (begun in 1994), weekly collection of recyclables, monthly collection of reusable items, subsidized sales of home compost bins, and yard trimmings drop-off. In 1996, the city diverted 50% of its residential solid waste, 29% through recycling and 21% through composting.
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GUELPH, ONTARIO
Contact: Janet Laird
City of Guelph Works Department
City Hall, 59 Carden Street
Guelph, Ontario N1H 3A1
(519) 837-5604 fax (519) 837-5635
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The city of Guelph (pop. 95,000) is the first North American community to adopt an integrated two-stream wet-dry system on a citywide basis. The city began collecting dry waste November 1995, and wet waste February 1996. Approximately 55 to 60% of the dry waste is diverted from disposal; 60 to 65% of the wet waste is diverted.
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LEBANON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Contact: Amy Mazzella di Bosco
Lebanon County Recycling Coordinator
Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority
1610 Russell Road
Lebanon, PA 17046
(717) 867-5790, ext. 307
fax (717) 867-5798
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With 13 curbside collection programs and seven drop-off centers in its 26 municipalities, Lebanon County (pop. 116,789) recycled 51% of its solid waste in 1995. The county accepts newspaper; corrugated cardboard; aluminum and bimetal cans; glass; plastic milk, soda, and detergent bottles; phone books; magazines; office paper; metals; car batteries; tires; and yard trimmings. In 1995, the county recycled over 43,000 tons of material. Of the 13 municipalities with curbside collection, five have mandatory recycling while eight have voluntary programs. County officials credit its high recovery rate to waste haulers' cooperation in picking up recyclables on their routes, voluntary recycling coordinators in each community, and public and private organizations and citizens who have all enthusiastically embraced recycling.
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LEVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Richard A. Drury
Recycling Coordinator
Town of Leverett
Town Hall
Leverett, MA 01054
(413) 367-9683 fax (413) 367-9683
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Leverett, a rural town (pop. 1,965) in western Massachusetts, has achieved a 56% recovery rate through reuse, recycling, composting, and deposit container redemption. Recycling is mandatory; residents bring their recyclables to a local drop-off station. Among the materials accepted for recycling and composting are: aluminum cans, steel cans, glass containers, mixed paper, paperboard, textiles, auto and button batteries, plastics, scrap metal, waste oil, tires, paint, egg crates, leaves, and other yard debris. Leverett has an active swap shop, called "Take it or Leave it," where residents can leave and/or take reusable items such as books, clothes, and bed frames. Residents pay a flat fee for recycling and a per bag fee for trash pick-up. The town sells home composters and reports that almost everyone composts on their own. Leverett's total solid waste management budget has decreased as a result of its waste reduction programs. The total waste stream has also decreased.
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LOVELAND, COLORADO
Contact: Bruce Philbrick
Solid Waste Superintendent
City of Loveland
Solid Waste Division
500 E. Third Street
Loveland, CO 80537
(970) 962-2609 fax (970) 663-8047
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In 1996, Loveland residents (pop. 46,940) diverted 56% of their residential solid waste from the landfill. Loveland offers residential curbside recycling coupled with a volume-based rate for trash disposal. April through November the community collects yard trimmings from residents for a nominal fee. Since the initiation of these programs, per household waste generation has dropped and much of the material is now captured for recycling and composting. In 1996, per household disposal levels were less than half of the 1989 levels. The city's waste diversion program, carried out through dual-collection of recyclables and trash, saves it more than $100,000 per year in avoided capital and operating costs.
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MADISON, WISCONSIN
Contact: George Dreckmann
Recycling Coordinator
City of Madison
1501 W. Badger Road
Madison, WI 53705-1423
(608) 226-4681
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The curbside recycling program in Madison (pop. 200,814) collects glass, metal cans, #1 and #2 plastics, glossy magazines, newspapers, corrugated cardboard, brush, leaves, large items such as tires and white goods, and phone books. Residents pay a flat fee for waste management, except for appliance pick-up for which residents must purchase a sticker. In 1996, the city recovered 49% of its residential waste (32.6% through composting and 16.6% through recycling). In 1992 the city began a home composting program and distributed composting bins to residents at no charge. Since then, the city has sold almost 5,000 bins to residents at or below cost. The city's goal is to have one-third of residents in single-family homes composting their food discards.
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MORRIS COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Contact: Kathleen Pelak
Recycling Specialist
Municipal Utilities Authority
County of Morris
P.O. Box 370
Morris Plains, NJ 07945-0370
(973) 285-8392 fax (973) 285-8397
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In 1995, Morris County (1995 pop. est. 444,990) surpassed New Jersey's statewide recycling goal of 60%, by recycling 63% of its total solid waste. Morris County mandates 15 materials to be source separated and recycled by the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. The list of materials includes mixed paper, yard debris, tires, batteries, white goods and stumps in additional to the "traditional" recyclables. The county offers a curbside recycling collection program to municipalities for a cost of $0.85 per household per pick-up. Small businesses pay $5.00 per pick-up for "back door" service. Currently 12 of 39 municipalities and approximately 70 small businesses in the county subscribe to these services. Morris County also operates a recycling consolidation center for materials. This center accepts source-separated materials from municipalities, recycling collectors, and small businesses and processes the material for market. Most municipalities operate both a curbside recycling program and their own drop-off site. Drop-off is free. Four times each year, the county sponsors Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Days and collects items such as paints, pesticides, antifreeze, and asbestos. The county promotes a Cut It and Leave It program for grass clippings and backyard composting for other vegetative waste. Many of its municipalities likewise promote these programs and, as a result, some are eliminating curbside collection of yard debris.
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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, ONTARIO
Contact: Pam Russell, Director
Northumberland County Waste Management
860 William Street
Cobourg, Ontario K9A 3A9
(905) 372-3329 fax (905) 372-1696
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April 1996, Northumberland County (pop. 75,000) implemented a wet/dry curbside collection program in its 15 municipalities. Collection costs have been cut in half and the county is diverting more material. The county uses 10 split dual-collection compactors. The trucks keep bags of wet discards separated from bags of dry discards. Currently the dry waste is sorted at a materials recovery facility (MRF), while the wet waste is landfilled. Plans are in the works to also process the wet waste for composting. About 43% of the residential waste stream arrives at the MRF as dry waste. Of this, 80% is captured and recycled. Four municipalities have implemented variable rates for discard collection. About 60% of their residential waste is coming in as dry waste.
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PASSAIC COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Contact: B. Ellie Arnould
Solid Waste Programs Coordinator
Passaic County Planning Board
Office of Recycling and Solid Waste Programs
1310 Route 23 North
Wayne, NJ 07470
(201) 305-5738 fax (201) 305-5737
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According to preliminary 1996 data, Passaic County (pop. 453,060) met its 60% recycling goal for overall solid waste. The county documented recycling 48% of its municipal solid waste in 1995. Aside from mandatory recycling, key elements of Passaic County's waste reduction success include an information packet about source reduction and recycling distributed to new county residents, a yard debris program which encourages composting and the use of mulching mowers, and the implementation of "Wiser Ways," a program aimed at reducing waste at the source by encouraging citizens to make environmentally sound decisions. According to 1995 data, Passaic County residents each recycled almost a ton of material (1,893 pounds) on average.
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PEPIN COUNTY, WISCONSIN
Contact: Terry J. Mesch
Coordinator
Pepin County Recycling and Solid Waste
PO Box 39
740 7th Avenue West
Durand, WI 54736
(715) 672-5709
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Pepin County (1996 pop. est. 7,180) is a remote sparsely populated rural county in the Big Woods of Western Wisconsin. The county's recycling success has depended largely on source separation and proper preparation and handling of solid waste by citizens. The county's residents achieved 53% residential waste diversion in 1996. The county operates drop-off sites, curbside pick-up of recyclables in its three incorporated communities, and a weekly mobile collection station in Albany township, located 20 miles from the nearest permanent drop-off site. Materials collected for recycling by Pepin County residents are corrugated cardboard, appliances, motor oil, Kraft paper, chipboard, glass bottles and jars, #1 and #2 plastics, aluminum and steel containers, newspapers, and scrap metal. Yard and garden debris are also composted. The cost of collection, hauling, and processing of recyclables was $49/ton in 1995, compared to $96/ton for collection, hauling and disposal of the remainder of the waste stream.
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PORTLAND, OREGON
Contact: Matthew Stern
Solid Waste & Recycling Specialist
City of Portland Environmental Services
1120 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Room 400
Portland, OR 97204-1972
(503) 823-5545 fax (503) 823-4562
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Portland (pop. 497,600) revamped its trash collection service in 1992 in order to respond to public demand and state requirements for increased recycling. Volume-based trash rates, weekly curbside collection of a wide variety of materials, a bottle bill, yard debris recovery, and mandatory commercial recycling resulted in a total municipal solid waste recovery rate of 50% in 1996. Private companies franchised to serve areas of the city offer waste management services to Portland residents. According to Portland Environmental Services, the residential disposal rate of 1,468 pounds of solid waste per household is the lowest among large American cities.
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RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA
Contact: Cathi Lyman-Onkka
Recycling Coordinator
Ramsey County Department of Public Health
Division of Solid Waste
1670 Beam Ave., Suite B
Maplewood, MN 55109-1129
(651) 774-4449 fax (651) 773-4454
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Under a Minnesota State Law, Ramsey County (pop. 482,115) is required to provide opportunities for residents and businesses to recycle, ensure that materials are brought to materials processing centers or directly to markets, and meet regulatory recycling objectives. The county provides recycling grants to cities, which must provide residential pick-up, and has enacted policies designed to encourage waste reduction and enhance recyclables collection. The county operates drop-off centers for yard trimmings and other recyclables, and owns and operates a recyclables processing facility in Saint Paul. The county also provides technical assistance, education, and outreach to area businesses. In addition to achieving 3% waste reduction, in 1996 county residents and businesses recycled 47% of their solid waste stream.
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Ellen Ryan
Program Manager
City of San Jose Environmental Services Department
Integrated Waste Management Program
777 N. First Street, Suite 450
San Jose, Californa 95112-6311
(408) 277-5533 fax (408) 277-3669
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In its fiscal year 1996, San Jose (pop. 849,363) diverted 43% of its municipal solid waste from disposal: 45% of its residential waste stream and 41% of its commercial/institutional waste stream. The diversion level for single-family households was 55%. The city contracts with two private companies (the GreenTeam of San Jose and Western/USA Waste) to provide residential trash and recycling services on a weekly basis to 186,000 single-family dwellings and 79,000 multi-family dwellings. Single-family households pay volume-based rates for trash service. Two other contractors collect yard trimmings once a week on the same day as trash and recycling pick-up. In all, the city collects more than 24 different categories of materials for recycling and composting. The city encourages waste reduction in the commercial/institutional sector by assessing fees on trash collection but not on recycling or composting collection. This provides a direct economic incentive for businesses to recycle and reduce their solid waste.
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SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA
Contact: Jodi John
Recycling Manager
Sarasota County Solid Waste Department
1660 Ringling Boulevard
Fourth Floor
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 364-4663 fax (941) 364-4377
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Recycling is mandatory for both residents and businesses in Sarasota County (pop. 301,528). The current recovery rate is 43%; 50% in the commercial sector and 38% in the residential sector. Sarasota County's commercial sector recycling success has been achieved through aggressive education campaigns aimed at local businesses. Businesses must contract independently for trash and recycling collection services; the county programs serve residences only. The county has offered on-site waste assessments, technical advice, workshops, presentations, training, awards programs, and other educational information in order to encourage commercial sector recycling. As a last resort, county Code Enforcement has the authority to ensure businesses comply with the mandatory recycling program.
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ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO
Contact: Paul van der Werf
Green Lane Environmental
P.O. Box 790
Lambeth, Ontario N0L 1S0
(519) 686-8484 fax (519) 652-9447
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The City of St. Thomas (pop. 30,000) is diverting approximately 60-65% of its residential waste through its 3-stream collection/diversion program operated under contract by Green Lane Environmental Group Ltd. Households place their organic waste (food, yard trimmings, and soiled paper) into a 64-gallon aerated cart. Carts are collected every second week. On alternating weeks a wide variety of recyclables (steel, aluminum, #1 and #2 plastics, glass, old newsprint, old corrugated cardboard, magazines and advertising mail) are collected in a "blue box."
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Contact: Jennifer Bagby
Solid Waste Utility
710 Second Avenue #505
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 684-7808 fax (206) 684-8529
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Seattle (pop. 534,700) was a pioneer in charging variable rates for trash disposal; the city's program was implemented in 1981. The city continues to lead in waste diversion and has provided its residents with a convenient recycling system and a financial incentive to use it. City contractors provide residential curbside recycling and yard trimmings collection (by subscription). Seattle's multi-family recycling program serves 60% of households in this sector. Businesses contract privately for their trash and recycling services. Businesses and residents can also choose to self-haul trash, recyclables, and yard trimmings to city-owned transfer stations. Seattle set a goal of recovering 60% of its municipal solid waste stream by 1998 as an alternative to building an incinerator. No other large U.S. city has centered its waste management approach on material recovery, rejecting traditional disposal facilities in its long-term planning. In 1996, waste diversion levels in Seattle were 47% in the residential sector, 49% in the commercial sector, and 17% of self-haul materials. The city's total waste diversion level was 44%.
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VISALIA, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Tom Baffa
City of Visalia
Solid Waste Fleet Services
366 North Ben Maddox Way
Visalia, CA 93292
(209) 738-3569 fax (209) 738-3576
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Visalia (pop. 91,792) began its first pilot route in 1991 to test feasibility of implementation of automated dual-collection of residential trash and recyclables. This pilot was completed in 1992. Citywide implementation of the dual collection program started on 1994 and was complete in April 1996. The city formed a public/private partnership with the Heil truck company in order to study equipment configurations and improve service productivity. At the same time, the city also implemented separate curbside yard trimmings collection. In the few years since the program began, Visalia's residential diversion rate has climbed to 50%. Visalia staff attribute their success to the partnership with Heil that allowed them to determine equipment needs before making large equipment purchases and their aggressive public education program.
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WEST LINN, OREGON
Contact: Dennis Koellermeier
West Linn Department of Public Works
4100 Norfolk Street
P.O. Box 4S
West Linn, OR 97068
(503) 656-6081 fax (503) 657-3237
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In 1996 West Linn (pop. 16,557) recovered 52% of its municipal solid waste. Residents can recycle in the city's curbside collection program, or they can bring materials to the city's recycling center. The city collects newspaper, cardboard, glass, plastics, tin, aluminum, milk cartons, office paper, and magazines. Yard trimmings are accepted at the drop-off center and collected curbside.
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WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Robert Fiore
Assistant to the Commissioner
Department of Public Works
20 E. Worcester Street
Worcester, MA 01604
(508) 799-1430 fax (508) 799-1448
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Worcester's curbside recycling program began November 1993 along with a pay-as-you-throw system for the collection of trash. Materials collected for recycling include newspapers and inserts, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, paperboard, milk and juice cartons, drink boxes, glass bottles and jars, beverage cans, food cans, aluminum trays, and all plastic bottles, jars, tubs, and microwave trays/containers. The city also offers a drop-off site for yard debris and leaves, which are then composted. Although the program has only been in effect a short time, Worcester (pop. 165,387) achieved 54% diversion of residential solid waste in 1996.
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Multi-Family Residential
LEISURE WORLD RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
LAGUNA HILLS, CA
Contact: Milt Johns
Leisure World
PO Box 2220
Laguna Hills, CA 92654
(714) 597-4652
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Leisure World is a retirement community of 18,000 residents. The residents of this community recycle newspaper, glass, and aluminum. The management runs a green waste composting operation and construction debris and metals recycling programs. They have also changed landscaping techniques to reduce the amount of green waste produced. As a result of these programs, Leisure World diverts more than 50% of their waste. They have saved nearly $249,000 in tipping fees and received revenues of $343,000 for recyclable materials.
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VILLAGE APARTMENTS
SAN ANSELMO, CA
Contact: Karl Baeck
Village Apartments
36 Ross Ave. #9
San Anselmo, CA 94960
(415) 459-6370
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The recycling in this apartment complex is not the result of the installation of expensive recycling equipment but rather the result of an education program about the environmental and financial benefits of recycling. Recovered items are donated to a thrift store, food bank, dry cleaner, farmers' market, and packaging store. Resulting waste sent to a disposal facility has been reduced by 65% (by volume). |
Retail Shopping Complexes
DUFFERIN MALL, TORONTO, ONTARIO
Contact: David Hall
Dufferin Mall
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 532-1152
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The Dufferin Mall recycling program began in 1992. Corrugated cardboard, glass, cans, newspaper, fine paper, polystyrene, and coat hangers are collected through 64 common area receptacles and specially designed containers in the Food Court. Each store in the mall also has a blue box. Pre-consumer food discards are collected from the loading dock of the Food Court restaurants and are composted. The Mall is diverting 42% of the waste it generates.
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PLAZA CAMINO REAL
CARLSBAD, CA
Contact: Joe Ross
Plaza Camino Real
2525 El Camino Real, Suite 100
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(619) 729-6183
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The Plaza Camino Real started recycling in 1993. Currently its recycling program captures cardboard, mixed paper, cans, bottles, green waste, construction metals, fixtures, food discards, and plastics. This 1.12 million square feet enclosed shopping center, with 5 major department stores and 150 specialty shops, has decreased waste by more than 60% and saves more than $42,000 in hauling and tipping fees annually.
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Office Buildings
THE GREEN WORKPLACE
MANAGEMENT BOARD SECRETARIAT, TORONTO, ONTARIO
Contact: David Sparling
The Green Workplace
900 Bay Street, Room M2-59
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1N3
(416) 585-7541
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The Green Workplace program was introduced to Ontario Government Offices in 1991. This program set waste reduction targets of 35% by 1992 and 50% by 1995. The new Maximum Green Program attempts to reduce waste by a further 50% by introducing the following new programs.
- recyclable material is source-separated;
- individual trash cans are removed and replaced with small, desk-top receptacles and a large centralized trash bin;
- where possible, food discard collection is established.
As of spring 1998, more than 70,000 Ontario Provincial civil servants in 760 buildings recycled approximately 4,326 tons per year. Some buildings divert 90% of their solid waste stream.
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WELLINGS & COMPANY
MENLO PARK, CA
Contact: Bruce Wellings
770 Menlo Ave., #100
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415) 321-0622
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Wellings & Company is a full-service accounting firm in Menlo Park, California. The company aggressively recycles as part of its commitment to creating a better environment. Waste disposal costs are included in the building lease so Wellings reaps no direct benefit from reduced tipping fees because of recycling. The company has realized an 80% reduction in trash through recovery of white and colored papers, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass, and toner cartridges. The company also works to "close the loop" through the purchase of recycled content office products.
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Hotels / Motels
BOSTON PARK PLAZA HOTEL
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Bob O’Connor
Boston Park Plaza Hotel
Arlington Street at Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02117
(617) 457-2274
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The Hotel instituted a comprehensive environmental program in 1991. It has recycling programs for cans, bottles, white paper, cardboard, shipping pallets, plastics, and glass. Waste reduction efforts have included eliminating individually packaged toiletries in guest rooms, replacing plastic disposable dinnerware with china, glass, and flatware in the employee dining facilities, switching to rechargeable batteries from disposables, and recycling of printer cartridges. The hotel also directs an educational program for guests, employees, and vendors to ensure everyone is involved in waste reduction efforts.
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HIGHLANDS INN
CARMEL, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Terry Riffle
Highlands Inn
PO Box 1700
Carmel, CA 93921
(408) 624-3801
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The Highlands Inn and Pacific's Edge Restaurant strives to be a green hotel. In the past year, the hotel has maintained 100% room waste recycling. Waste reduction is also hotel-wide in the offices and restaurant. In addition to recycling, the hotel is paid for glass and reduced hauling costs by chipping its landscape waste and using it, saving it $4,000 annually.
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ITT SHERATON HOTELS & RESORTS
WAIKIKI, HI
Contact: Gene Burke
(808) 922-4422
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The ITT Sheraton Hotels and Resorts group operates the largest recycling program in the Hawaii hotel industry. The Hotels recycle corrugated cardboard, paper, and glass. Food discards are either donated to charitable organizations or sent to farmers. In their resource conservation program, the Hotels also buy from local producers and buy recycled materials when possible.
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Recreational and Cultural Facilities
AUTRY MUSEUM OF WESTERN HERITAGE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Leland Marks
Autry Museum of Western Heritage
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
(213) 667-2000
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The museum's recycling program recovers traditionally recovered items and unique items such as trees and waste water. Trash pick-up has been reduced from five times a week to just once. The money raised from recycling is used to fund an employee recreation program.
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DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS
22nd DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION
DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Nancy Strauss
Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard
Del Mar, CA 92014-2216
(619) 755-1161 fax (619) 755-7820
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The Del Mar Fairgrounds hosts more than 200 events a year including a 3 week Del Mar County fair and the 49 day Del Mar Race Meet. In 1995, Del Mar Fairgrounds estimated a waste reduction rate of 86%. This was achieved through aggressive programs to recycle (aluminum, cardboard, white paper, concrete/asphalt, glass, metal, mixed paper, newsprint, plastics, animal bedding, wood) and compost (landscape trimmings, food discards). Source reduction activities at Del Mar include using electronic mail, refilling printer toner cartridges, using double sided copying, and reusing shipping and storing supplies. The financial benefit of this waste reduction program was calculated to be $863,976 in avoided disposal fees and revenue from material sales.
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SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Ken Barnes
Buildings and Grounds Supervisor
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road
Escondido, CA 92027-7017
(619) 738-5054
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The San Diego Wild Animal Park works to preserve not just endangered plants and animals but also their habitats. The Park reduces use of natural resources derived from wild areas such as trees, mined ore, and water. The Park's staff practices wise use of office supplies, recycles containers and paper products, and composts huge amounts of organic wastes. Park visitors can use recycling containers located throughout the facility. Waste disposed at landfills represents only 4% of the Park's waste stream. This saves over $1 million in tipping and hauling fees each year.
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Government Facilities
GEORGIA DIAGNOSTIC AND CLASSIFICATION CENTER
JACKSON, GA
Contact: Boyd Leake
Vice President
Community Environmental Management, Inc.
770 Wesley Drive, NW
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 355-8770 fax (404) 355-8799
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The Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Center, a 1,600-inmate facility, was chosen as a solid waste management pilot project for the Georgia Department of Corrections in 1992. The facility implemented a combination of recycling and composting in order to reduce the waste it sent to the landfill. The compost program combines food scraps from the prison kitchen with local yard trimmings and cardboard. The compost is then used to enhance soil at Corrections farm operations. Monthly trips to the landfill have been reduced from 13 to 3 and waste costs at the facility have dropped 63%. Because the pilot project at this facility has been so successful, the Georgia Department of Corrections has expanded the program to other correctional facilities.
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NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Contact: Jim Marion
New York State Eastern Correctional Facility
Sullivan, NY
(914) 647-1653
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The Department of Corrections began its composting project in 1990. In 1997, 47 sites were composting 6,200 tons per year, or 90% of their food discards. In addition, cotton from used mattresses is used as a bulking agent in the compost. The facilities also recycle corrugated cardboard, office and computer paper, newsprint, bi-metal cans, plastic containers, and styrofoam. Participating facilities recycle, including compost, 80% of their solid waste.
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Health Care Facilities
SAINT JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
Contact: Thomas Leech
Fort Wayne, IN
(616) 457-2413
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The Saint Joseph Medical Center has achieved an 80% reduction in waste through source reduction and recycling. The Medical Center eliminated the use of single use food service items and instituted electronic office procedures. Recycled materials include cardboard, plastics, glass, aluminum, bi-metal cans, paper, and x-ray film.
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Manufacturing
MAD RIVER BREWING COMPANY
BLUE LAKE, CA
Contact: Bob Ornelas
Mad River Brewing Company
195 Taylor Way
Blue Lake, CA 95525
(707) 668-5409
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Mad River Brewing Company's commitment to the principles of conservation has allowed the company to grow at an annual rate of 50% per year while reducing its potential solid waste production by 97%. The company engages in diverse reduction, reuse, remanufacture, and recycling efforts. These efforts have resulted in job production, energy savings, and reduced waste management costs.
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VIRCO MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
CONWAY, ARKANSAS
Contact: Don Curran
Virco Manufacturing Corp.
Highway 65, South
P.O. Box 5000
Conway, AR 72032
(501) 329-2901
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Eight years ago, Virco manufacturing generated 260 cubic yards per day of waste at its Conway plant. The company has reduced that to only 30 cubic yards per day; a reduction of 88%. Material recovered include corrugated cardboard, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, hydraulic oil, mixed office paper, three types of plastics, foam rubber, tires, batteries, wood scraps, and newspapers. The company closes the loop through purchasing of recycled content items whenever economically feasible and available. Virco also sponsors recycling programs with many area schools. In 1994 Virco won the prestigious NRC Fred Schmitt Award for Outstanding Corporate Leadership.
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Wholesalers
JC PENNEY CATALOG FULFILLMENT CENTER
MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT
Contact: Diane Goodbar
JC Penney Catalogue Fulfillment Center
Manchester, CT
(680) 647-4280
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The JC Penney Manchester Catalog Fulfillment Center, which began its recycling efforts in 1982, is currently diverting 87% of its potential waste. The facility recycles 13 items (8 mandated by the state: white office paper, glass and metal food containers, newspapers, scrap metal, leaves, crankcase oil, and storage batteries. 5 additional items: low-density plastics, polystyrene, pallets, catalogs, and magazines.) The Center also incorporates recycling into all maintenance and construction projects, buys many recycled content supplies, and has environmental action council monitors who constantly work to maintain and upgrade the recycling program.
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Specific Waste Streams
Tires
MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY
TIRE RECOVERY PROGRAM
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In 1990 the state began giving grants to clean up tire piles and spur development of markets for used tires. Since then, 14 million tires have been cleaned up from 320 sites. Currently, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates that 98% of all scrap tires generated in Minnesota are handled through the state's management and recycling system. Seventy-five percent of these are used as tire-derived fuel. The remainder are processed into crumb rubber, used as fill material in road and building projects, or used in livestock and agricultural applications. |
Food
DEL MAR FAIRGROUNDS, DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Nancy Strauss, Concessions Coordinator
Del Mar Fairgrounds
22nd District Agricultural Association
Concessions Department
P.O. Box 2668
Del Mar, CA 92014
(619) 792-4218 fax (619) 792-4236
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In 1996 Del Mar Fairgrounds, a 375-acre site, diverted 38 tons, or approximately 75% of its food discards from landfill. The fairgrounds achieved this through a comprehensive waste reduction program which includes off-site composting of food discards from its annual 20-day fair (1996 attendance 1,018,659), vermicomposting of food discards from its Satellite Wagering Facility, and sending used cooking oil to a rendering company. Vendors at the fair are contractually required to participate in the waste reduction program. In 1996, Del Mar Fairgrounds realized a net savings of $17-$23 per ton composted.
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FLETCHER ALLEN HEALTH CARE
Contact: Hollie Shaner
Waste Specialist, Office of
Community Health Improvement
c/o Fletcher Allen Health Care
Community Health Improvement
UHC Campus
Arnold 4410
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 660-2825
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As part of a total waste reduction program, the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (MCHV) Campus of Fletcher Allen Health Care delivers approximately 90% of its food preparation scraps and steam table leftovers, 90 tons in 1997, to an off-site composting facility. Hospital kitchen staff at the 585-bed facility prepare 4,000 meals a day for cafeteria patrons and patients. The hospital housekeeping staff's waste team collects food discards Monday through Friday and takes them to a farm where they are windrow composted. In turn, the hospital receives organic produce at wholesale prices from the farm. A rendering company picks up used kitchen grease. Fletcher Allen also donates edible fruit and vegetables to a local food bank. As one of 6,000 hospitals in the United States, which in total produce one to two percent of the country's solid waste, Fletcher Allen Health Care staff believe composting to be part of the hospital's mission to provide for the health of the community.
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FROST VALLEY YMCA, CLARYVILLE, NEW YORK
Contact: John Haskin
Executive Director for Programs
2000 Frost Valley Road
Claryville, NY 12725
(914) 985-2291 fax (914) 985-0056
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In the late 1980s, as waste disposal costs steadily rose, Frost Valley sought alternatives to landfilling its waste. When a waste assessment found food to be the greatest contributor to the waste stream, Frost Valley decided to implement a composting program. This 6,000-acre residential educational and recreational facility in the Catskill Mountains now composts 100% of the food discards from its kitchen and dining room. From 1990, when Frost Valley began its comprehensive waste reduction program, to 1997, the facility reduced its total solid waste by 53% (by weight). Through food recovery, Frost Valley now realizes a net savings of $5,200 annually and provides a unique educational opportunity to thousands of visitors per year.
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GREEN WORKPLACE PROGRAM ONTARIO, CANADA
Contact: David Sparling
Manager, The Green Workplace Program
Ontario Realty Corporation
777 Bay Street, 15th floor
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2E5, Canada
(416) 585-7541 fax (416) 585-6681
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In 1991, the Government of Ontario created the Green Workplace Program (GWP) to facilitate waste reduction, resource conservation, and environmentally responsible purchasing in provincial facilities. An integral part of the GWP's waste reduction programs, composting diverted approximately 1,500 metric tons (1,650 U.S. tons) of food discards from landfills in FY96. Seventy percent of pre- and post-consumer food discards from four correctional facilities and three government office buildings and restaurants are composted. Staff and clients from a local detention center collect food discards and bring them to an in-vessel composter at the Ontario Science Center. Toronto Parks Department uses finished compost instead of buying fertilizer.
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LARRY's MARKETS
Contact: Brant Rogers, Director
Environmental Affairs, Planning, and Information Services
Larry’s Markets-Admin. Office
699 120th Avenue, N.E.
Bellevue, WA 9800
(206) 453-5031, ext. 403
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In 1991, as part of an overall plan to run environmentally responsible stores, Larry's Markets instituted a composting program. In 1996, Larry's Markets five stores recovered 90% of their food discards, sending 750 tons of food, floral, and waxed cardboard to compost. The stores also sent 120 tons of meat products to rendering. The chain realizes a net savings of $40-$55 per ton composted (about $41,000 per year). Stores collect pre-consumer scraps from the in-store cafes and juice bars, wilted and spoiled produce, old flowers and greens from the floral department, and corrugated cardboard for composting. A local hauler picks up these materials from store loading docks and delivers them to a topsoil company for composting. Larry's Markets uses topsoil from this company in its landscaping.
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MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, VERMONT
Contact: Jennifer Hazen
Environmental Coordinator
Service Building
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753
(802) 443-5043 fax (802) 443-5753
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Middlebury College (student population 2,000) has been composting since 1993. In 1996, it composted approximately 288 tons, an estimated 75% of the college's total food discards, from its five dining halls and three snack bars. The college composts both pre- and post-consumer food discards as well as waxed cardboard in on-site aerated static piles. Middlebury also composts food discards from special events. In 1996, composting cost the college $42 per ton, including trucking, labor, fuel, and supplies. Recycling other materials cost $145 per ton; trash, $137. As a result of its high food recovery rate, Middlebury realized a net savings of $27,000 in 1996.
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NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, NEW YORK
Contact: Jim Marion
Resource Management Director
NY State Department of Correctional Services
Eastern Correctional Facility
601 Berne Rd.
Napanoch, NY 12458
(914) 647-1653
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In FY97, inmates and staff at 47 correctional facilities in the New York Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) composted 6,200 tons, representing 90% of their food discards. They collect dining room leftovers and kitchen preparation scraps for windrow composting. Thirty facilities have on-site windrows; inmates at 17 facilities haul their discards to one of these thirty sites. Three facilities offer inmates technical training in composting. DOCS uses finished compost in inmate horticulture programs and prison landscaping. DOCS provides neighboring communities with free compost as a community service. The composting program allows DOCS to save an average of $91 per ton on disposal costs. In FY97, the 47 facilities realized a net savings of $564,200 in avoided disposal costs.
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SAN FRANCISCO PRODUCE RECYCLING PROGRAM, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Contact: Jack Macy
Organics Recycling Coodinator
Solid Waste Management Program
1145 Market Street, suite 410
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 554-3423
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From June 1996 through August 1997, the San Francisco Produce Recycling Program donated and composted 1,500 tons of food. As of fall 1997, over forty businesses participated in this program, a collaborative effort among government agencies and private companies in and around San Francisco. The program recovers both edible and non-edible produce discards from the San Francisco Produce Terminal and from area supermarkets. The San Francisco Food Bank collects an average of 60 tons of food per month and distributes the edible food, over 37 tons per month, to member service agencies. A local farmer takes the remaining non-edible produce, which he uses as animal feed or sells to other farmers. Since August 1996, non-edible produce that the Food Bank does not collect has been windrow composted at a nearby composting facility.
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SHOP RITE SUPERMARKETS, NEW JERSEY
Contact: Tim Vogel, Manager
Environmental Affairs
Wakefern Foods Corp/
Shop Rite Supermarkets
33 Northfield Avenue
Edison, NJ 08818
(908) 906-5083
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Since 1995, 25 of the New Jersey Shop Rite Supermarkets have composted 80%, or 3,000 tons per year, of their organics discards. The stores compost floral and produce trimmings and spoils, out-of-date bakery items, old seafood, soiled paper products, food spills, and out-of-date dairy and deli products. Typically, staff in each department collect compostables in waxed corrugated cardboard boxes and put the whole box in an on-site compactor. A hauling company takes the compacted organics to a composting site where they are ground with yard trimmings and windrow composted. The nutrient-rich finished compost is screened to remove contaminants and sold to farmers, golf courses, and people involved in land reclamation. Through diversion, each store avoids $15,000-$40,000 in disposal costs per year, depending on store size and location.
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UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Contact: Cheryl Chaves
Compost Project Coordinator
University of Massachusetts
Intermediate Processing Facility
Tilson Farm Road
Amherst, MA 01003
(413) 545-6717 fax (4113) 545-4737
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From September 1996 through August 1997, the University of Massachusetts in Amherst diverted 250 tons, an estimated 50%, of its food discards to its in-vessel composter, avoiding $55 per ton in tipping fees. Approximately 10,000 students on the university meal plan eat in four dining halls, which prepare an average daily total of 19,200 meals. University kitchen staff collect pre-consumer food discards from all four campus dining halls and four smaller campus eateries, as well as post-consumer discards from two of the dining halls. Discards are picked up every Monday through Friday and added, along with used animal bedding from the campus horse farm, to the in-vessel unit. The university plans to use finished compost in its landscaping projects.
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WYNDHAM FRANKLIN PLAZA HOTEL
Contact: David Ebner
Director, Housekeeping
Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel
17 & Race Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 448-2000 fax (215) 448-2730
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Waste disposal costs at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel have decreased by 30% since it began collecting organics for animal feed. The hotel began this program in response to a 1995 city mandate to reduce waste. Cooks collect food preparation scraps and all other "wet" garbage except grease and coffee grounds in 30-gallon bins located next to the food prep areas. When full, the bins are brought to the loading dock where a pig farmer picks them up every other day. The hotel also donates leftover prepared meals to Philabundance, a food bank, which distributes food to area homeless shelters.
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